Anthony Grooms
Encyclopedia
Anthony Grooms, originally from Louisa, Virginia
, has written several pieces of literature and has won many awards for his writings. Grooms is now a professor at Kennesaw State University, near Atlanta, Georgia, and teaches creative writing
along with other English courses.
family, which also has Native American and European backgrounds. Both of his parents, Robert E. Grooms and Dellaphine Scott, promoted education, so Grooms became a part of the Freedom of Choice
plan. He attended a white public school in 1967 consisting of partial integration, and his experience there has had a significant influence on his writing.
Graduating in 1978 from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia
, Anthony Grooms received a Bachelor of Arts
in theatre and speech. He strived for a more advanced education and graduated in 1984 from George Mason University
with a Masters of Fine Arts in English. He has taught at a variety of schools: Clark State University, University of Georgia
, University of Cape Coast
in Ghana, West Africa
, and Kennesaw State University
. Grooms has always been a writer, but he never considered himself one until graduate school. He moved to Atlanta, Georgia
in 1988 after first finishing graduate school and then marrying Pamela B. Jackson. In Atlanta, he found the civil rights movement
during the 1960s as a basis for his writing. Anthony Grooms is presently an instructor teaching creative writing, along with other English and literature courses, at Kennesaw State University outside of Atlanta, Georgia.
Grooms has received many awards for his writings: the Lillian Smith
Prize for Fiction (twice), the Sokolov Scholarship of the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference
, the Lamar lectureship of Wesleyan College
, and an Arts Administration Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts
. In 2006, the Georgia Center of the Book chose two of Grooms’ published works, Ice Poems and Trouble No More, for “Top 25 List of Books all Georgians should Read.”
.
Louisa, Virginia
Louisa is a town in Louisa County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,401 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Louisa County.-Geography:Louisa is located at ....
, has written several pieces of literature and has won many awards for his writings. Grooms is now a professor at Kennesaw State University, near Atlanta, Georgia, and teaches creative writing
Creative writing
Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category include novels, epics, short stories, and poems...
along with other English courses.
Biography
Anthony “Tony” Grooms was born January 15, 1955 and grew up in Louisa, Virginia. He is the oldest of six children in his African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
family, which also has Native American and European backgrounds. Both of his parents, Robert E. Grooms and Dellaphine Scott, promoted education, so Grooms became a part of the Freedom of Choice
Freedom of Choice (US school desegregation)
Freedom of Choice was the name for a number of plans developed in the US during 1965-70, aimed at the integration of schools in states that had a segregated educational system.- The Plans :...
plan. He attended a white public school in 1967 consisting of partial integration, and his experience there has had a significant influence on his writing.
Graduating in 1978 from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
, Anthony Grooms received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in theatre and speech. He strived for a more advanced education and graduated in 1984 from George Mason University
George Mason University
George Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
with a Masters of Fine Arts in English. He has taught at a variety of schools: Clark State University, University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
, University of Cape Coast
University of Cape Coast
The University of Cape Coast, Ghana, is one of the rare sea-front universities in the world. The university was established in 1962 out of a dire need for highly qualified and skilled manpower in education and was affiliated to the University of Ghana...
in Ghana, West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
, and Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University, also referred to as KSU, Kennesaw, or Kennesaw State, is a public, coeducational, comprehensive university that is part of the University System of Georgia. The university's main campus is located in Kennesaw, Georgia, United States, approximately north of Atlanta...
. Grooms has always been a writer, but he never considered himself one until graduate school. He moved to Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
in 1988 after first finishing graduate school and then marrying Pamela B. Jackson. In Atlanta, he found the civil rights movement
Civil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
during the 1960s as a basis for his writing. Anthony Grooms is presently an instructor teaching creative writing, along with other English and literature courses, at Kennesaw State University outside of Atlanta, Georgia.
Grooms has received many awards for his writings: the Lillian Smith
Lillian Smith
Lillian Smith may refer to:*Lillian Smith *Lillian Smith...
Prize for Fiction (twice), the Sokolov Scholarship of the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference
Bread Loaf Writers' Conference
The Bread Loaf Writers' Conference is a writers' conference held every summer at the Bread Loaf Inn, near Bread Loaf Mountain, east of Middlebury, Vermont...
, the Lamar lectureship of Wesleyan College
Wesleyan College
Wesleyan College is a private, liberal arts women's college located in Macon, Georgia, United States.-History:The school was chartered on December 23, 1836 as the Georgia Female College, and opened its doors to students on January 7, 1839. The school was renamed Wesleyan Female College in 1843...
, and an Arts Administration Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
. In 2006, the Georgia Center of the Book chose two of Grooms’ published works, Ice Poems and Trouble No More, for “Top 25 List of Books all Georgians should Read.”
Literary works
Anthony Grooms is an author of published writings covering a variety of subjects, but his most well-known piece of literature, Bombingham, is a novel addressing issues faced during the civil rights movement in the 1960s. Other works of writing include Ice Poems, an assortment of poems, and Trouble No More, an assortment of short storiesShort story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
.