W. Ralph Eubanks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
W. Ralph Eubanks
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| Born | Warren Ralph Eubanks Jr. June 25, 1957 Mount Olive, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Occupation | Author; Journalist; Professor; Public speaker; Director of Publishing, Library of Congress |
| Language | English |
| Education | University of Mississippi University of Michigan |
| Genre | History; Memoir |
| Spouse | Colleen Eubanks |
| Children | 3 |
 Literature portal |
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Warren Ralph Eubanks Jr. (born June 25, 1957) is an American author, journalist, and professor. He is also a public speaker. His writings often explore topics like race, identity, and the history and culture of the American South. In 2021, he was a special fellow at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute at Harvard University.
From 1995 to 2013, he was the Director of Publishing at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.. Later, he became the editor of the Virginia Quarterly Review at the University of Virginia. He has also taught at the University of Virginia and George Mason University. In 2007, he received a Guggenheim Fellowship. This award recognized his book, Ever Is a Long Time: A Journey Into Mississippi's Dark Past. A famous book critic, Jonathan Yardley, called it one of the best nonfiction books of 2003.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Warren Ralph Eubanks Jr. was born on June 25, 1957. His hometown is Mount Olive, Mississippi. His parents were Warren Ralph Eubanks Sr. and Lucille Eubanks. He finished Mount Olive High School in 1974.
After high school, he went to the University of Mississippi. There, he earned a Bachelor's degree in English and Psychology. He was also the president of the Sigma Tau Delta honor society. This group focuses on English and Literature studies. In 1978, he moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan. He studied at the University of Michigan. He earned a Master's degree in English Language and Literature in 1979.
Career Highlights
Working in Publishing
After getting his master's degree in 1980, Eubanks started his career in publishing. He worked as a copy editor for the American Geophysical Union. Later, he joined Hemisphere Publishing as a Managing Editor. He helped produce over 75 books and journals there. In 1990, he became the Director of Book Publishing for the American Psychological Association.
In 1995, he joined the Library of Congress. He became the Director of Publishing. In this role, he helped decide which books and materials the Library would publish. In 2013, he became the editor of the Virginia Quarterly Review. This is a well-known literary magazine.
Teaching and Academia
While working in publishing, Eubanks also taught. He was an advisor for Howard University's summer book publishing program. From 1994 to 2002, he taught at the University of Virginia. He taught classes like "The World of Publishing" and "The Business of Publishing."
In 2009, he taught a class on writing memoirs at George Mason University. From 2016 to 2017, he was a visiting professor at Millsaps College. There, he taught creative writing and literature classes. These classes covered topics like "Photography and Literature" and "Civil Rights and Literature." Since 2017, he has been a Visiting Professor at the University of Mississippi.
Writing Books and Articles
Eubanks has written several books. His first memoir, Ever Is a Long Time: A Journey Into Mississippi's Dark Past, came out in 2003. It was praised by critics. In 2009, he published The House at the End of the Road. This book tells the story of three generations of his family. It explores American identity and race relations. In 2021, he released A Place Like Mississippi. This book takes readers on a journey through Mississippi's literary history.
He has also written many articles for newspapers and magazines. These articles often focus on education and race. He has written for The Washington Post, Preservation Magazine, and The American Scholar. Some of his articles include "DNA Is Only One Way to Spell Identity" and "Still Learning From Dad." He has also written for WIRED, TIME, and The New Yorker.
Eubanks also reviews books for The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. He has reviewed books by famous authors like William Styron and Abraham Verghese. He even reviewed a book by Richard Wright that was finished by Wright's daughter after his death.
Radio Appearances
Eubanks has been a guest on National Public Radio (NPR). He often talks about race relations. In 2004, he appeared on All Things Considered. He discussed the 1964 murders of three civil rights workers in Mississippi. These workers were James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner.
In 2009, he was on Talk of the Nation. He spoke about race and police actions. This discussion followed the arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr. in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Personal Life
As of 2013, W. Ralph Eubanks lived in Washington, D.C. with his wife, Colleen Eubanks. They have three children. He is a Catholic.
Honors and Awards
- 2007 Guggenheim Fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation
- The Bernard L. Schwartz Fellowship with the New America Foundation
- 2021-2022 Carl and Lily Pforzheimer Foundation Fellow, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University
- 2023 Mississippi Governor's Arts Award, Excellence in Literature and Cultural Ambassador
- 2023-2024 Society of American Travel Writers Foundation, Lowell Thomas Award, First Place for Coverage of Diverse Communities
Published Works
- Books
- Eubanks, W. Ralph (2003). Ever Is a Long Time: A Journey Into Mississippi's Dark Past, Basic Books, 256 pages. ISBN: 978-0738205700
- Eubanks, W. Ralph (2009). The House at the End of the Road: The Story of Three Generations of an Interracial Family in the American South, HarperCollins/Smithsonian, 224 pages. ISBN: 978-0061375736
- Eubanks, W. Ralph (2021). "A Place Like Mississippi: A Journey Through a Real and Imagined Literary Landscape", Timber Press, 268 pages. ISBN: 978-1604699586
- Articles
- "DNA Is Only One Way to Spell Identity", The Washington Post January 1, 2006.
- "Still Learning From Dad", The Washington Post, June 13, 2006
- "At Ole Miss, a Valedictory to the Old South", The Washington Post, September 21, 2008
