Southern Literary Trail Press Kit

2801 Highway 280 South

Suite 200

Birmingham, AL 35223

Phone: 205-251-1193

www.southernliterarytrail.org

FACT SHEET – SOUTHERN LITERARY TRAIL Who William Gantt, founder and director What A collaboration of 18 Southern towns featuring internationally renowned writers and playwrights of the 20th century who were inspired by their communities. Where Mississippi: Clarksdale, Columbus, Greenville, Jackson, Natchez, Oxford Alabama: Demopolis, Hartselle, Mobile, Monroeville, Montgomery, Tuskegee Georgia: Atlanta, Clayton, Columbus, Milledgeville, Moreland, Savannah When Sites are open year-round Trailfest takes place in March each year Why Country’s first tri-state trail connecting mythic places that influenced great American literature Honors recognized writers and playwrights with tours, events, performances and festivals Quote Gantt: “The Southern Literary Trail boosts general awareness and capitalizes on the growing trend of cultural tourism.” Background on Southern Literary Trail Founded in 2005 Trail features 22 writers Featured in Southern Living magazine INFORMATION CONTACT William Gantt, director (205) 251-1193


Suite 200


Phone: 205-251-1193


Contact: William Gantt For Immediate Release

205-251-1193 (phone) [email protected]

EUDORA WELTY HOME INDUCTED INTO SOUTHERN LITERARY TRAIL JACKSON, Miss. (April 2) – Eudora Welty’s house was inducted into the Southern Literary Trail on March

22, 2009. This National Historic Landmark is now part of the tri-state literary tour of Southern authors

and their communities.

A ceremony was held in the Welty garden’s Camellia Room, where Welty’s close friend Patti Carr

Black made remarks. Black said, "Cultural tourism has gotten really big in the South and Mississippi has

been trying to get its share. We certainly have our share of sites to offer. I welcome this as a new

wrinkle in the cultural tourism business."

The Welty House is open for tours Wednesday through Friday and has about 5,000 visitors a

year. Starting April 7, the house will open for tours starting Tuesday through Friday leading up to the

Welty Week celebration from April 11-18.

The Mississippi portion of the trail features sites funded by the Mississippi Humanities Council

and the Mississippi Center for the Book. Mississippi offers other upcoming attractions that are featured

on the trail, including Tennessee Williams in Clarksdale and Columbus; William Faulkner, Walter Inglis

Anderson and Welty in Oxford; Hodding Carter Jr., William Alexander Percy, Walker Percy, Shelby Foote,

Ellen Douglas and others in Greenville.

William Gantt, the project director and founder of the program said, “The Southern Literary Trail

boosts general awareness and capitalizes on the trend of cultural tourism. It’s been a huge success.”

- end -

mailto:[email protected]


Suite 200


Phone: 205-251-1193


WILLIAM G.GANTT, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR

BIOGRAPHY William Gantt is a practicing attorney at Huie, Fernambucq and Stewart law firm in Birmingham,

Ala. Gantt attended the University of Alabama where he received his undergraduate degree, and then

continued at the University of Alabama for law school. Gantt was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and he

also received the honor of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award for his graduating class.

Gantt’s practice includes a wide variety of areas including general liability, worker’s

compensation, employment disputes and insurance coverage. Gantt is a member of the American Bar

Association as well as the Alabama State Bar Association. Gantt writes frequently for the Addendum and

the Alabama Lawyer, which are both publications of the Alabama Bar.

In addition to being a full-time attorney, Gantt is the Alabama Director of the Southern Literary

Trail. This organization is a volunteer program that is supported by the Humanities Foundation as well

as the Center for the Book. Gantt’s passion for Southern literature, combined with the help of other

visionaries across the states of Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi, have made the SLT a successful

project. Gantt is also responsible for the SLT Web site research and text. His dedication to literature and

the preservation of the South has been the inspiration behind this organization.

- end -


Suite 200


Phone: 205-251-1193


BACKGROUNDER

The Southern Literary Trail was founded in 2005 by William Gantt, a practicing attorney at Huie,

Fernambucq and Stewart in Birmingham, Ala. He turned his passion for Southern literature into a

celebration of 20th century writers and playwrights in 18 towns in Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. The

SLT is the country’s first tri-state trail to connect historical sites that influenced classic American

literature. The sites hold tours, events, performances and festivals year-round. Landmarks on the SLT

include authors’ residences, courthouses, churches, parks, stores and banks visitors can experience.

In April 2005, literary enthusiasts, festival organizers and museum directors from all three states

met at the Fitzgerald House in Montgomery, Ala., to develop Gantt’s idea for the SLT. For three years

the SLT’s dedicated organizers met to discuss which writers and landmarks to include on the Trail.

The SLT includes sites in Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. The cities and their corresponding authors are:

Mississippi Clarksdale - Tennessee Williams Columbus - Tennessee Williams; Eudora Welty Greenville - Walker Percy; Shelby Foote Jackson - Eudora Welty; Richard Wright; Margaret Walker Alexander Natchez - Richard Wright Oxford - William Faulkner Alabama Demopolis - Lillian Hellman Hartselle - William Bradford Huie Mobile - Eugene Walter; William March; Albert Murray Monroeville - Truman Capote; Harper Lee Montgomery - Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald; F. Scott Fitzgerald Tuskegee - Ralph Ellison; Albert Murray Georgia Atlanta - Margaret Mitchell; Joel Chandler Harris Clayton - Lillian Smith Columbus - Carson McCullers Milledgeville - Flannery O’Connor; Alice Walker

Moreland - Erskine Caldwell Savannah - Flannery O’Connor

- more -


Suite 200


Phone: 205-251-1193


The SLT has received media coverage from numerous publications. The Birmingham News

summarized the SLT’s schedule of Trailfest 2009 events in their “Play” section. The SLT was also

featured in the Montgomery Advertiser on its front page banner, along with several pages in its “Living”

section. Other press coverage includes Mobile (Ala.) Press-Register, Lagniappe Magazine (Mobile, Ala.),

Black and White (Birmingham, Ala.), Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Miss.), Ledger-Enquirer (Columbus, Ga.),

Demopolis (Ala.) Times, Deep South Jewish Voice, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Decatur (Ala.) Daily,

Hartselle (Ala.) Enquirer and Advertiser-Gleam (Guntersville, Ala.). Additionally, mentions of the SLT

were made in Southern Living and Oxford American. Humanities, the national publication for the

National Endowment for the Humanities, dedicated a page to the SLT.

Growing in popularity and prominence, the directors of the SLT hope to establish it as its own

entity rather than relying on communications between different states and organizations. It hopes to

create a unique experience for all visitors and generate year-long interest through its events, tours, and

performances highlighting historical Southern authors.

Contact: William Gantt

Phone: 205-251-1193 [email protected]

- end -

mailto:[email protected]


Suite 200


Phone: 205-251-1193


F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda were two of Montgomery’s greatest romantics. Their home on

Felder Avenue in the Old Cloverdale section in Montgomery, Ala., is now a historic landmark and the

location of the Fitzgerald Museum.


Suite 200


Phone: 205-251-1193


Margaret Mitchell’s home is among the many featured sites on the Southern Literary Trail. Located in

Atlanta, Mitchell’s house attracts “Gone With the Wind” fans from across the nation. The restored home

is now called the Margaret Mitchell House and Museum and is a center for the literary arts in the

Southeast.


Suite 200


Phone: 205-251-1193


This is the birthplace of Tennessee Williams, who was born in Columbus, Miss., on March 26, 1911.

Today the house is used as the Columbus Welcome Center, and it represents a town that features over

200 antebellum homes. This is a popular stop on the Southern Literary Trail.


Suite 200


Phone: 205-251-1193


Southern Literary Trail :45 Coffed 12 lines Kill Date 5/1/09

CALLING ALL GONE WITH THE WIND FANS. THE MARGARET MITCHELL HOUSE AND GONE WITH

THE WIND MOVIE MUSEUM IS OFFERING FREE ADMISSION FROM MAY 1ST UNTIL MAY 31ST FOR ANYONE

WHO MENTIONS THE SOUTHERN LITERARY TRAIL AT THE TICKET DESK.

THE HOME WHERE MARGARET MITCHELL WROTE THE SOUTHERN CLASSIC GONE WITH THE

WIND, AND THE ATTACHED MUSEUM CELEBRATING THE MOVIE STARRING CLARK GABLE AND VIVIEN

LEIGH ARE AVAILABLE FOR DAILY TOURS.

THE MARGARET MITCHELL HOUSE AND GONE WITH THE WIND MOVIE MUSEUM ARE OPEN

MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY FROM NINE THIRTY A.M. TO FIVE P.M. AND ON SUNDAY FROM NOON

UNTIL FIVE O’CLOCK.

DON’T MISS OUT ON THIS SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THE INSPIRATION AND

HISTORY BEHIND THE AMERICAN CLASSIC GONE WITH THE WIND. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL

4-0-4-2-4-9-7-0-1-5.

- end -


Suite 200


Phone: 205-251-1193


Oprah Winfrey Harpo Productions 110 N. Carpenter St. Chicago, IL 60607 April 1, 2009 Dear Ms. Winfrey: I am writing to inform you of an opportunity for your show. I am the founder and director of the Southern Literary Trail, which is a collaboration of 18 Southern towns showcasing internationally renowned writers and playwrights of the 20th century who were inspired by their communities. I am aware of your passion for Southern literature as evidenced by your featuring three of William Faulkner’s books in your book club. Faulkner and his home in Oxford, Miss., Rowan Oak, are featured on the Southern Literary Trail. Alice Walker, an influential Southern writer whose book, “The Color Purple,” you supported through film, is also featured on the Trail. The Southern Literary Trail is the country’s first tri-state trail to connect sites that influenced some of America’s greatest literature. As a passionate reader and an enthusiast of Southern culture, I think the Southern Literary Trail is something that would greatly interest you and your viewers. The Trail not only features the writers I have previously mentioned, but 20 other authors across Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. Seeing how successful your book club suggestions have been, I am confident your viewers and book club members would enjoy learning about our Trail. I would like to encourage you and your production team to travel to the sites on the Trail and learn more about it. You could also feature some of the other authors on the Trail in your book club and encourage your viewers to learn more about where the authors’ inspiration comes from by visiting the sites. I hope you will consider visiting some of the sites and featuring them on your show, as our Trail offers a great educational and cultural experience. Please contact me if you have any questions or would like more information. Also, please visit our website at www.southernliterarytrail.org. Sincerely, William Gantt Southern Literary Trail, Director

Southern Literary Trail Press Kit

Documents

Transcript of Southern Literary Trail Press Kit