MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2000 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Tollison, Horhn

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING LARRY BROWN OF THE TULA COMMUNITY IN LAFAYETTE COUNTY FOR RECEIVING THE 2000 GOVERNOR'S AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE ARTS IN THE ARTIST ACHIEVEMENT AWARD CATEGORY.

WHEREAS, Larry Brown has been named the recipient of the Artist Achievement Award category of the 2000 Governor's Awards for Excellence in the Arts selected by the Mississippi Arts Commission; and

WHEREAS, Larry Brown is a firefighter turned award-winning writer; a native Mississippian who was raised in the Tula Community outside of Oxford in Lafayette County, Larry and his family still live outside Oxford; he was a fireman with the Oxford Fire Department for many years; during his career as a fireman, he began developing his skills as a writer and eventually had several short stories accepted for publication; he is published by Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, Larry is currently working on a book of essays; he has had the following books of fiction and nonfiction published: Facing the Music, 1988; Dirty Work, 1989; Big Bad Love, 1990; Joe, 1991; On Fire, 1994; Father and Son, 1996; and

WHEREAS, Larry's short stories have appeared in several literary journals as well as the annual Best American Short Stories; in 1991, Publisher's Weekly Notable Book Council of the American Library Association selected his novel, Joe, as a Best Book; Larry was also the first two-time winner of the Southern Book Award for fiction presented by the Southern Book Critics Circle - Father and Son in 1997 and Joe in 1992; he was also a recipient of the Mississippi Arts and Letters Award; and

WHEREAS, he and his wife, Mary Annie, have three children, Billy Ray, a farmer in Oxford; Shane, a junior at Mississippi State University; and LeAnne, a junior at Lafayette High School; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize this Mississippi writer who has been honored by his peers and brought honor to his community and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Larry Brown of the Tula Community in Lafayette County for receiving the 2000 Governor's Awards for Excellence in the Arts in the Artist Achievement Award Category, and wish him continued success in his future writing endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be presented to Larry Brown and his family in ceremonies at the Old Capitol and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.