author
James Stokely
1913–1977
A thoughtful Southern writer and collaborator, he is best remembered for the nonfiction books he wrote with Wilma Dykeman, including works on race, regional history, and Appalachia. His life in Tennessee and family ties to the Stokely canning business also shaped the world he wrote about.
1 Audiobook
At home in the Smokies : a history handbook for Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee
by United States. National Park Service, Wilma Dykeman, James Stokely
About the author
James R. Stokely Jr. was born in Newport, Tennessee, in 1913 and died there in 1977. University of Tennessee archival material describes him as the son of a founder and early general manager of Stokely Brothers Canning Company, and notes that he attended both Princeton University and the University of Tennessee, where he earned a bachelor's degree in commerce.
He wrote extensively with his wife, the acclaimed author Wilma Dykeman Stokely. Together they produced nonfiction that engaged seriously with the South, including books such as Neither Black Nor White and The French Broad. Their work is often noted for its clear-eyed interest in Appalachian life, regional change, and racial justice.
Beyond writing, Stokely also managed an apple orchard in Newport for a number of years, a detail that fits the strong sense of place found in the books connected with his name. While he is less widely known today than Dykeman, he remains an important part of that literary and civic partnership.