Literary Marker Will Be Unveiled Friday

Literary Marker Will Be Unveiled Friday

WATER VALLEY – The unveiling of the State Historical Marker dedicated to the life and work of Mississippi author Hubert Creekmore (1907 – 1966) takes place on Friday, October 9 at 4 p.m. at his childhood home on 114 Panola Street in Water Valley.  

Born on January 16, 1907, Hubert Creekmore developed an early interest in writing poems and stories. He attended Water Valley high school, and in 1927, he graduated from the University of Mississippi. He received an MA degree in American Literature from Columbia University, and also studied playwriting and the classics. 

In the 1940s, Creekmore published four volumes of poetry.  He served in the Navy during World War II, rising to the rank of lieutenant, and after the war he began writing fiction.  Creekmore is the author of three novels: The Fingers of Night (1946), The Welcome (1948) and The Chain in the Heart (1953).  In addition to writing fiction and poetry, he continued working as an editor, free-lance writer, teacher, lecturer, and translator from Latin. He was related by marriage to Eudora Welty.  He died on May 23, 1966 in New York.  The poet William Jay Smith wrote a poem about Creekmore’s sudden death in a taxi cab on the way to the airport.

The dedication of the historical marker will be followed by a reading from Creekmore’s work from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Bozarts Gallery.  The program brings together family members, scholars, readers, archivists, students and all those who care about preserving and recovering Mississippi’s literary heritage. The program features recitations of poems from four published collections of his poetry, a reading from each of his three novels including The Welcome, a novel set in Water Valley, as well as readings, commentary, and overviews of his numerous translations of literature from Latin and his non-fictional work.   Also on view will be paintings on loan by the family, photography, and various editions of his books as well as a facsimile exhibition of letters and material items pertaining to his life curated by Dr. Jennifer Ford, head of Special Collections at the J.D. Williams Library at the University of Mississippi.  

This event is free and open to the public.  Please direct inquiries to Dr. Annette Trefzer atrefzer@ole miss.edu or 662-473-2484, or Mr. Mickey Howley: 662-473-6767.