Harris, Joel Chandler

Harris, Joel Chandler
born Dec. 9, 1848, Eatonton, Ga., U.S.
died July 3, 1908, Atlanta, Ga.

U.S. writer.

He became known as a humorist in his pieces for various newspapers, including (1876–1900) the Atlanta Constitution. He created a vogue for a distinct type of dialect literature with "Tar-Baby" (1879) and later stories that drew on folklore and featured the character Uncle Remus, a wise, genial old black man who weaves his philosophy of life into tales about Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, and other animals.

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▪ American author

born Dec. 9, 1848, Eatonton, Ga., U.S.
died July 3, 1908, Atlanta
 American author, creator of the folk character Uncle Remus.

      As apprentice on a weekly paper, The Countryman, he became familiar with the lore and dialects of the plantation slave. He established a reputation as a brilliant humorist and writer of dialect while employed on newspapers at Macon, Ga., New Orleans, Forsyth and Savannah, Ga., and, after 1876, on the staff of the Atlanta Constitution (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The) for 24 years. In 1879 “Tar-Baby,” a story probably inspired by his reading of William Owens' work on black folklore, appeared in the Atlanta Constitution and created a vogue for a distinctive type of dialect literature. This and successive Uncle Remus stories won for Harris a secure place in American literature. The pattern was new: Uncle Remus, the wise, genial old black man, tells stories about Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, and other animals to the little son of a plantation owner and interweaves his philosophy of the world about him. Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings was published in book form in 1880, followed by others. Included in a series of children's books were: Little Mr. Thimblefinger and His Queer Country (1894), The Story of Aaron (1896), and Aaron in the Wildwoods (1897). Mingo, and Other Sketches in Black and White (1884); Free Joe and Other Georgian Sketches (1887); Sister Jane, Her Friends and Acquaintances (1896); and Gabriel Tolliver (1902) reveal Harris' ability to vitalize other Southern types and to delve into issues faced by the South after Reconstruction. On the Plantation (1892) is valuable for its autobiography. From 1907 until his death he edited Uncle Remus's Magazine.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Harris,Joel Chandler — Harris, Joel Chandler. 1848 1908. American writer and journalist who wrote Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings (1880) and its many sequels. * * * …   Universalium

  • Harris, Joel Chandler — • Folklorist, novelist, poet, journalist; born at Eatonton, Georgia, U.S.A., 1848; died at Atlanta, Georgia, 3 July, 1908 Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006 …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Harris, Joel Chandler — (9 dic. 1848, Eatonton, Ga., EE.UU.–3 jul. 1908, Atlanta, Ga.). Escritor estadounidense. Se hizo conocido como humorista gracias a los textos que escribió en distintos periódicos, como el Atlanta Constitution (1876–1900). Puso en boga un tipo… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • HARRIS, JOEL CHANDLER —    American writer, born in Georgia, U.S.; author of Uncle Remus, his chief work a study of negro folk lore, followed by interesting sketches and stories; b. 1848 …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Harris, Joel Chandler — (1848 1908)    Writer of tales, etc., b. at Eatonton, Georgia, was successively printer, lawyer, and journalist. He struck out an original line in his stories of animal life as it presents itself to the mind of the Southern negro, in whose… …   Short biographical dictionary of English literature

  • Harris, Joel Chandler —    см. Харрис, Джоэл Чэндлер …   Писатели США. Краткие творческие биографии

  • Joel Chandler Harris — (December 9,1848 – July 3, 1908) was an American journalist born in Eatonton, Georgia who wrote the Uncle Remus stories. [ [http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h 525 hl=y Joel Chandler Harris ] , New Georgia Encyclopedia, notes… …   Wikipedia

  • Joel Chandler Harris — (Eatonton, Georgia, 9 de diciembre de 1845 – Atlanta, 3 de julio de 1908) fue un periodista, folklorista y escritor estadounidense, conocido sobre todo como autor de las Uncle Remus Stories o Historias del tío Remus …   Wikipedia Español

  • Joel Chandler Harris — (* 8. Dezember 1848 in Eatonton, Georgia; † 3. Juli 1908 in Atlanta) war ein US amerikanischer Journalist und Schriftsteller aus dem Bundesstaat …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Joel Chandler Harris —     Joel Chandler Harris     † Catholic Encyclopedia ► Joel Chandler Harris     Folklorist, novelist, poet, journalist; born at Eatonton, Georgia, U.S.A., 1848; died at Atlanta, Georgia, 3 July, 1908. Chiefly known for his stories of negro folk… …   Catholic encyclopedia

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