This Atlanta native wrote one of the most popular books of all-time...
Margaret Mitchell was the author of Gone With the Wind, one of the most popular books of all time. The novel was published in 1936 and sold more than a million copies in the first six months, a phenomenal feat considering it was the Great Depression era. More than 30 million copies of this masterpiece, set during the Civil War (1861-65), have been sold worldwide in thirty-eight countries.
The book has been translated into twenty-seven languages. Approximately 250,000 copies are still sold each year. Shortly after the book's publication the movie rights were sold to David O. Selznick for $50,000, the highest amount ever paid for a manuscript up to that time. In 1937 Margaret Mitchell was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. |
Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell was born on November 8, 1900, in Atlanta. Her great-great-great-grandfather Thomas Mitchell fought in the American Revolution (1775-83), and his son William Mitchell took part in the War of 1812. Her great-grandfather Isaac Green Mitchell was a circuit-riding Methodist minister who settled in Marthasville, which later was named Atlanta. Mitchell was thus a fourth-generation Atlantan. Her grandfather Russell Mitchell fought in the Civil War and suffered two bullet wounds to the head during the fighting at Antietam. Twice married, he had twelve children, the oldest of whom was Mitchell's father, Eugene.
Mitchell began making up stories before she could write, dictating them to her mother. Later she made her own books with cardboard covers and filled them with adventure stories using her friends, relatives, and herself as characters. |
As she grew older she switched to copybooks, which her mother stored in inexpensive enamel bread boxes. A few of the hundreds of tales that she wrote have survived, including two Civil War tales. When the family moved to Peachtree Street, the young Mitchell attended the Tenth Street School and later Woodberry School, a private school. She branched out to writing, directing, and starring in plays, coercing the neighborhood children to take part.
Source: Georgia Encyclopedia
Source: Georgia Encyclopedia
Women of Distinction Tour created by ATLsherpaHelping you connect with ATL's past, present and future. Stay curious and keep exploring!
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"Margaret Mitchell was no ordinary writer. The one book she published in her lifetime — "Gone With the Wind" won the Pulitzer Prize in 1937. With over 30 million copies sold to date, it is one of the world's best-selling novels. The film adaptation broke all box office records, and received 10 Academy Awards." — KPBS, San Diego
The Women of Distinction Project is made possible by the generous support of our sponsors such as Eco Denizen. Located at 999 Peachtree Street in Midtown, Eco Denizen is a family-owned shop that offers a collection of locally-produced items and sustainable merchandise from around the world, including edible gifts!
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PBS’ American Masters takes us from plantation to prose, as it profiles the woman behind the best-selling novel, “Gone with the Wind.”
Margaret Mitchell was struck by a speeding car as she crossed Peachtree Street at 13th Street in Atlanta with her husband, John Marsh, while on her way to see the movie A Canterbury Tale on the evening of August 11, 1949. She died at age 48 at Grady Hospital five days later on August 16, without fully regaining consciousness. The driver, Hugh Gravitt, was an off-duty taxi driver who was driving his personal vehicle when he struck Mitchell. Gravitt was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in November 1949 and sentenced to 18 months in jail. He served almost 11 months. Gravitt died in 1994 at the age of 73.
How & Where to Connect
There are two places in Atlanta where you can connect with Margaret Mitchell: 1) Margaret Mitchell House in Midtown and 2) Historic Oakland Cemetery.
Margaret Mitchell (Peggy Marsh to her friends) referred to her apartment on Crescent Street in Midtown Atlanta as, “The Dump.” Surprisingly, it is in this shabby little apartment (bottom floor) that this petite, yet mighty woman wrote a big 'ol book that sold faster than a duck on a June bug!
It is here that the notorious Peggy Marsh wrote Gone With the Wind. A Pulitzer Prize followed. Fame, fortune, and fans, too. Quite the character, she had opinions about how the film portrayed her book and she didn’t much like the attention, but she still responded to every single fan letter. |
When you visit, you can learn about Peggy before, during, and after the book, about the movie, and about the film’s premiere in Atlanta – where the African American actors weren’t allowed. You’ll also find out what made Peggy so notorious and why the “good girls” of Atlanta society didn’t let her join their club! Hear the stories of her first and second marriage, her scandalous dance performance, and the lasting legacy of her philanthropic work after the book.
Source: Atlanta History Center
Source: Atlanta History Center
Getting there...
MARGARET MITCHELL HOUSE
The Margaret Mitchell House is located in Midtown Atlanta, about a two-block walk from the Midtown MARTA station. Margaret Mitchell House
979 Crescent Avenue NE Atlanta, GA 30309 404.249.7015 Driving Directions | Visitor Info |
HISTORIC OAKLAND CEMETERY
Margaret Mitchell is buried in Block 22, Lot 1N, Grave 6. This is the NE portion of the cemetery, west of Bell Tower Ridge. Use the west entrance to Oakland Cemetery. The cemetery is a three-block walk from the King Memorial MARTA station. |
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