Hudson Strode

Hudson Strode (October 31, 1892 – September 22, 1976) was an author and professor of creative writing at the University of Alabama. He taught at the University of Alabama from 1916 until his retirement in 1963. His creative writing classes gained international fame for the literary successes achieved by his students. Strode's students published over 55 novels and 101 short stories. One of Strode's students was the author Borden Deal.[1]

John Martin Finlay (right) and Professor Hudson Strode (far right) circa 1965

Early life and education

Strode was born in Cairo, Illinois, but moved to Demopolis, Alabama at the age of twelve. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama in 1913, and a Master of Arts degree from Columbia University in 1914.[1] While at the University of Alabama, he was a member of the Blackfriars drama group, and studied dramatics under Frederick D. Losey.[2] After Losey's tenure, Strode would go on to oversee Blackfriars.[2]

Career

Strode wrote several books on Scandinavian and Caribbean countries before turning to biography.

His best known accomplishment is his three-volume biography of Jefferson Davis published in 1964. A leading scholarly journal critically reviewed it, stressing Strode's political biases:

His [Jefferson Davis's] enemies are devils, and his friends, like Davis himself, have been canonized. Strode not only attempts to sanctify Davis but also the Confederate point of view, and this study should be relished by those vigorously sympathetic with the Lost Cause.[3]

According to one commentator, Strode's views on the American Civil War were so pro-Confederate that they approach being Neo-Confederate in nature.[4]

In 1961 Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden bestowed on Dr. Strode the Order of the North Star in recognition of his contributions toward strengthening the cultural relations between the United States and Sweden.[5]

Published works
  • (1932) Story of Bermuda
  • (1934) The Pageant of Cuba
  • (1937) South by Thunderbird
  • (1939) Immortal Lyrics
  • (1941) Finland Forever
  • (1944) Timeless Mexico, a History
  • (1944) Spring Harvest: A Collection of Stories from Alabama
  • (1947) Now in Mexico, a Book of Travel
  • (1949) Sweden: Model for a World
  • (1951) Denmark is a Lovely Land
  • (1955) Jefferson Davis, Volume I : American Patriot
  • (1959) Jefferson Davis, Volume II: Confederate President
  • (1964) Jefferson Davis, Volume III: Tragic Hero
  • (1966) Jefferson Davis: Private Letters 1823-1889, Editor
  • (1973) Ultimates in the Far East: Travels in the Orient and India
  • (1975) The Eleventh House: Memoirs[1]

Notes
  1. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-01-05. Retrieved 2007-02-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "A Living Memorial to Dr. Losey's Influence". The Birmingham New (Birmingham, Alabama). June 9, 1932. p. 6. Retrieved April 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. LeRoy H. Fischer in The Journal of American History Sep., 1965 p 396 in JSTOR
  4. "The Cornerstone of Objectivity: Davis' Reaction to Stephens' Speech". This Cruel War. August 26, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2019. Hudson Strode authored a number of books, mostly on northern Europe and Mexico. His trilogy on Jefferson Davis, however, was his jewel. When writing a biography, it's nearly impossible not to grow attached to the subject. In the case of Strode, however, his almost familial love for Davis seeped through every page. His defenses of not only Davis but the Confederacy seems to belong more in the Neo-Confederate blogosphere than a biography. Essentially, it is a three-volume love letter to his beloved hero.
  5. "Alabama Academy of Honor: Hudson Strode". Retrieved Oct 18, 2020.
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