Mississippi

William Faulkner

(1897-1962)

Author

Fame-O-Meter-9/10

Resting Place-Oxford Memorial Cemetery, Oxford

GPS Coordinates-

34°22'13.1"N, 89°30'47.2"W

Few American authors have gained the lasting fame of William Faulkner. The 1949 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, Faulkner was an American Southern Gothic legend. He was responsible for many books and stories are required reading today in colleges and high school across the nation. As I Lay Dying, Absalom, Absalom!, and the magnum opus, The Sound and the Fury. He was known for stream of consciousness writing, fragmented timelines, and setting stories in his fictional Yoknapatawpha County in Mississippi.

Robert Johnson

(1911-1938)

Musician

Fame-O-Meter-5/10

Resting Place-Little Zion M. B. Church Cemetery, Greenwood

GPS Coordinates-

33°33'48.3"N, 90°12'58.7"W

The legends surrounding Robert Johnson are just as memorable as the tunes he made while he was with us. In life, the legend went that Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil at a crossroads at midnight in Mississippi in exchange for his amazing musical talent. While this was probably an apocryphal tale to explain his talent, what wasn't up for debate was that Johnson was gifted well beyond his years. Johnson only recorded 29 songs in his short time in this world, but his sounds laid the foundation for both modern rock 'n' roll and modern blues. His biggest songs include "Cross Road Blues", "Sweet Home Chicago", and "Me and the Devil Blues". Johnson's death is no less mysterious. Officially unknown, there are no less than three theories including poisoning from a jealous husband and the rare Marfan Syndrome. The mystery of Robert Johnson didn't stop with death, though, as three separate cemeteries claim to contain Johnson's bones. As time went on, historians believed they have solved the final resting place at the Little Zion M. B. Church. Quite a figure for so few years with us. 

Walter Payton

(1953-1999)

Football Player

Fame-O-Meter-8/10

Resting Place-Rest Haven, Columbia

GPS Coordinates-

34°22'13.1"N, 89°30'47.2"W

"Sweetness" played in the NFL for 13 seasons, entirely with the Chicago Bears. Walter Payton is argued by some as the greatest running back in National Football League history. He was an All-American in college and was drafted fourth overall in 1975. Payton finished with near 17,000 rushing yards for his career. His longest rush in a game was 76 yards. He also had over 4,500 receiving yards for his career. His longest reception was 75 yards. He was a Super Bowl champion in 1986. 

Eudora Welty

(1909-2001)

Author

Fame-O-Meter-3/10

Resting Place-Greenwood Cemetery, Jackson

GPS Coordinates-

32°18′30″N, 90°11′02″W 

Throughout her long life Eudora Welty was a famous author and even a photographer for the Works Public Administration during the Great Depression. She was known for her major works, including The Optimist's Daughter, A Curtain of Green, and One Writer's Beginnings. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1980. She was known for her portrayals of life in the South and her energy that she kept until she passed in 2001.