Wayne Flynt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wayne Flynt
|
|
|---|---|
Flynt in February 2010
|
|
| Born |
James Wayne Flynt
October 4, 1940 |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Ph.D. |
| Alma mater | Florida State University Samford University |
| Occupation | Professor of History |
| Spouse(s) | Dorothy |
| Children | 2 |
James Wayne Flynt was born on October 4, 1940. He is a well-known historian and professor. He taught history at Auburn University for many years. He is now a Professor Emeritus, which means he is a retired professor who still holds an honored title.
Professor Flynt has won many awards for his teaching. He is known for studying the history and culture of the Southern United States. He also looks at politics, religion, education, and poverty in the South. He helped start and was the first main editor of the online Encyclopedia of Alabama. This is a huge website with lots of information about Alabama.
Contents
About Wayne Flynt
Early Life and Education
Wayne Flynt moved around a lot when he was a kid. His father had different sales jobs, so the family lived in many places in the South. They lived in Anniston, Alabama a few times. He finished high school there in 1958.
He went to Howard College, which later became Samford University. He earned his first degree there in 1961. Then, he went to Florida State University. He earned his Master of Science degree in 1962. He also got his Ph.D. there in 1965. A Ph.D. is the highest degree you can get in a field of study.
Professor Flynt taught at Samford University for 12 years. After that, he joined the teachers at Auburn University in 1977. He taught there until he retired in 2005.
His Books and Work
Wayne Flynt has written 13 books. Most of his books are about the history, money, and social life of Alabama. Two of his books were even nominated for Pulitzer Prizes. These are very important awards for books and journalism.
His books include Poor But Proud: Alabama's Poor Whites, which came out in 1990. He also helped write Alabama: A History of a Deep South State. As mentioned, he was the main editor for the online Encyclopedia of Alabama. This project is a team effort between Auburn University and the Alabama Humanities Foundation.
In 1993, a TV show about him was made by Alabama Public Television. In 2002, he won the Clarence Cason Writing Award. This award is given to writers who focus on Alabama. In 2006, he was honored by being added to the Alabama Academy of Honor. He also received the Eugene Current-Garcia Award in 2004.
Friendship with Harper Lee
Wayne Flynt was a close friend of Harper Lee. She was the famous author who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. He even gave a speech at her funeral when she passed away in 2016. After her death, he wrote a book about their friendship. It is called Mockingbird Songs: My Friendship with Harper Lee and was published in 2017.
Family Life
Wayne Flynt and his late wife, Dorothy, had two sons. Their names are Sean and David.
