Methodist College Newspaper
Fayetteville, NC
WWW.smalltalkmc.com
Established 1961
Volume 44,Issue 11
Writer’s Symposium Brings Inspiration from the South
1
Author Awiakta reads from one of her many Virgil Suarez reads from his books of poetry at the symposium this
selections on Appalachian literature. weekend.
Photos by Lindsay Tederman
Right: The Chapel gives poignancy to
Suarez’s message.
A
LAURA PHILLIPS
Staff Writer
Last weekend, scholars
and a variety of literary enthusiast
from around the country, were in
troduced to the Methodist College
community with the 18* annual
Southern Writer’s Symposium.
This year’s Symposium focused
on the theme History in/an/of
Southern Literature.
A variety of discussions
that were based on this theme
included: “The Mulitcultural
South,” “Region and Religion”,
“Remembering War, Riot, and
Revolution in Southern Lit
erature,” and “Southern Women
Writers and History.”
Among the numerous schol
ars and writers that were invited
to speak were novelist, poet, and
essayist, Virgil Suarez; editor,
teacher, and publisher, Louis D.
Rubin Jr.; professor and writer,
Trudier Harris; author and Chero
kee native, LoU Awiakta; poet,
David Treadway Manning; North
Carolina native, and story teller,
Sheila Kay Adams; scholarly
professor, and speaker, Leigh Ann
Duck; academic journal writer,
Sally Ann Ferguson; and singer
songwriter, Marshall Chapman.
Each of these scholars and
authors brought their own sense
of style, intellect, and diversity
to the Symposium. The 18“’ An
nual Symposium also offered
two luncheons with entertaining
speakers that students and guest
were allowed to attend.
There was also a book sign
ing event in which guest were
allowed to meet and have one on
one discussions with the numer
ous authors.
An entertaining addition to
this year’s Symposium, was a the
atre production of “1918.” This
play focused on the patriotism of
The Great War. The play was a
perfect addition to focus on the
Symposium’s theme of History
and the South. Another enter
taining feature for all to enjoy,
was a poetry reading hosted by
Methodist College’s own, Long-
leaf Press.
The Southern Writer’s Sym
posium was started in 1982 by
professor Sue Kimball. Head of
the English Department, Dr. Em
ily Wright, took over the event
in 2003 with the theme Region.
Unfortunately, the 2003 Sym
posium had a low turnout due to
Hurricane Isabel, but it was still
a scholarly success.
Until this year, the Southern
Writer’s Symposium was mostly
known as a “scholarly event,”
which made it of less interest
to the public. Dr. Wright had
another goal in mind this year,
which was to target more to the
local community.
Wright was pleased with
the turn-out of this year’s Sym
posium and stated that “My goal
of making the Symposium more
entertaining, definitely paid off. I
was hoping to get a good lineup of
speakers to appeal to a larger au
dience and I think that is exactly
what the speakers did.” Wright
definitely made up for 2003’s low
turnout and has left the commu
nity anticipating for next year’s
Symposium.