John Ehle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Ehle
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| Born | John Marsden Ehle, Jr. December 13, 1925 Asheville, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | March 24, 2018 (aged 92) Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Alma mater | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| Period | 1957–2018 |
| Genre | Historical fiction, Southern literature, Non-fiction |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Jennifer Ehle |
John Marsden Ehle, Jr. (born December 13, 1925 – died March 24, 2018) was an American writer. He was best known for his stories set in the Appalachian Mountains. These mountains are found in the southern part of the United States. Many people called him "the father of Appalachian literature." This means he was very important for writing about this region.
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John Ehle's Life and Work
John Ehle was born in Asheville, North Carolina. He was the oldest of five children. His parents were Gladys and John Marsden Ehle. His grandparents came from Wales and England.
Early Life and Education
During World War II, John Ehle joined the United States Army. He served as a rifleman. After the war, he went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He earned two degrees there. He studied Radio, Television, and Motion Pictures. Later, he studied Dramatic Arts.
From 1951 to 1963, he also taught at the university. While teaching, he wrote plays for a radio show called American Adventure. He also started writing his first novel during this time.
His Books and Stories
John Ehle's first novel, Move Over Mountain, came out in 1957. The next year, he wrote a biography called The Survivor: The Story of Eddy Hukov.
In 1964, he published The Land Breakers. This is one of his most famous books. It tells a fictional story about the first white pioneers. They settled in the Appalachian mountains of Western North Carolina in the late 1700s. The Land Breakers was out of print for many years. It was republished in 2006.
The Land Breakers was the first of a seven-book series. These books were historical fiction about the Appalachian region. Two of his 11 novels were even made into movies. These were The Winter People and The Journey of August King.
John Ehle also wrote six non-fiction books. One important book was The Free Men (1965). This book shared his own experiences. It was about the struggle to end segregation in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. This happened during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.
John Ehle's Family and Public Service
John Ehle was married to Rosemary Harris, an English actress. They had a daughter named Jennifer Ehle, who is also an actress.
Helping North Carolina
John Ehle cared a lot about his home state, North Carolina. He worked on many projects. These projects focused on social issues, education, and fighting poverty.
From 1963 to 1964, he worked for North Carolina Governor Terry Sanford. Governor Sanford called him his "one man think tank." This meant John Ehle was full of great ideas. He helped create The North Carolina Fund. This group worked to fight poverty in the state.
John Ehle also helped start important schools. He was key in founding the North Carolina School of the Arts. He also helped create the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. These were some of the first state-supported high schools for talented students. He also started the North Carolina Governor's School. This was a summer program for gifted students.
National Roles
From 1964 to 1966, John Ehle advised President Lyndon B. Johnson. He worked with the White House Group for Domestic Affairs. He also served on the United States National Committee for UNESCO from 1965 to 1968. UNESCO works to promote peace and security through education and culture. He was also part of the National Endowment for the Humanities from 1966 to 1970.
In the late 1960s, John Ehle managed the Stouffer Foundation. This foundation was created by Anne Forsyth. It offered full scholarships for Black students. These scholarships allowed them to attend private schools. The goal was to help these students get a good education. It also aimed to broaden the minds of white students at these schools. John Ehle and his wife, Rosemary Harris, even interviewed students for these scholarships.
John Ehle's Legacy and Awards
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library keeps John Ehle's papers. This collection includes his drafts, notes, and letters. It also has many audio and video recordings. These recordings show his work during the Civil Rights Movement. They were used when he wrote The Free Men.
John Ehle was chosen for the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame. He received many awards for his work. These include the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award and the Lillian Smith Book Award. He also won the John Tyler Caldwell Award for the Humanities and the Mayflower Award.
