History of the McCullers Society
The Carson McCullers Society was organized at the 1997 Convention of the American Literature Association in Baltimore. A group of scholars interested in furthering scholarly interest Carson McCullers's life and work met at the Windows Bar in the Renaissance Harborplace hotel following a well attended special session, "Carson McCullers: Reflections in a Critical Eye," organized by Keith Byerman.
Carlos L. Dews, University of West Florida, was elected charter president; Keith Byerman, Indiana State University, was elected recording secretary; and Will Brantley, Middle Tennessee State University, was elected corresponding secretary and treasurer. The position of vice-president was left unfilled.
The group decided to have the president draft the society's by-laws, modeling them after those of the Charles W. Chesnutt society, and decided to use 1997-98 as a charter year to solicit new membership, complete the by-laws for the society, and increase awareness of the society. The society members agreed to publish an annual Carson McCullers Society Newsletter and periodically distribute "Carson McCullers Notes" to inform the membership of relevant scholarly and popular activities related to McCullers.
The society was officially chartered at the 1998 American Literature Association convention in San Diego.