Mississippi Writers Trail Marker Honors Scholar and Author Noel Polk

Tue, 09/01/2026 - 04:24pm | By: Visit Mississippi Staff

Visit Mississippi unveiled a new Mississippi Writers Trail marker honoring Noel Polk on Tuesday, September 1 at The University of Southern Mississippi. The unveiling ceremony, held in the University’s 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’s 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 The University of Southern Mississippi 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’s 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 “anti-memoir,” which challenged stereotypes about the South and examined his Mississippi upbringing within the broader context of American life. He died August 21, 2012.

Polk’s published works included Faulkner’s Requiem for a Nun: A Critical Study, An Editorial Handbook for William Faulkner’s 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’s son; and Marlo Dorsey, Executive Director of Visit Hattiesburg.

“Noel Polk’s work helped generations of readers better understand some of Mississippi’s 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’s 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,” said Visit Mississippi Director Rochelle Hicks.

“The placement of this Mississippi Writers Trail marker is a fitting and well-deserved tribute to Dr. Noel Polk’s lasting impact on the humanities in Mississippi and far beyond,” said University President Dr. Joseph Paul.

“The Mississippi Writers Trail gives us another meaningful way to tell Hattiesburg’s story through the people and places that have shaped Mississippi’s cultural identity. Noel Polk’s 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’s cultural heritage by honoring the state’s 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’s 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’s 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’s thriving tourism economy and inspire visitors from around the world to discover Mississippi.

To explore tourism offerings in Mississippi, visit visitmississippi.org.