John Egerton (journalist) facts for kids

John Egerton (born June 14, 1935, died November 21, 2013) was an American journalist and author. He was known for writing about important topics like the Civil Rights Movement, the history of the American South, and especially Southern food and culture.

Egerton wrote or edited about twenty non-fiction books. He also wrote many articles for newspapers and magazines. He often took part in projects and meetings about education, desegregation (ending racial separation), and civil rights. His work often focused on the American South and its unique food traditions. Some of his most famous books include "Southern Food: At Home, on the Road, in History" and "Speak Now Against the Day."

His book Speak Now Against the Day: The Generation Before the Civil Rights Movement in the South won the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award. He also wrote Southern Food: At Home, On the Road, In History. He helped edit Nashville: An American Self-Portrait, which was about the city of Nashville in the 1960s.

Early Life and Education

John Egerton was born in Atlanta, Georgia. His father, William G. Egerton, was a traveling salesman. His mother was Rebecca White. His family later moved to Cadiz, a small city in Kentucky.

John graduated from Trigg County High School in 1953. He went to Western Kentucky University for a year. Then, he served in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1956. After his military service, he earned two degrees from the University of Kentucky. He got his first degree in 1958 and a master's degree in 1960.

His Career as a Writer

From 1958 to 1960, Egerton worked for the University of Kentucky's Public Relations Department. Then, from 1960 to 1965, he was in charge of public information for the University of South Florida in Tampa.

Starting in 1965, he worked as a magazine writer for Southern Education Report. Later, he wrote for its new version, Race Relations Reporter. Both magazines were based in Nashville.

In 1971, Egerton became a freelance writer. This meant he worked for himself. He focused on education, race relations, and social issues in the South. He was also an editor for several other magazines, including Saturday Review of Education. From 1973 to 1975, he wrote for the Southern Regional Council in Atlanta. He also taught as a journalist-in-residence at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1977–78.

Later, in 1988–89, he wrote a food column for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and other Southern newspapers. In 1996, he was a senior writer for The Tennessean, a daily newspaper in Nashville. He also taught American Studies at the University of Texas in Austin in 1997.

Southern Foodways Alliance

In 1999, John Egerton helped start the Southern Foodways Alliance (SFA). This group is part of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi.

In 2007, the SFA created the John Egerton Prize. This award honors artists, writers, and others. It recognizes people whose work in the American South looks at issues like race, class, and fairness through the topic of food.

John Egerton passed away in Nashville at age 78 after a heart attack. He and his wife, Ann Bleidt, had two sons, Brooks and March.