Shelby Foote his adult years
Foote was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters from Rhodes College at commencement on June 5,1982.
The citation presented by President Daughdrill reads:
"Shelby Dade Foote is a novelist, historian and playwright. He is best known for his epic three-volume history entitled "The Civil War: A Narrarive." This work, published by Random House, was hailed by critics as "a remarkable achievement" and "monumental." One reviewer wrote: "To read Foote's chronicle is an awesome and moving experience. History and literature are rarely so thoroughly combined as here: one finishes (the last) volume convinced that no one need undertake this particular enterprise again.""A native Mississippi now residing in Memphis, Shelby Foote attended the University of North Carolina and later served as a Captain of Field Artillery during World War II. He is the author of six novels including Love In a Dry Season, Jordan County, and more recently, September, September. He has served as novelist-in-residence at the University of Virginia, as playwright-in-residence at the Arena Stage in Washington, and as writer-in-residence at Holllins College.During the 20 years spent writing his Civil War history, Mr. Foote was awarded three Guggenheim fellowships and a Ford Foundation grant. He won the Fletcher Pratt Award for this work and, in 1974, was named distinguished alumnus from the University of North Carolina.Mr. Foote's major life's work in not only a prodigious piece of research, but a great literary accomplishment - - one that sheds new light on hte tragic conflict that tore our nation asunder.Therefore, it gives me pleasure to declare that the Board of Trustees of Southwestern At Memphis has additted you to the degree of DOCTOR OF LETTERS with all the privileges and responsibilites thereunto appertaining, in token whereof this diploma and the appropriate hood are presented to you."