When browsing the shelves of Square Books or the J.D. Williams Library, you will likely come across the names of W. Ralph Eubanks, Nadia Alexis, Tobi Ogundiran, Raven Leilani, Kiese Laymon and Jesmyn Ward.
These are just a few of the notable Black authors who have made significant contributions to the literary landscape of Mississippi.
In honor of Black History Month, a few of these writers joined The Daily Mississippian for a discussion about Oxford’s literary community and the importance of telling diverse stories.
Eubanks — who is from Mount Olive, Miss. — is the Black Power at Ole Miss Faculty Fellow and writer-in-residence at the Center for the Study of Southern Culture.
Eubanks’ debut memoir, “Ever is a Long Time: A Journey into Mississippi’s Dark Past,” which was released in 2003, paints an evocative picture of a boy of color coming of age during the Civil Rights era.
Eubanks talked about the structure of the publishing industry and how it affects the stories that come out of Oxford.
“As (Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi) Adichie writes, how stories are told, who tells them and when they emerge is dependent on power,” Eubanks said. “Power in the publishing industry is largely white, so the way we perceive the stories that come out of Oxford is through a lens of whiteness, since that is the predominant one in the industry.”
Eubanks talked about how Black literature helps change the perception that people have of Southern literature to a more inclusive narrative.
“As someone who writes about race and identity in the South, I understand that cultural memory and the single story are deeply connected,” Eubanks said. “What I seek to do in my work is probe the silences, to touch on the stories that carry the perspective of those excluded from the broader narrative of the South.”
Eubanks’ most recent work that seeks to help change the perception of Southern literature is “A Place Like Mississippi: A Journey Through A Real and Imagined Literary Landscape.” The book, published in 2021, takes readers on a journey through all of Mississippi’s real and imagined landscapes that have inspired authors from every county and every era.
While acknowledging the role of Oxford’s community of writers in changing perceptions of what Southern literature is, Eubanks noted that challenges still remain.
“I truly believe the community of writers here in Oxford tries to move beyond the single story, yet the narratives that come from outside, particularly about what Southern literature is, keep that single story alive.”
Nadia Alexis is a long-time Mississippi resident and acclaimed poet, writer and photographer who graduated from UM with an MFA in poetry in 2019.
Alexis, like Eubanks, believes progress has been made in creating more inclusive literary spaces but also agrees about the impact of outside narratives.
“When you do a Google search for lists of writers in Oxford, Mississippi, you’ll quickly notice that lists often don’t include Black writers and other writers of color — even those who have lived and worked here for years and some who’ve been recognized nationally, internationally and locally,” Alexis said. “This raises the question: Why is that?”
Alexis’ debut full-length collection of poetry and photography, “Beyond the Watershed,” is set to be released in March 2025. This collection uses natural imagery to portray various experiences of her life as a Haitian American and the experiences of her Haitian immigrant mother.
The work paints a portrait of generational trauma, survival and healing.
“It’s an effort to make space for the experiences of Black women and girls in a way that is more than textual and stretches to include the visual so that one might sit with ideas of spirit and the existence of Black women in expanded ways,” Alexis said.
Oxford is also home to many student authors working to expand perceptions of Southern literature. Among them is Tobi Ogundiran, a MFA student in creative writing and award-winning author of the Guardian of the Gods duology.
Ogundiran expressed his rejection of the expectations often placed upon authors of color.
“People come to expect authors of color to write only about certain issues or perhaps always put their trauma on display to have some measure of success in this industry, which is not a notion I subscribe to,” Ogundiran said. “I write as the fancy takes me and reject every single-story narrative that may or may not be foisted upon me.”
Ogundiran also emphasized the importance of recognizing authors of color.
“In celebrating authors of color, we celebrate the varied experiences we have lived and the varied stories that arise from these experiences,” Ogundiran said. “Though we share the same space, we inhabit, in these spaces, different worlds, and what better way to experience these worlds than by reading and celebrating authors of color?”
Eubanks emphasized the importance of Black stories in promoting representation and greater understanding of the Black experience.
“By telling stories rich in the Black experience, Black writers and readers can imagine themselves as part of the beauty of this country,” Eubanks said. “And white readers can begin to engage with these narratives of Black abundance so that they are no longer invisible, and they can begin to let go of the, sometimes negative, narratives associated with Blackness.”
