Mignon Holland Anderson facts for kids

Mignon Holland Anderson, born in 1945, is an American writer and professor. She is known for writing short stories. Her stories often explore the lives of African Americans in the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

About Mignon Holland Anderson

Mignon Holland Anderson was born in Cheriton, Virginia. Her parents, Frank and Ruby Holland, owned a funeral home there.

Her Education

She attended Fisk University and earned her first degree in 1966. Later, in 1970, she graduated from Columbia University. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree there. For a time, she worked as a research assistant for the famous writer Arna Bontemps.

Her Career as a Writer and Teacher

Mignon Holland Anderson writes many short stories. A lot of her stories are set in the Eastern Shore of Virginia. They focus on the experiences of African Americans.

Themes in Her Stories

One of her stories, Mostly Womenfolk and a Man or Two, takes place after slavery in the United States ended. It looks at how African-American people began to adopt parts of white culture. Another story, The End of Dying, was published in 2001. This story also explores the topic of racism in the middle of the 20th century.

Teaching and Awards

Anderson teaches English at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. This is a historically black college. She has received awards for her teaching. She was given the University of Maryland Eastern Shore President's Teacher of the Year award. She has also been named one of the President's Top Ten Teachers of the Year. She worked as an associate editor for the Maryland Review magazine.

Her Published Works

• The End of Dying. Baltimore: American House (2001).
• "In the Face of Fire I Will Not Turn Back." Negro Digest: 17 (1968), pp. 20–23.
• Mostly Womenfolk and a Man or Two: A Collection. Chicago: Third World Press (1976). ISBN: 0-88378-075-5.