Charles Portis Symposium
The Works & Influence of Charles Portis: A Symposium
In celebration of the May 2023 publication of the Library of America series "The Collected Works of Charles Portis," edited by Jay Jennings, this symposium, which takes place Nov. 2-4, 2023, explores the writing and cultural influence of Portis.
Author, veteran, journalist, and bureau chief Charles Portis may be best known for his novel "True Grit," but this Arkansawyer's influence goes well beyond a single publication. Novels such as "Norwood," "The Dog of the South," "Masters of Atlantis," and "Gringos," as well as his contributions to The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, and Oxford American are a testament to his literary legacy. Topics presented during this symposium will focus on criticism and literary interpretations of his novels, film adaptations of his work, approaches to historical fiction, frontier studies, and much more.
The symposium will feature author Jay Jennings and support from Jonathan Portis, the City of Fort Smith, local museums and organizations, the Fort Smith Historical Society, Arkansas Council of Teachers of English and Language Arts (ACTELA), the Arkansas Historical Association, and members of the True Grit Trail. It is hosted by the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith College of Arts and Sciences, the Department of English, Rhetoric and Writing, and Media Communications, and the Department of History, Social Sciences, and Philosophy.
Academics, scholars, and fans of Portis's work are encouraged to attend.
Charles Portis Symposium Keynote Speaker
Jay Jennings, Little Rock, Arkansas
Jay Jennings is a writer and editor whose work has appeared in many national newspapers and magazines including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Lowbrow Reader, Garden and Gun, and Oxford American, where he was an editor from 2015 to 2021. His most recent editing project is "Charles Portis: Collected Works from the Library of America," which came out in April 2023.
Charles Portis Symposium Keynote Speaker
Jonathan Portis
Jonathan Portis is the youngest of three Portis brothers – Charles, Richard, and Jonathan, in that order. Their sister, Aliece Portis Sawyer, the eldest sibling, died at a young age. Their father, Samuel Palmer Portis, was a school superintendent and taught history and English. Their mother, Alice Waddell Portis, was a poet and journalist in her rare spare moments away from her main job of keeping three boys out of trouble.
Travel and Lodging
We are looking forward to your visit to Fort Smith for the Charles Portis Symposium. Get more information on where to stay and how to enjoy your visit.
Planning Committee
Meet those responsible for planning UAFS's 2023 Charles Portis Symposium.