Alabama Celebrates 25 Years in the Humanities
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VOL. 6, NO. 3 FALL 1999 FIRSTDRAFT The Journal of the Alabama Writers’ Forum Nobel Laureate TONI MORRISON Page 5 ALABAMA CELEBRATES 25 YEARS IN THE HUMANITIES Page 2 © 1997 Timothy Greenfield-Sanders Timothy © 1997 ALABAMA FROM THE WRITERS’ FORUM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 1999-2000 BOARD OF DIRECTORS President KELLEE REINHART It’s fall and the din is this issue. On behalf of the (Tuscaloosa) loud. Take your pick: foot- Alabama Writers’ Forum, Immediate Past President ball, elections, back-to- congratulations, Helen. BRENT DAVIS school woes for teenagers, I’d like to close by quot- (Tuscaloosa) and some tragically bad ing from “Wind” by Andrew Vice-President JAY LAMAR weather. But as writers other Hudgins, a poem he read on (Auburn) things should get our atten- a recent visit to Montgomery. Secretary tion, too. Hudgins’ personal take on a BETTYE L. FORBUS We have a Nobel universal point of discovery (Dothan) Laureate in Literature visiting helps us all push back the Treasurer our state at the end of this din that crowds the larger EDWARD M. GEORGE (Montgomery) month: novelist Toni Jeanie Thompson statistics of our lives: Writers’ Representative Morrison will highlight the …Soon the wind AILEEN KILGORE HENDERSON Alabama Humanities Foundation’s 25th would flood the air with golden dust, warm (Brookwood) Anniversary festivities on October 30th at perfume, Writers’ Representative UAB’s Alys Stephens Center. For details of intoxicants of spring that tempt us, tempt us JOHN SLEDGE this event and AHF’s silver anniversary, see to run up green hills, roll down them, and (Mobile) page 5. forget RUTH BEAUMONT COOK (Birmingham) Very soon we will celebrate the publi- the near-percussive thrum, the deep PRISCILLA COOPER cation of two works from our “Writing Our vibration, (Birmingham) Stories” anti-violence creative writing pro- half rattle, of brown leaves on brown LINDA HENRY DEAN gram. Open the Door II edited by Marlin leaves, the rich (Auburn) Barton and Let Me Talk to You edited by enveloping sound shimmer that haunts the WILLIAM E. HICKS (Troy) Priscilla Hancock Cooper will feature soul PETER HUGGINS the work of Alabama Department of Youth their hymn has summoned, conjured, then (Auburn) Services students who have worked with cast out, NORMAN McMILLAN these gifted teaching writers at Mt. Meigs and they were it, they were my soul because (Montevallo) and Chalkville, respectively. Look for exten- for the wind we’re all the same: already ANNE RUTLEDGE sive coverage of these books in the Winter gone, (Huntsville) First Draft. We will post some of the work already gone though we refuse to go – RICK SHELTON (Sterrett) on our website at www.writersforum.org. the long wind sweeping us away, I longed HERMAN LINDSEY STRICKLIN To all young writers and their teachers, to be the wind, which is the deep, (Florence) it’s not too early to begin preparing your untroubled FRANK TOLAND entries for the 2000 High School inhaling or exhaling of our god. (Tuskegee) Literary Arts Awards and Scholarship But I was not the wind, or the leaves wholly, DENISE WADSWORTH TRIMM Competition. See pages 13-16 for our riding without knowing what it was, (Birmingham) annual four-page insert on the contest, the in-breath or out-breath of the Lord, Executive Director including entry form. and as I stood beneath them, listening, JEANIE THOMPSON (Montgomery) The Alabama Writers’ Conclave recent- the leaves sang, Don’t die, and I’ve obeyed ASCA Liaison ly selected Alabama’s new poet laureate– them. RANDY SHOULTS Helen Norris of Montgomery awaits final (Montgomery) appointment by Governor Don Siegelman to From Andrew Hudgins’s Babylon in a Jar, her post. Book review editor and AWF vice- 1998, Houghton Mifflin Company Book Reviews Editor president Jay Lamar interviewed Helen for JAY LAMAR Editing/Graphic Design WORDCRAFT, INC. VOL. 6, NO. 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS FALL 1999 FEATURES AWF PROGRAM NEWS HIGH SCHOOL LITERARY ARTS AWARDS ..10 Young Alabama writers excel. Includes guidelines and entry form for year 2000 competition. MAJOR LITERATURE IN THE MANSION ..................17 DONORS ............2 The Forum’s gift of family reading for the Governor’s Mansion. Celebrating 25 Years of the Atmore Advance Atmore Alabama Humanities Foundation YOUNG LIVES IN BLACK AND WHITE ............17 BY SUNSHINE HUFF In its second year, the “Writing Alan Brown is one of nearly 40 Our Stories” program produces speakers in the Alabama Humanities two anthologies and national Foundation Speaker’s Bureau. exposure for the Forum. DEPARTMENTS POETIC LITERARY NEWS........................18 Including HOT OFF THE PRESS– LICENSE ............6 news from Alabama publishers A Conversation with Helen Norris, BOOK REVIEWS ........................19 Alabama Poet Laureate Jay Lamar, Editor BY JAY LAMAR ANNOUNCEMENTS ....................24 Photos by Katie Lamar Smith Katie Lamar Smith CALENDAR ................................25 Helen Norris First Draft is a vehicle for communication among writers and those interested in literature/publishing in Alabama and elsewhere. We encourage publication news, HAPPILY (SELF) events information, and story suggestions. First Draft will grow as the needs of PUBLISHED........9 writers in Alabama are identified. Contact The Alabama Writers’ Forum, A Real-life Romance Alabama State Council on the Arts, 201 Monroe St., Montgomery, AL 36130-1800. BY SHERI COBB SOUTH Phone: 334/242-4076, ext. 233; Fax: 334/240-3269; email:[email protected]. MAJORDONORS CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF THE ALABAMA HUMANITIES FOUNDATION BY SUNSHINE HUFF istory, literature, philosophy, languages, the law, religious Lamar marvels at the visionary quality of AHF’s support. “I’m studies, archaeology, ethics, linguistics, folklore—these often impressed with the Foundation’s ability to see to the heart of a Hare some of the disciplines included under the umbrella project and understand its potential to enrich and expand the lives term humanities. The study of these subjects informs our under- of Alabamians,” she said. standing of what it means to be human in today’s world. And the study Southern Voices is another program which has flourished of what it means to be human is lifelong and ongoing; each door that under AHF support. The three-day conference held annually by the opens increases understanding, but it also leads to another door. Hoover Public Library features con- The Alabama Humanities Foundation (AHF) has sustained the temporary Southern authors, artists, study of our humanness for twenty-five years. It has awarded feder- and scholars whose works vividly al grant moneys (funds that would not be available to the state oth- reflect different aspects of Southern erwise), and gifts from private individuals and institutions to non- culture. Last year Southern Voices profit entities that study and promote learning about the humanities. included author Lee Smith on stage Grants criteria include provision for public participation, involve- with Karren Pell, Tommy ment of humanities scholars, and strong humanities programming Goldsmith and Tom House, who content. composed the music for the Alabama Many AHF-sponsored programs and activities support literature Shakespeare Festival’s staging of Fair and writing. There are myriad programs that nurture Alabama’s and Tender Ladies. writers, writers who are just beginning to stretch their wings as well Library director Linda as others that have flown far. Numerous projects that received Author Pat Conroy discussed his Andrews said Southern Voices came financial aid from the AHF at the outset have become very well- life and work during the open- about because the library’s numerous ing session of Southern Voices known–and perhaps more generally known than the Foundation 1995. small humanities programs were itself. The Foundation acts as a silent good Samaritan for many worthy popular but difficult to adequately endeavors. publicize. “When we decided to put it all together in one program, “Support of the Humanities Foundation meant everything to the we asked the Humanities Foundation for support,” she said. “Not launching of Alabama Voices,” commented Jay Lamar, associate only was the funding vital, but being able to say they helped us really director of the Center for Arts and Humanities validated what we were doing.” and a board member of the Alabama Writers’ “A lot of back and forth” is one of Andrews’ descriptions of the Forum, which co-sponsors the series of read- Hoover Library’s relationship with AHF. “They offer great speakers ings. Now entering its fifth season, Alabama and programs and we want to offer as many of them to our patrons Voices presents nationally recognized Alabama as we can,” she said. In Andrews’ view, AHF participation signals to authors in public forums held in libraries and other potential individual and corporate donors that a project is educational institutions throughout the state. worthwhile and its sponsors responsible. Humanities Foundation Among writers who have come home under staff and board members often attend and participate in activities the auspices of Alabama Voices are John which receive funding. “The main part (of Southern Voices) they Henrick Clarke, C. Eric Lincoln, Nanci assist with is the Saturday session where people get to meet the Phyllis Alesia Perry Kincaid, and Phyllis Alesia Perry. authors,” Andrews said. “Often we’ll have Marion (Carter, AHF FALL 1999 3 associate director) or Bob EDUCATING EDUCATORS (Stewart, executive director) there; In 1991, the AHF devised its own and board members come and program to teach writing to teachers. introduce our speakers.” The vehicle is AHF’s SUPER program, The AHF also supports the a great anagram for its real name: annual Alabama Writers Symposium School and University Partners for in Monroeville, the first full-scale Educational Renewal. The program writers’ conference devoted exclu- takes place on college campuses sively to Alabama authors. around the state during the summer Presentations of scholarly papers and in one-day workshops during the and panel discussions about school year.