Frank Yerby, over the course of his literary career, published thirty-three books. Throughout his lifetime, he sold millions of copies of those books becoming a millionaire in the process. Even with these successes, Yerby remains a footnote in the histories of American literature. As such, we seek to organize a panel for the 2017 College Language Association in Columbia, Missouri, on Frank Yerby’s work and life.

We are seeking proposals that address Yerby’s early “protest writing,” his relationship to the southern historical romance and plantation fiction, his postcolonial writings, his “black” novels from the latter part of his career, his place in the African American literary canon, his presence as an African American popular novelist, his exploration of “whiteness,” and other topics.

By September 5, please send 250 word abstracts to

Matthew Teutsch (teutsch_at_auburn.edu)

Department of English

Auburn University

Auburn, AL 36849