Willie Morris

Willie Morris was a versatile writer of both fiction and nonfiction, who often drew upon his experiences in the South to reflect on the controversial issues of his time. Born in Jackson, Mississippi, but raised in Yazoo City, about an hour's drive north, Willie Morris was born into a family of storytellers. After graduating from high school as class valedictorian, he attended the University of Texas in Austin. During his senior year, Morris became editor of the Daily Texan, the school's newspaper, and soon drew the wrath of the University's Board of Regents for his biting attacks against racism, censorship, and the highly influential petroleum industry. Upon his graduation, Morris became a Rhodes Scholar, studying history at Oxford University. Upon his return to the United States, Morris became the editor of the Texas Observer, a crusading weekly newspaper. In 1963, he was named associate editor of Harper's, becoming their editor-in-chief four years later, just as his autobiography, N