Willie Morris

A brilliant writer, editor, journalist, and teacher, Willie Morris created stories that channeled his experiences growing up in rural Mississippi into works of art that appealed to diverse audiences.

Morris was born in Jackson, and his family moved to Yazoo City when he was a baby. His love of literature and talent for storytelling emerged at an early age.

After a couple of years at the University of Texas, Morris found his groove, excelling as editor of the school newspaper despite making enemies in the administration. His talent and achievements landed him a Rhodes scholarship to study in England.

By 1963, Morris was an editor at Harper’s Magazine – the pinnacle of the highbrow literary world. He became editor-in-chief in 1967, the same year he released his best-selling autobiography, North Toward Home. His appeal was not limited to the literary elite; books such as Good Old Boy (1971) and My Cat Spit McGee (1998) appealed to all ages.

Morris began teaching at the University of Mississippi in 1980. John Grisham and Donna Tartt were among those who honed their craft in his legendary writing classes.

My Dog Skip (1995), a reminiscence of childhood, became a major motion picture. Morris saw an advance screening shortly before he died of a heart attack in 1999.

Equally comfortable with fiction, nonfiction, and memoir, Morris wrote both serious and lighthearted stories. Common themes include the intersection of past and present, tensions between regional and national identities, and the sense of wonder associated with childhood.

Above: Willie Morris in the College Hill Cemetery in Lafayette County, Mississippi, in January 1980.
Photo/© David Rae Morris. All rights reserved. From the series/exhibit “Letters From My Father.”