Susan Kelly to Discuss 'Newspaperwoman of the Ozarks' at Fayetteville Public Library

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Susan Kelly

Susan Kelly, the author of Newspaperwoman of the Ozarks: The Life and Times of Lucile Morris Upton, will give a book talk at the Fayetteville Public Library at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 27. The event is part of the library's UA Press Author Spotlight Series.

Newspaperwoman of the Ozarks is the captivating story of Lucile Morris Upton, who landed her first newspaper job out West in the early 1920s, then returned home to spend half a century reporting on the Ozarks world she knew best. Having come of age just as women gained the right to vote, she took advantage of opportunities that presented themselves in a changing world.

During her years as a journalist, Upton rubbed shoulders with presidents, flew with aviation pioneer Wiley Post, covered the worst single killing of U.S. police officers in the 20th century, wrote an acclaimed book on the vigilante group known as the Bald Knobbers, charted the growth of tourism in the Ozarks, and spearheaded a movement to preserve iconic sites of regional history. Following retirement from her newspaper job, she put her experience to good use as a member of the Springfield City Council and community activist.

Told largely through Upton's own words, Kelly's insightful biography captures the excitement of being on the front lines of newsgathering in the days when the whole world depended on newspapers to find out what was happening.

Marideth Sisco, host of These Ozarks Hills, wrote "to call this work a significant contribution to the history of the Ozarks is an understatement. Kelly grasps the importance of Lucile Morris Upton in the development of the Ozarks, charting the events of Upton's life with an understanding of the characters involved in their historical context. This is an important and enjoyable read."

Susan Croce Kelly was a reporter at Lucile Morris Upton's own Springfield News-Leader. She is the author of Route 66: The Highway and Its People and the managing editor of OzarksWatch at Missouri State University's Ozarks Studies Institute.

The presentation will last approximately one hour, and be followed by an audience Q&A and a book signing. Pearl's Books will be on hand to sell books. The event is free and open to the public.

Fayetteville Public Library is located at 401 W. Mountain Street.