An annual celebration of literature in the town of Oxford, the Oxford Conference for the Book took place on April 3-6. The event was filled with various panels, readings and even a tour of the historic University of Mississippi campus.
The conference kicked off with its “prologue” event in which UM faculty member Sheila Sundar read from her newly published novel “Habitations” at Off Square Books on the evening of Tuesday, April 2.
Moderated by UM Associate Professor of English Melissa Ginsburg, Sundar discussed her creative process and fielded questions from the audience.
During the afternoon of Wednesday, April 3, UM doctoral candidate Don Guillory led the UM Campus Slavery Research Group Tour, an ongoing event that aims to shed light on the university’s history of enslavement and racial injustice. On Wednesday evening, the Oxford Conference for the Book Authors’ Party was hosted by the Friends of the Library and the Willie Morris Awards for Southern Writing.
The authors’ party was a celebration of the conference and all of the authors who were set to participate in the conference.
The first panel of the conference started on the morning of Thursday, April 4, with a discussion with Joseph McGill Jr. and Herb Frazier, authors of “Sleeping with the Ancestors.” The panel was moderated by UM Associate Professor of Anthropology Jodi Skipper and included a welcome address given by UM Southern Studies Director Kathryn McKee. McKee spoke fondly of the authors presenting and attending the 2024 conference.
“This may be the best lineup ever, but we say that every year,” McKee said.
McGill and Frazier discussed their new book, which details the Slave Dwelling Project in which McGill slept in the historic homes of enslaved people throughout the entire United States.
McGill responded to a question by an audience member about who should be involved in this project.
“Everyone who wants to be a part of this conversation (should have) the opportunity to,” McGill said.
The panel was followed by a Welcome Lunch hosted by the Friends of the Library at the J.D. Williams Library on the UM campus.
The rest of Thursday’s events included panel discussions with authors such as Nana Kwame, Adjei-Brenyah, José Olivarez, Heather Cox Richardson, January O’Neil and Téa Obreht. The conference partnered with Thacker Mountain Radio Hour to host author Kaveh Akbar, who read from his new book “Martyr!”
Thursday night saw the first event in conjunction with the Southern Literary Festival. The Open Mic Night with Derrick Harriell was a celebration of both the Oxford Conference for the Book and the Southern Literary Festival, and it was designed to bring undergraduate writers together.
Friday morning, April 5, kicked off with more panel discussions, hosting authors Jen Fawkes, Jennifer Maritza McCauley and Eddie Glaude.
Award-winning author Andre Dubus III delivered the keynote address for both the Oxford Conference for the Book and Southern Literary Festival in the Student Union Ballroom on Friday afternoon. After an introduction from UM Senior Lecturer of English Beth Spencer, Dubus took the stage to tell his life’s story and to encourage young writers in the audience. His humorous approach to narration and elaborate stories of bar fights and gangs left the audience giggling at times.
Dubus explained how his difficult childhood and upbringing led him to violence and how writing helped get him out of that space. Dubus spoke about how he felt upon finishing his first short story.
“I felt so awake, so aware, so alive, and it came from writing words,” Dubus said. “But for the first time, I felt like Andre. … It made me feel like me.”
Emma Field, a sophomore English and creative writing major from Harding University in Searcy, Ark., traveled to UM for the Southern Literary Festival and attended Dubus’ address. Field shared about her experience visiting the festival.
“It’s been wonderful to get to connect with other students and adults interested in the writing process,” Field said.
The conference ended with two events that recognized the Willie Morris Awards for Southern Writing winners at Off Square Books, followed by the “postscript” event, Noir at the Bar: A Gathering of Crime Writers and Musicians.
