Henry Herschel Brickell Memorial Yazoo Literary Walkway

Henry Herschel Brickell, 1889 – 1952, was born in Senatobia, Mississippi on September 13, 1889.  He grew up in Yazoo City attending the local schools, and no doubt visiting the historic Ricks Memorial Library.  He went on to attend the University of Mississippi, where he began his career as an editor, writer and literary critic.  He served as editor and critic in cities across the US – Montgomery, Alabama; Pensacola, Florida; Jackson, Mississippi; New York City, New York.  Writers such as Arthur Palmer Hudson, Stark Young and Eudora Welty were encouraged by Brickell at different times during his career.

In 2010 the Yazoo Historical Society, the Brickell Family Foundation, and the Ricks Memorial Library joined efforts to create the Henry Herschel Brickell Memorial Yazoo Literary Walkway.  Joining the old Main Street School (now the Triangle Cultural Center) once attended by Brickell to the Ricks Memorial Library, this walkway now honors the memory of over 100 Yazooans who have gone on to contribute to the literary world.  Ranging from local history, fiction, biography, literary criticism and photography and beyond, many of these published Yazoo authors’ works can be found in the Ricks Memorial Library today.

List of honored authors:

1. N.S. Adams, 1894-1966, Local history
2. Frances Andrews, Diarist
3. Dr. Curtis Austin, Black history studies
4. Gov. Haley Barbour, 1947-  , Political analysis
5. Ethelbert Barksdale, 1824-1893, Newspaper editor
6. Hermand Bennette, Jr., Poetry
7. Frank Birdsall, 1859-1930, Newspaper editor, publisher
8. Judge Robert Bowman, 1827-1915, Civil War and Reconstruction history
9. Henry M. Brickell, Educational development
10. Melvertia Brookins, Juvenile fiction
11. Frances DeBra Brown, W.A.C. memoirs
12. Marion Brown, Photograpy
13. Paul T. Brown, 1949-  , Natural history photography
14. Viola Campbell, 1909-1995, Poetry
15. Rev. Beverly Carradine, 1848-1931, Religion
16. Henrine Carter, 1914-1996, Education
17. Paul C. Cartwright, 1964-  , Local history
18. Rev. Robert Certain, Local church history
19. Charles Chiplin, Black social studies
20. Jerry Clower, 1926-1998, Humor
21. Michael Cochran, Fiction
22. Linda Coleman, Poetry
23. Robert Coleman, Poetry
24. Owen Cooper, 1908-1986, Finance, Religion
25. James L. Cox, Mississippi almanac
26. Linda Crawford Culberson, Archaeology, Catfish
27. Helen Dick Davis, Literary editor
28. Reuben Davis, 1889-1966, Novels, Short stories
29. Harris Dickson, 1868-1946, Novels, Biographies
30. Adelaide S. Dimitry, 1843-1911, Civil war history
31. John E. Ellzey, 1947-  , Genealogy and local history research
32. James Ewing, Tennessee lore
33. William Ewing, Newspaper editor (Hawaii)
34. Jon Foose, Musicology
35. Martha Foose, Cuisine
36. Barbara Ann Garrett, Geriatric nursing
37. Spivey Guion, Firearms
38. William C. Hall, 1840s, Local short stories
39. Jack Harper, Dog breeding, training
40. “L.C.H.” (Laure C. Hill), 1850s, Autobiography
41. Gerard Helferich, 1954-  , Book editor, non-fiction
42. Dorothy Hogue, Lyricist
43. Dr. William F. Holmes, Jr., Biography, Georgia history
44. Arthur James, Business, Black bankers
45. William L. Jenkins, Local stories
46. Barbara Johnson, Biography
47. Ronald Johnson, Black poetry
48. May Jones, Education
49. Mary Jones, Editor, journalist
50. Massena Jones, Casey Jones story
51. Allyssa Killebrew, Children’s fiction
52. Keath Killebrew, Children’s ficiton
53. Harriet DeCell Kuykendall, Local history
54. Caroline Langston, Short stories
55. John A. Langston, Jr., 1954-  , Book design and production
56. Sharon Leigh, Poetry
57. Henry Clay Lewis, 1823-1890, Humorous sketches, poetry
58. Leo N. Lewis, Poetry
59. Dr. Sim C. Liddon, 1935-2006, Religious psychology
60. Sherry Lucas, Newspaper feature stories
61. Major J. McGuire, 1868-1951, Newspaper editor, publisher
62. Rev. Albert Martin, Local church history
63. Carolyn Martin, Historical novels
64. Lenda F. Matthews, Poetry
65. Judge Robert B. Mayes, 1820-1884, Religion, poetry
66. J.S. Michie, 1820s, Early newspaper reporting
67. Albert T. Morgan, 1843-1922, Local history, Reconstruction
68. Willie Morris, 1934-1999, Fiction, non-fiction
69. JoAnne Prichard Morris, Local history, book editor
70. Sarah Lear Morrisette, 1919- , Journalism
71. Norman A. Mott, 1856-1920, Newspaper editor, publisher
72. Susanna E. Mott, 1866-1956, Newspaper editor, publisher
73. N.A. Mott, 1893-1955, Newspaper editor, publisher
74. Mary L. Mott, 1896-1969, Newspaper editor, publisher
75. Norman A. Mott, 1924-  , Newspaper editor, publisher
76. Melany Neilson, 1958-  , Biography
77. Elma F. Nelson, 1904-1979, Local history
78. Teresa Nicholas, 1954-  , Memoirs, journalism
79. Sam Olden, 1919-  , Travel for children, local history
80. Andrew Patterson, History
81. Sue Patterson, History
82. Harriet Prewitt, Newspaper editor, publisher
83. Jo G. Prichard, Local history
84. Evelyn Purvis, Poetry
85. R. M. Rice, Finance
86. Charlemae Hill Rollins, 1897-1979, African-American children’s books
87. Lamar Selby, Yazoo County short stories
88. Maggie Shaw-Fullilove, Alcoholism
89. Dorothy Smith, Education, religion
90. Dr. Charles Summer, 1924-1974, Industrial management
91. Paul Stewart, Newspaper editor, publisher
92. Nathan Swayze, Guns, gun collecting
93. Joseph C. Thomas, African-American local history
94. Mollie Kinkead Turnage, Newspaper owner and editor
95. Demothenes Walker, 1800s, Newspaper editor, novels
96. Dr. Wilse B. Webb, Scientific studies of sleep
97. Jennie N. Wheless, poetry
98. U.S. Senator John Sharp Williams, 1854-1932, Politics, history
99. Ruth Tuttle Williams, Autobiography
100. Zig Ziglar, 1926-2012, Motivational and religious books

2012 Additions to the walkway:

• Gary Andrews, Newspaper editor
• Ted Adkinson, Literary criticism
• Rev. Ceasar Felton, Religion
• Harold Fisher, Civil War history
• Mary Beth Gokee, Yazoo weddings
• Nina Pepper, local history
• Omie Wall Parker, Brickell biographer
• W. Charles Parker, African-American issues
• Brenda Waters, Fiction
• Rev. James F. Yates, Biography