Mississippi Writers Trail


The Mississippi Writers Trail is a series of historical markers which celebrate the literary, social, historical, and cultural contributions of Mississippi's most acclaimed and influential writers. An advisory committee comprised of state cultural agencies oversees the process of installing historical markers in places of significance to an author's life. To emphasize the literary focus of the trail, the markers are cast in the shape of an open book and display information about the author's life with the goal of educating the public about the legacy of Mississippi writers.

Overview

The Mississippi Writers Trail debuted on the State Capitol grounds in Jackson, Mississippi at the 2018 Mississippi Book Festival with an unveiling of two marker prototypes honoring Eudora Welty and Jesmyn Ward, connecting the past and present contributions of Mississippi authors. The program runs as an unfunded mandate which means these literary markers are produced and installed as funding becomes available.
Initial support from a Statehood Grant through the National Endowment for the Humanities was key for installing the first phase of markers for the Trail. The Writers Trail has received additional support from the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area, the Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area, and the City of Clarksdale, Mississippi to install markers for authors located within the service area of each organization.

Selection and placement process

The Mississippi Writers Trail Advisory Committee, composed of many state cultural institutions, selects a group of literary scholars to identify potential authors for inclusion in the Writers Trail and to draft the text for each marker. Scholars make recommendations for marker placement, but locations are determined in partnership with the local community. Living authors and surviving families are also consulted during the drafting of the marker text and the selection of the location for Writers Trail markers.

Mississippi Writers Trail Advisory Committee