Writer Ellen Morris Prewitt Blog

My New Righting Group Book

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on October 30, 2019. Posted in General, HOMELESSNESS, Writing. No Comments on My New Righting Group Book

Y’all, I’ve been so busy getting my new book into the hands of folks who can use it, I haven’t stopped long enough to tell you about it. Most of y’all know for 8 years I was part of a weekly writing group of Memphians who had personally experienced homelessness. We wrote; we held public readings; we hosted full-day...

Until August Wilson

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on February 21, 2025. Posted in General, Racism to Reconciliation. 2 Comments on Until August Wilson

I had given up on plays until August Wilson. Much of my social life for decades had included attending plays. New Stage Theater in Jackson. Several theaters in Memphis. At one point, during a performance, I thought, What are you doing here? The play was not engaging. I was not having a good time. Until I discovered August Wilson. I would never...

Everything Here is New

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on February 19, 2025. Posted in Featured, General, LOVE. No Comments on Everything Here is New

Soon enough, it will be as if it has always been this way. Like the Katrina rabbits who appeared after the storm, hunted by the sauntering bobcat that replaced all the houses. A pulsing chorus of frogs arose—there’s a body of water here somewhere— when the body of the world transformed in the hurricane’s fist. Crawfish...

The Work of Julius Chambers

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on February 18, 2025. Posted in Featured, General, Racism to Reconciliation. 2 Comments on The Work of Julius Chambers

When Mother remarried, we moved to my new dad’s home state of North Carolina. We went briefly to Durham then on to our forever-home, Charlotte. We arrived September 1970 when, thanks to the work of Julius Chambers, school across America was about to change. Chambers was a graduate of my alma mater, UNC Law School. Unlike me, he graduated...

The Work of Thurgood Marshall

Written by novagiant on February 17, 2025. Posted in Featured, General, Racism to Reconciliation. 4 Comments on The Work of Thurgood Marshall

From when I was in the fifth grade until I went off to college, the work of Thurgood Marshall dominated my educational experience. Before Marshall was a United States Supreme Court Justice, he was an NAACP lawyer working for the Legal Defense and Educational Fund. He tried Civil Rights cases. Over and over again, he tried them. And he won, over...

Don’t Call Me Miss Ellen

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on February 10, 2025. Posted in Featured, General, Racism to Reconciliation. 6 Comments on Don’t Call Me Miss Ellen

When I was practicing law, I frequently appeared before an administration judge. This one trial, the old dude who the agency hired to act as the judge would call me Miss Ellen. He called the opposition Mr. Cockrell. Me, Miss Ellen. I was a lawyer. The male person on the other side of the case was a lawyer. But I was being talked down to every time...

But for Randall Kenan

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on February 7, 2025. Posted in Featured, Racism to Reconciliation. 2 Comments on But for Randall Kenan

I would never have known what literary journalism was but for Randall Kenan. When I saw the subject matter he was teaching, I groaned. I could not imagine something I wanted less to do with. But Randall was at the University of Memphis as a visiting professor. I couldn’t believe I had the chance to learn under him, even if I would only be...

My Tennis Role Model

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on February 5, 2025. Posted in Featured, Racism to Reconciliation. 10 Comments on My Tennis Role Model

I played competitive tennis as a child. That’s a fancy way of saying I played in tournaments, traveled to regional cities to compete, and followed my rankings in the Southeast. I began playing at a young age. I was seven years old when my sister began at eight–my mother wanted us to take lessons at the same time, so the pro let me start...

Right to Serve

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on February 4, 2025. Posted in Featured, General, Racism to Reconciliation. No Comments on Right to Serve

Twice, I’ve been called to jury duty. The first time, I was dismissed because my ex-law partners were trying the case. The next time, I refused to agree to convict someone if it meant an automatic life sentence without chance for parole. Both times, I was ready and grateful to be on the jury. I wanted to exercise the right to serve. A jury...

Black History Month by Me

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on February 2, 2025. Posted in Featured, General, Racism to Reconciliation. 8 Comments on Black History Month by Me

Okay, guys, I missed February 1st. But they say don’t sacrifice the good-enough to the perfect. This year, 2025, as the Federal government works tirelessly to pretend no merit resides in anyone but straight white males, I will during Black History Month blog on how extraordinary Black Americans have impacted my personal history. Short posts,...

2025 So Far

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on February 1, 2025. Posted in Featured, General. 8 Comments on 2025 So Far

Sometimes, WordPress logging me out is enough to put me off posting. Blame passwords, which I can’t remember, because I have different ones if WP logged me out or I’m trying to comment on someone else’s blog post. I hate passwords. I follow healthy passwording guidelines and use a different password in every instance. Then I can’t...