Eudora Welty

Eudora Alice Welty (April 13, 1909 – July 23, 2001) was an award-winning American author who wrote short stories and novels about the American South. Her book, The Optimist's Daughter, won the Pulitzer Prize in 1973 and Welty was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, among numerous awards. She was the first living author to have her works published by the Library of America. Her house in Jackson, Mississippi, is a National Historic Landmark and open to the public as a museum.
Life
Welty worked as a publicity agent for the work progress administration. She had to travel around Mississippi for her job. In her own time, she took memorable photographs. These mostly show how different people from all economic and social classes coped with the Great Depression. Collections of her photograph were published as One time, One place (1971) and Photograph (1989). 
Very often, a photograph was the basis of one of her short stories, including Why I live at the P.O., which was inspired by a woman she photographed  ironing in the back of a small post office.

References

Category:1909 births
Category:2001 deaths
Category:Writers from Mississippi
Category:People from Jackson, Mississippi
Category:O. Henry Award winners