Elizabeth Stevenson (June 13, 1919 – July 30, 1999) was an American author. In 1956, Stevenson became the first woman recipient of the Bancroft Prize which she won for her book Henry Adams: A Biography. She was also awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship in 1951 and 1958.
Elizabeth Stevenson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | June 13, 1919 Ancón, Panama |
| Died | July 30, 1999 (aged 80) Decatur, Georgia |
| Notable awards | Bancroft Prize (1956), Guggenheim Fellowship (1951 and 1958) |
Early life and education edit
Stevenson was born at Ancón, Panama, on June 13, 1919, in the Panama Canal Zone.[1][2] She first grew up in Great Falls, Montana,[3] then lived in Atlanta, Georgia, as a teenager.[4] For her post-secondary education, Stevenson went to Agnes Scott College for a Bachelor of Arts in the early 1940s.[5]
Career edit
Stevenson began her career at Southern Bell during the 1940s.[4] She also worked for the War Production Board and War Assets Administration by 1947.[5] The following year, she joined the Atlanta Public Library as an assistant and remained there until 1956.[2] From the early 1960s to late 1970s, Stevenson was a secretary at Emory University.[6] In 1976, she was the "first female faculty member" at the Institute for the Liberal Arts with Emory.[7] Stevenson remained at the university until her retirement in 1986 and given the title of emeritus.[8]
As an author, Stevenson wrote about Henry James with her 1949 book titled The Crooked Corridor: A Study of Henry James.[9] In 1955, Stevenson moved on to Henry Adams with Henry Adams: A Biography.[10] Stevenson continued her publications on Adams as the editor for A Henry Adams Reader during 1958.[11] In 1960, Stevenson was chosen to work as a judge for the National Book Award for Nonfiction.[12][13]
She then moved on to Lafcadio Hearn when she released Lafcadio Hearn: A Biography the following year.[2] As a contributor, she was a part of Pride and Prejudice's 1962 re-release.[14] She expanded her writings in 1967 with the release of Babbitts and Bohemians: The American 1920s.[15] Her book on Frederick Law Olmsted, Park Maker: A Life of Frederick Law Olmsted, was released ten years later.[16]
During 1979, Stevenson planned to use the history of Montana as the subject of her publication.[3] Stevenson continued to write with her 1994 book titled Figures in a Western Landscape: Men and Women of the Northern Rockies.[17] Some people in her book included Calamity Jane, Osborne Russell and Pretty Shield.[18]
Writing process and reception edit
Before conducting research, Stevenson created bibliographies for her publications.[19] Some places she went to for her book on Hearn include Japan and Martinique.[20][19] Ray Murphy of The Boston Globe said "maps or diagrams ... would have been helpful" for Stevenson's biography on Olmsted.[21]
Awards and honors edit
From the Georgia Writers Association, The Crooked Corridor won the Literary Achievement category in 1950.[22] Henry Adams was the non-fiction recipient during the 1956 edition of the GWA awards.[23] That year, Henry Adams received the Bancroft Prize.[24] With her win, Stevenson was the Bancroft Prize's first female recipient.[25][26] While in Atlanta, Stevenson won the city's 1955 Woman of the Year in Arts award during 1956.[4] Her book on Hearn was selected as a GWA winner in 1962.[27]
Stevenson was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship twice in 1951 and 1958.[28] She received a research stipend for her Olmsted biography from the National Endowment for the Humanities in 1974.[29] The following year, she was given a grant from the American Council of Learned Societies for this book.[30]
Death edit
Stevenson died of cancer on July 30, 1999, at Peachtree Hospice in the DeKalb Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia. Her remains were cremated and a memorial service was held at Decatur on August 1, 1999.[31]
References edit
- ^ Broer, Lawrence R.; Walther, John Daniel, eds. (1990). Dancing Fools and Weary Blues: The Great Escape of the Twenties. Bowling Green State University Popular Press. p. 120. ISBN 0879724579.
- ^ a b c May, Hal; Lesniak, James G., eds. (1989). "Stevenson, Elizabeth 1919-". Contemporary Authors. New Revision. Vol. 26. Detroit: Gale Research Inc. p. 406. ISBN 0810319802. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
- ^ a b Saunders, Sally (July 26, 1979). "Acclaimed biographer Stevenson getting back in touch with her Montana roots". Great Falls Tribune (Great Falls, Montana). p. 6.
- ^ a b c Davis, Edwina (January 9, 1956). "Miss Stevenson WOTY in Arts". The Atlanta Journal. p. 6.
- ^ a b "Great Falls Woman Has New Book Published Monday". The Independent Record. November 13, 1949. p. Six.
- ^ Ashkinaze, Carole (June 25, 1977). "Two Lives of Atlanta Author Elizabeth Stevenson". The Atlanta Journal. p. 9-B.
- ^ "History of the ILA". Institute for the Liberal Arts. Emory College of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
- ^ "EmoryFindingAids : Elizabeth Stevenson papers, ca. 1950-1999". EmoryFindingAids. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ^ Wagenknecht, Edward (December 25, 1949). "A New Study of Works of Henry James". Chicago Tribune. Part 4 p. 4.
- ^ "Former Falls Girl Publishing Second Biographical Work". Great Falls Tribune. November 27, 1955. p. 10.
- ^ Fuigham, Matthew T. (March 23, 1958). "Introduction To Henry Adams' Works Shows Wide Range Of His Scholarship". Daily Press. Newport News, Virginia. p. 4D.
- ^ Lochridge, Betsy Hopkins (January 31, 1960). "Atlantian Will Help Judge Book Award". The Atlanta Journal. p. 2-E.
- ^ "National Book Awards 1959". National Book Foundation. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
- ^ Daniel, Frank (March 5, 1962). "A Good Book Is Larger Than the Author". The Atlanta Journal. p. 23.
- ^ Appel, David (September 17, 1967). "Babbitts, Bohemians In Mad, Mad Years". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. sec. 7 p. 7.
- ^ Murphy, Ray (June 21, 1977). "Park pioneer". Boston Evening Globe. p. 17.
- ^ "Just published". The Indianapolis News. April 2, 1996. p. D-6.
- ^ Stevenson, Elizabeth (1994). Figures in a Western Landscape. Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University Press. Contents. ISBN 0801846765. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
- ^ a b Watters, Pat (September 7, 1961). "She May Be Hard to Interview, But Certainly Easy to Like". The Atlanta Journal. p. 34.
- ^ Lochridge, Betsy Hopkins (January 3, 1960). "Biographer in 4th Year of Study". The Atlanta Journal. p. 2-E.
- ^ Murphy, Ray (June 21, 1977). "Frederick Olmsted — one man's greening of America". The Boston Globe. p. 16.
- ^ "Atlantian Wins Literary Prize Of Writer Group". The Atlanta Journal. June 26, 1950. p. 9.
- ^ "Georgia Authors Slated For Achievement Awards". The Atlanta Journal. November 2, 1956. p. 28.
- ^ "Atlantian Gets Bancroft Prize for Writing". The Atlanta Journal. April 24, 1956. p. 24.
- ^ Coats, Clara Beth (May 20, 1956). "Bancroft Prize Goes to Woman for 1st Time for Biography of Henry Adams". The Abilene Reporter-News. p. 13-C.
- ^ "The Bancroft Prizes: Previous Awards". Columbia University Libraries. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
- ^ "6 Georgia Authors To Receive Honors". The Atlanta Journal. October 23, 1962. p. 13.
- ^ "Elizabeth Stevenson". John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
- ^ "NEH grant details: To Complete: Life and Times of Frederick Law Olmstead". National Endowment of the Humanities. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
- ^ "Elizabeth Stevenson". American Council of Learned Societies. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
- ^ Sibley, Celia (August 1, 1999). "Elizabeth Stevenson, 80, writer". The Atlanta Constitution. p. C12. ISSN 1539-7459. OCLC 1035119455. Retrieved December 20, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.