Kathryn Tucker Windham was an American storyteller, author, photographer, and journalist. She was born in Selma, Alabama and grew up in nearby Thomasville .died she was , 93,Windham got her first writing job at the age of 12, reviewing movies for her cousin's small town newspaper, The Thomasville Times. She earned a B.A. degree from Huntingdon College in 1939. Soon after graduating she became a reporter for the Alabama Journal. Starting in 1944 she worked for The Birmingham News. In 1946 she married Amasa Benjamin Windham with whom she had three children. In 1956 she went to work at the Selma Times-Journal where she won several Associated Press awards for her writing and photography. She died on June 12, 2011.
(June 2, 1918 – June 12, 2011)
Ghost stories
Kathryn Tucker Windham wrote a series of books of "true" ghost stories, based on local folklore, beginning with 13 Alabama ghosts and Jeffrey (1969). Other titles were Jeffrey introduces 13 more Southern ghosts (1971), 13 Georgia ghosts and Jeffrey (1973), 13 Mississippi ghosts and Jeffrey (1974), 13 Tennessee ghosts and Jeffrey (1976), and Jeffrey's latest 13: more Alabama ghosts (1982). In 2004, she wrote Jeffrey's favorite 13 ghost stories, which was a collection of featured stories from the previous books.Jeffrey
Jeffrey is a purported ghost that took up residence in the Windham house in October 1966.[3][5] According to a letter printed in the foreword to 13 Alabama ghosts and Jeffrey, Windham became interested in ghost stories after this ghost began to haunt her family. At first, the family heard footsteps in rooms that would later be found empty. Sometimes, objects had been moved.[6]A photo of Jeffrey was accidentally taken when some young people visiting the Windham home decided to play with a Ouija board in an effort to contact the ghost. When photos from that night were developed, a dark shadowy blot with a vaguely human-like shape was found to be in one image. Soon after this picture was taken, Windham contacted Margaret Gillis Figh, who was a noted collector of ghost stories, to ask about Jeffrey. Out of that meeting, the idea for 13 Alabama ghosts and Jeffrey was born.[6]
Storytelling
Following an invitation to speak at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee, she began to gain attention for storytelling. She often appeared at storytelling events, historical meetings and classrooms. Her stories about ghosts and growing up and living in the Southern United States have earned her a place on National Public Radio's All Things Considered which has brought her national attention and praise. She also did stories and commentaries on Alabama Public Radio's Alabama Life.[7]She was the founder of the Alabama Tale Tellin' Festival, which has been held annually in Selma from 1978.[8] Kathryn Tucker Windham appeared on stage in a one woman play about Julia Tutwiler. The play was named They Call Me Julia and was based on Kathryn Tucker Windham's book of the same name.
Museum
The Thomasville campus of Alabama Southern Community College is home to the Kathryn Tucker Windham Museum.[9] Her personal papers and manuscripts from 1939–1995 were donated to the special collections department of the Auburn University Libraries.[10]Honors and film
On December 14, 1993, she was awarded the Honoroary Degree Doctor of Literature from the University of Montevallo.On August 18, 2003, she was inducted into the Alabama Academy of Honor, having been nominated by fellow Alabamian, novelist Harper Lee.[4][11] In 2008, Windham was named ABA Citizen of the Year by the Alabama Broadcasters Association.[12]
The 2004 documentary film, Kathryn: The Story of a Teller, directed by Norton Dill, chronicles Windham's life and varied careers.[13]
Bibliography
- Treasured Alabama recipes, Strode Publishers (1964)
- 13 Alabama ghosts and Jeffrey, Strode Publishers (1969), ISBN 978-0817303761
- Exploring Alabama, Strode Publishers (1970)
- Jeffrey introduces 13 more Southern ghosts, Strode Publishers (1971), ISBN 978-0817303815
- Treasured Tennessee recipes, Strode Publishers (1972)
- Treasured Georgia recipes, Strode Publishers (1973)
- 13 Georgia ghosts and Jeffrey, Strode Publishers (1973), ISBN 978-0817303778
- 13 Mississippi ghosts and Jeffrey, Strode Publishers (1974), ISBN 978-0817303792
- Southern cooking to remember, Strode Publishers (1974), ISBN 978-0873970983
- Alabama: one big front porch, Strode Publishers (1975), ISBN 978-0873970891
- 13 Tennessee ghosts and Jeffrey, Strode Publishers (1976), ISBN 978-0873971089
- The ghost in the Sloss furnaces, Birmingham Historical Society and AmSouth Bank (1978)
- Count those buzzards! Stamp those grey mules!: Superstitions remembered from a Southern childhood, Strode Publishers (1979), ISBN 978-0873971492
- Jeffrey's latest 13: more Alabama ghosts, Strode Publishers (1982), ISBN 978-0873972321
- Terrible legends in America, Seibido (1986) ISBN 978-4791900374
- A Serigamy of stories, University Press of Mississippi (1988), ISBN 978-0878053544
- Odd-egg editor, University Press of Mississippi (1990), ISBN 978-0585180106
- The autobiography of a bell, United Methodist Children's Home (1991)
- My name is Julia, Birmingham Public Library Press (1991) ISBN 978-0942301182
- A sampling of Selma stories, Selma Printing Service (1991)
- Twice blessed, Black Belt Press (1996) ISBN 978-1881320470
- Encounters, Black Belt Press (1997), ISBN 978-1881320944
- The bridal wreath bush, Black Belt Press (1999), ISBN 978-1880216927
- Piano lessons and other recollections, Major Tiara Press (2000)
- It's Christmas!, River City Publishers (2002), ISBN 978-1579660314
- Common threads : photographs and stories from the South CKM Press (2004) ISBN 978-0963671318
- Jeffrey's favorite 13 ghost stories, New South Books (2004), ISBN 978-1588381705
- Ernest's gift, Junebug Books (2004), ISBN 978-1588381491
- Twice Blessed, River City Publishers (2007), ISBN 978-1579660802
- Spit, Scarey Ann, and Sweat Bees: One Thing Leads to Another, NewSouth Books (2009), ISBN 978-1588382405
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