Celestine Sibley facts for kids
Celestine Sibley (born May 23, 1914 – died August 15, 1999) was a very famous American newspaper reporter, columnist, and novelist. She worked in Atlanta, Georgia, for almost sixty years. She was known for her interesting stories and articles.
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Who Was Celestine Sibley?
Celestine Sibley was a talented writer who became a well-loved voice in the Southern United States. She wrote about everyday life, important events, and even mystery stories. Her work helped many people understand the world around them.
Her Early Life and Career
Celestine Sibley was born in Holley, Florida. She finished high school in Mobile, Alabama. She started her writing career at newspapers like the Mobile Press-Register and the Pensacola News Journal. This was how she began her long journey in journalism.
A Beloved Writer in Atlanta
From 1941 to 1999, Celestine Sibley worked for the Atlanta Constitution newspaper. She became very famous as a reporter, editor, and a popular writer of a regular column. Her articles about Southern culture were well-written and touched many hearts. People in the South saw her as a true icon.
Besides her column, she also reported on Georgia politics. She covered many important court cases too. Celestine Sibley also wrote 25 books. These included true stories and fiction, like exciting mystery novels.
She reported on the Georgia General Assembly, which is the main law-making group in Georgia, from 1958 to 1978. After she passed away in 2000, the special area for reporters in the Georgia House of Representatives was named in her honor. This showed how much she was respected.
Her Books and Awards
Celestine Sibley won many awards for her writing. In 1982, she won the first Townsend Prize for Fiction for her book Children, My Children. She passed away at age 85 at her beach house in Dog Island, Florida.
Her granddaughter, Sibley Fleming, wrote a book about her. It was called Celestine Sibley: A Granddaughter's Reminiscence (2000). Celestine Sibley and her granddaughter also worked together. They put together a collection of Celestine's writings and photos. This book was called The Celestine Sibley Sampler (1997).
The "Kate Mulcay" Mysteries
Celestine Sibley wrote a popular series of mystery novels. These books featured a character named Kate Mulcay. Here are some of the books in this series:
- Ah, Sweet Mystery, 1991.
- Straight as an Arrow, 1992.
- Dire Happenings at Scratch Ankle, 1993.
- A Plague of Kinfolks, 1995.
- Spider in the Sink, 1997.
Important Awards She Won
Celestine Sibley received many honors for her work:
- She won three awards from Associated Press for her news stories.
- She received two awards from the Georgia Conference on Social Work. These were for stories that helped people.
- She also won radio and television awards from Pall Mall.
- The Dixie Council of Authors and Journalists gave her awards for her book Small Blessings.
- She won the Green Eyeshadow Award from Sigma Delta Chi.
- After she passed away, she was added to the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame in 2007.
- She was also added to the Georgia Women of Achievement in 2010.
- In 2019, she was inducted into the Georgia Newspaper Hall of Fame.
