Margaret Mitchell: Difference between revisions

From Bhamwiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 1: Line 1:
'''Margaret Mitchell''' (born [[November 8]], [[1900]] in Atlanta, Georgia - died [[August 16]], [[1949]] in Atlanta) was the author of ''Gone With the Wind'', winner of the [[1937]] Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the basis for the Academy Award-winning film of the same name released in [[1939]].
'''Margaret Mitchell''' (born [[November 8]], [[1900]] in Atlanta, Georgia - died [[August 16]], [[1949]] in Atlanta) was the author of ''Gone With the Wind'', winner of the [[1937]] Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the basis for the Academy Award-winning film of the same name released in [[1939]].


Mitchell reportedly spent several weeks in [[Birmingham]] in the early 1920s. She had left Smith College in [[1918]] to take over her mother's household after her death from the Spanish flu. She began working as a Sunday magazine columnist for the ''Atlanta Journal'' (under the name '''Peggy Mitchell'''). She was, at the time, likely being courted by both Berrien Upshaw and John Marsh. She married Upshaw in [[1922]] but found him to be abusive and was soon divorced. In [[1925]] she married Marsh, publicity director for what became the Georgia Power Company. A year later, forced to leave reporting due to a broken ankle, Mitchell, with her husband's support, began writing what was published ten years later as ''Gone With the Wind''.
Mitchell left Smith College when her mother died from Spanish flu in [[1918]], taking over household duties. In [[1922]] she accepted an invitation from her close friend and ''[[Birmingham News]]'' society page editor [[Augusta Dearborn]] to stay with her, in the guest quarters of the [[Alexander Dearborn residence]] in [[Anderson Place]], and to assist her at the newspaper.


Before she married, Mitchell spent some time in Birmingham rooming with [[Augusta Dearborn]], an assistant society editor for the ''[[Birmingham News]]''. Dearborn lived in [[1748 15th Avenue South|a house]] at the corner of [[15th Avenue South]] and [[18th Street South|18th Street]] in [[Southside]].
Dearborn served as Mitchell's maid-of-honor at her marriage that December to Berrien "Red" Upshaw. They couple returned to Atlanta where she, as "Peggy Mitchell", was able to parley her experience in Birmingham into a job as a feature writer for the ''Atlanta Journal'' Sunday magazine.


In [[2009]], artist [[Ben South]] became interested when he heard that Mitchell may have lived in Birmingham and contacted [[Birmingham Public Library]] archivist [[Jim Baggett]] to help research the possibility and identify the house.
Mitchell found Upshaw to be abusive and was soon divorced. In [[1925]] she married John Marsh, publicity director for what became the Georgia Power Company. A year later, forced to leave reporting due to a broken ankle, Mitchell, with her husband's support, began writing what was published ten years later as ''Gone With the Wind''.
 
In [[2009]], artist [[Ben South]] became interested when he heard that Mitchell may have lived in Birmingham and contacted [[Birmingham Public Library]] archivist [[Jim Baggett]] to help research the possibility and identify the house. The house, which had been divided into three apartments, was purchased out of foreclosure in [[2014]] and restored.


==References==
==References==
Line 11: Line 13:
* Hansen, Jeff (July 7, 2009) "Iconic author Margaret Mitchell, author of "Gone with the Wind', may have lived for a time on Birmingham's Southside." {{BN}}
* Hansen, Jeff (July 7, 2009) "Iconic author Margaret Mitchell, author of "Gone with the Wind', may have lived for a time on Birmingham's Southside." {{BN}}


[[Category:1920s events]]
[[Category:1922 events]]
[[Category:15th Avenue South]]
[[Category:15th Avenue South]]
[[Category:Columnists]]
[[Category:Columnists]]
[[Category:Novelists]]
[[Category:Novelists]]

Revision as of 23:21, 21 January 2015

Margaret Mitchell (born November 8, 1900 in Atlanta, Georgia - died August 16, 1949 in Atlanta) was the author of Gone With the Wind, winner of the 1937 Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the basis for the Academy Award-winning film of the same name released in 1939.

Mitchell left Smith College when her mother died from Spanish flu in 1918, taking over household duties. In 1922 she accepted an invitation from her close friend and Birmingham News society page editor Augusta Dearborn to stay with her, in the guest quarters of the Alexander Dearborn residence in Anderson Place, and to assist her at the newspaper.

Dearborn served as Mitchell's maid-of-honor at her marriage that December to Berrien "Red" Upshaw. They couple returned to Atlanta where she, as "Peggy Mitchell", was able to parley her experience in Birmingham into a job as a feature writer for the Atlanta Journal Sunday magazine.

Mitchell found Upshaw to be abusive and was soon divorced. In 1925 she married John Marsh, publicity director for what became the Georgia Power Company. A year later, forced to leave reporting due to a broken ankle, Mitchell, with her husband's support, began writing what was published ten years later as Gone With the Wind.

In 2009, artist Ben South became interested when he heard that Mitchell may have lived in Birmingham and contacted Birmingham Public Library archivist Jim Baggett to help research the possibility and identify the house. The house, which had been divided into three apartments, was purchased out of foreclosure in 2014 and restored.

References

  • Thomas, Jane (March 21, 2008) "Margaret Mitchell (1900-1949)" New Georgia Encyclopedia
  • Hansen, Jeff (July 7, 2009) "Iconic author Margaret Mitchell, author of "Gone with the Wind', may have lived for a time on Birmingham's Southside." The Birmingham News
Retrieved from "http://bhamwiki.com/w/index.php?title=Margaret_Mitchell&oldid=111731"