Today In History: Remembering Margaret Mitchell

She had gone back to Tara once in fear and defeat and she had emerged from its sheltering walls strong and armed for victory. What she had done once -- please God, she could do again! How, she did not know. She did not want to think of that now. All she wanted was a breathing space in which to hurt, a quiet place to lick her wounds, a haven in which to plan her campaign. She thought of Tara and it was as if a gentle cool hand were stealing over her heart.  She could see the white house gleaming welcome to her through the reddening autumn leaves, feel the quiet hush of the country twilight coming down over her like a benediction, feel the dews falling on the acres of green bushes starred with fleecy white, see the raw colour of red earth and the dismal dark beauty of pines on the rolling hills. -- Margaret Mitchell, Gone With the Wind, pp. 1041-1042.

Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell (November 8, 1900 – August 16, 1949), a lifelong resident of Atlanta, Georgia, was an American journalist and novelist who published only one novel in her lifetime. Gone With the Wind (MacMillan, 1936) topped the American fiction best selling lists; earned the National Book Award for Distinguished Fiction in 1936, as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1937; and became a legend in its adaption to film and stage -- particularly the Academy award winning movie produced in 1939 by David Selznick that starred Vivian Leigh and Clark Gable.  

Of Scottish and Irish descent, Margaret Mitchell was born into a prominent wealthy family that settled in Georgia and was known to recount stories of the American Civil War.  Her fascination with the South; interests in romantic love and notions of honor; and her relationships with the Daughters of the Confederacy and the Junior League; would fuel her motivation and success in writing one of the most popular works of historical fiction of all time. Gone With the Wind has sold more than 30 million copies, and it has been translated into 27 languages.

In addition to reporting for The Atlanta Journal, Margaret Mitchell supported the troops during World War II, assisted African-American students financially; and served in the American Red Cross, selling stamps and bonds.  Struck by a car on August 11th, 1949 as she made her way to the movies with her husband, John Marsh, Mitchell never regained full consciousness from the tragic accident and passed away five days later.

Margaret Mitchell received many awards posthumously; in 1978 she was inducted into the Georgia Newspaper Hall of Fame; in 1994, the Georgia Women of Achievement; and in 2000, and the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame.

The following articles are drawn from Proquest Historical Newspapers, which informs and inspires classroom teaching and learning.

• McGill, R. (1936, Oct 18). Author of New Best Seller Longs for Quiet Life of Old: Margaret Mitchell, Her Novel Found by Chance, Overwhelmed by Success of 'Gone with the Wind'. The Hartford Courant (1923-)
• "Peggy Has Written a Book Herself": Casual Remark to Publsher's Agnet Launched Margaret Mitchell's "Gone With the Wind". (1936, Oct 25). Daily Boston Globe (1928-1960) 
• List of the 1937 Pulitzer Awards for Achievement in Journalism: Novel Is the First by Miss Mitchell.  (1937, May 04). New York Times (1923-) 
• Margaret Mitchell Receives Medal at Dixie Dinner Dance: Southern Society Honors the Author of 'Gone With the Wind'. (1938, Dec 08). New York Herald Tribune (1926-1962) 
• Obituary: Miss Margaret Mitchell. (1949, Aug 17). The Manchester Guardian (1901-1959) 
• Author of "Gone With the Wind": Death of Margaret Mitchell Street Accident Victim. (1949, Aug 17). The Scotsman (1921-2002) 
• In Search of the Woman Who Wrote 'Gone With the Wind'. (1983, Jul 22). The Irish Times (1921-) 
• Finkle, D. By, D. F. (1989, Dec 10). Tara! Tara! Tara!: Gone with the Wind: The Definitive illustrated History of the Book, the Movie, and the Legend. New York Times (1923-) 
• Yardley, J. (1986, Jun 29). The Golden Anniversary of Scarlett and Rhett: Gone With the Wind. The Washington Post (1974-) 
• Schwartz, J. (1994, Dec 18). Margaret Mitchell's Atlanta Home Gets a Reprieve: Restoring the Birthplace of 'Gone With the Wind.' New York Times (1923-) 

Tips:

• Atlanta Historical Society. Margaret Mitchell Memorial Issue.  The Atlanta Historical Bulletin. Georgia: Atlanta Historical Society, 1950. e-book.
• Davis, Anita Price. The Margaret Mitchell Encyclopedia. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Co., Inc., Publishers, 2013. e-book.
• Hanson, Elizabeth I. Margaret Mitchell. Boston, Mass: Twayne Publishers, 1990. e-book.
• Margaret Mitchell and Her Novel, Gone with the Wind. New York (State): Macmillan, 1936. e-book.
• Martin, Sara Hines. Georgia’s Remarkable Women : Daughters, Wives, Sisters, and Mothers Who Shaped History. 2nd ed. Guilford, Connecticut: Globe Pequot, 2016.  e-book

Images:

• Margaret Mitchell NYWTS, 1941, Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
• Rural Home Plantation, Fitzgerald Family Plantation, circa 1920, Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Need to keep current, look to the past, teach a topic? The Everett Cafe features daily postings of news from around the world, and also promotes awareness of historical events from an educational context. Be sure to check additional Cafe News postings on the library blog.