Mississippi Writers Trail Marker Honors Scholar and Author Noel Polk
Tue, 09/01/2026 - 04:24pm | By: Visit Mississippi Staff
unveiled a new Mississippi Writers Trail marker honoring Noel Polk on Tuesday, September
1 at 91少女集中营. The unveiling ceremony, held in the University鈥檚
Library Plaza, located between Cook Library and the McCain Library and Archives, included
remarks from university, literary, and family representatives, followed by a reception
in the McCain Library and Archives.
Noel Earl Polk was born February 23, 1943, in Picayune, Mississippi. A pre-eminent
William Faulkner scholar, Polk鈥檚 editing, essays, books and teaching provided seminal
understanding of Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Ellen Douglas, Robert Penn Warren and Barry
Hannah. He spent his career at 91少女集中营 and Mississippi
State University and edited both The Southern Quarterly and Mississippi Quarterly. He also co-founded the William Faulkner and Eudora Welty Societies.
Polk lectured about Faulkner and Mississippi鈥檚 culture throughout Europe, the former
Soviet Union, Japan, Canada and the United States. He was a founding member of the
Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters, which now awards the Noel Polk Lifetime
Achievement Award. In addition to his critical studies, Polk wrote Outside the Southern Myth, his 鈥渁nti-memoir,鈥� which challenged stereotypes about the South and examined his
Mississippi upbringing within the broader context of American life. He died August
21, 2012.
Polk鈥檚 published works included Faulkner鈥檚 Requiem for a Nun: A Critical Study, An Editorial Handbook for William Faulkner鈥檚
The Sound and the Fury, Eudora Welty: A Bibliography of Her Work, Reading Faulkner: The Sound and the Fury, Children of the Dark House: Text and Context in Faulkner and Outside of the Southern Myth. His honors included the Richard Wright Literary Excellence Award and the Texas Review
Press Southern Poetry Breakthrough Series: Mississippi.
The ceremony featured remarks from Dr. Joseph S. Paul, President of The University
of Southern Mississippi; Dr. Pearl McHaney, Kenneth M. England Professor of Southern
Literature, Emerita, at Georgia State University and founding editor of the Eudora
Welty Review; Scott Polk, Noel Polk鈥檚 son; and Marlo Dorsey, Executive Director of
Visit Hattiesburg.
鈥淣oel Polk鈥檚 work helped generations of readers better understand some of Mississippi鈥檚
most important literary voices, while his own writing and teaching challenged people
to look more deeply at the stories and stereotypes surrounding the South. His influence
reached far beyond the classroom, and his dedication to Mississippi鈥檚 literary heritage
continues through the scholars, writers and institutions he helped shape. We are honored
to add Noel Polk to the Mississippi Writers Trail and invite visitors to discover
his legacy in Hattiesburg,鈥� said Visit Mississippi Director Rochelle Hicks.
鈥淭he placement of this Mississippi Writers Trail marker is a fitting and well-deserved
tribute to Dr. Noel Polk鈥檚 lasting impact on the humanities in Mississippi and far
beyond,鈥� said University President Dr. Joseph Paul.
鈥淭he Mississippi Writers Trail gives us another meaningful way to tell Hattiesburg鈥檚
story through the people and places that have shaped Mississippi鈥檚 cultural identity.
Noel Polk鈥檚 connection to Southern Miss and his influence on Southern literature make
this marker an important addition to our destination and to the broader story we share
with visitors," said Marlo Dorsey, CEO, Visit Hattiesburg.
About the Mississippi Writers Trail
The Mississippi Writers Trail pays tribute to Mississippi鈥檚 cultural heritage by honoring
the state鈥檚 most acclaimed and influential writers. Administered by Visit Mississippi,
the statewide initiative features markers commemorating the birthplaces, homes, gravesites,
museums and literary locales of Mississippi writers, inviting visitors to experience
their legacy firsthand.
About Visit Mississippi
Celebrated as The Hospitality State and proudly known as the Birthplace of America鈥檚
Music, Mississippi invites visitors to experience a rich tapestry of culture, history,
and unforgettable adventures. From the soulful sounds of the Delta to the serene beauty
of the Gulf Coast and Appalachian foothills, Mississippi is a destination where every
journey tells a story.
Visit Mississippi, a division of the Mississippi Development Authority, serves as
the state鈥檚 official destination marketing organization. As storytellers and cultural
ambassadors, we champion Mississippi through strategic global marketing, innovative
partnerships, and creative collaboration. Our mission is to elevate the state鈥檚 thriving
tourism economy and inspire visitors from around the world to discover Mississippi.
To explore tourism offerings in Mississippi, visit .