Best-selling author, novelist Tayari Jones named PVAMU’s 2024-2025 Writer-in-Residence “It’s among Tayari’s many gifts that she can touch us soul to soul with her words.” – Oprah Winfrey PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (Sept. 12, 2024) – Prairie View A&M University proudly announces that New York Times best-selling author Tayari Jones will serve as the 2024-2025 Toni Morrison Writer-in-Residence. Jones will offer public readings, master classes, lectures, and critiques of students’ work, providing a unique opportunity for both budding and established writers to learn from one of today’s most compelling literary voices. Known for her ability to weave together stories that explore social justice, human relationships, and the complexities of the New South, Jones has established herself as a prominent figure in contemporary literature. Her novel “An American Marriage” was not only a New York Times bestseller but also an Oprah’s Book Club Selection. It received numerous accolades, including the Women’s Prize for Fiction and the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in Fiction.
Jones’s work will focus on the intersection of race, gender, and social justice. Jones’s work will be published in a collection of essays, which will be available to the public. The selection of Jones as the Writer-in-Residence is a testament to the university’s commitment to fostering a vibrant and diverse literary community.
Dr. Thomas-Smith, a renowned professor of English literature, further elaborated on the TMWP’s mission and its impact on the literary landscape. He emphasized the importance of fostering a diverse and inclusive literary community, highlighting the program’s commitment to supporting writers from underrepresented backgrounds. “The TMWP is not just about writing,” Dr.
Established in 2021 through a generous gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, PVAMU’s Toni Morrison Writing Program is committed to fostering creative expression and honing in on students’ skills as they learn to “craft the unique characteristics of various literary genres, comprehend the expectations of the publishing process and benefit from the resources available in a competitive yet supportive writers’ world.” Under the leadership of Provost Emerita Thomas-Smith, the program includes an outreach component that partners with area schools and collaborates with the Ruth J. Simmons Center for Race and Justice. Jones is a graduate of Spelman College (where she also received an Honorary Degree in 2023), the University of Iowa, and Arizona State University. She is currently a Charles Howard Candler Professor at Emory University and A.D. White Professor At Large at Cornell University.
Applications for PVAMU’s master classes are due by Sept. 13 at 5 p.m., with notifications sent by Sept. 16. Learn more here. -PVAMU-
