USM’s Literary Journal Mississippi Review Celebrates Fiftieth Anniversary
Mon, 02/14/2022 - 11:01am | By: Ivonne Kawas
Acclaimed writer Raymond Carver once hailed The University of Southern Mississippi’s
Mississippi Review as “one of the most remarkable and indispensable literary journals
of our time. Carver was an early contributor to the journal which has sustained it
esteem by publishing a range of writers for the past five decades.
Founded in 1972 by Gordon Weaver, the Mississippi Review (MR), is celebrating its 50th Anniversary with a special edition. For this special issue, submissions were open to all the well-known and established writers, including Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winners, who had previously published work in the journal.
This anniversary issue features poems, essays, and stories from noteworthy writers including, Mary Jo Bang, Rae Armantrout, Kwame Dawes, Rick Moody, Mary Miller, Kazim Ali, Mary Miller, and many others.
Dr. Adam Clay, editor and director of the Center for Writers, applauds this milestone and reflects on the past while looking to the future, as he continues to build on a literary tradition for this up-and-coming generation.
“Fifty years is a long time, but it’s especially impressive for a literary journal to publish consistently for so many years. We’ve been able to publish debut selections from some impressive writers who have gone on to great things, and we’ve long been a place for established writers to publish their work. We’ve featured traditional work and wildly experimental pieces, too,” said Dr. Clay.
After Gordon Weaver’s tenure, Frederick Barthelme took over the editorial reigns in 1977 and, along with managing editor Rie Fortenberry, quickly turned MR into a literary journal of national acclaim. The duo ran MR for over 30 years, consistently publishing issues that combined top-tier work with an innovative and eclectic design aesthetic.
“One of my favorite issues of Mississippi Review was edited by Julia Mae Johnson in 2012, an anthology that celebrated Frederick Barthelme’s thirty years of editing the journal,” said Dr. Clay. “It’s truly a treasure of so many amazing essays, stories, and poems—and a testament to the amazing work Rick did here for the magazine and for the Center for Writers,” he added.
Dr. Clay praises all faculty and graduate students who have contributed to the success of the magazine over the years, as he says, “Editing a journal truly takes a village, and I really couldn’t be happier to celebrate this impressive milestone as we look to the next fifty years.”
Visit the USM Center for Writers to learn more.