For Alice Faye Duncan (’89), a lifelong love of storytelling began at the University of Memphis.
Her professors weren’t just teachers, they were catalysts who helped shape her voice as a writer, scholar and eventually as an award-winning author.
Dr. Rhynette Hurd introduced Duncan to the brilliance of Toni Morrison, who she now calls her “North Star for literary excellence.”
Dr. Deborah Plant opened the door to the power of Southern dialect through the works of Zora Neale Hurston, inspiring Duncan to celebrate the language spoken in her own Memphis community
Dr. Elsa Barkley-Brown encouraged her to sharpen her understanding of American history and reminded her that a scholar could be both sharp in mind and exquisite in style.
She credits Dr. Reginald Martin, an English professor, with paving the way for her graduate school at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His reference letter started a 30-year career teaching in Memphis schools. And it was Professor Ramona Mahood who gave her the opportunity to write her first picture book, “Willie Jerome”. That opportunity blossomed into a three-decade journey as an acclaimed author of children’s literature.
Duncan’s book “Opal Lee” has sold over 100,000 copies since 2022 and her book “Yellow Dog Blues” was named a New York Times Best Illustrated Picture Book in 2022.
Looking back, Duncan treasures the spark of classroom dialogue, especially a discussion of Morrison’s “Sula” that left her feeling both challenged and uplifted.
Today, with the perspective of adulthood, she knows those conversations would feel even more illuminating and emotional.
Away from the classroom, Duncan finds joy in the small treasures of Memphis.
She recommends a stop at Butterific Bakery, tucked behind the National Civil Rights Museum, where the chocolate-chip peanut butter cookies and banana pudding cups are, in her words, “too good not to share with your neighbors.
Her advice to today’s graduates is rooted in balance.
First, secure a job that meets your financial needs, then use those resources to pursue the vocation that brings you joy. In her view, that’s the secret to “the best of both worlds.”
When she reflects on being a Memphis Tiger, Duncan doesn’t think of games or parties.
She thinks of the professors who poured their knowledge into her. Hurd, Plant, Barkley-Brown, Martin and Mahood are all names she says are indelible and worthy of being carried with her always.
Alice Faye Duncan’s legacy is written not only in the countless students she taught, but also in the stories she shares with young readers.
As she puts it: “Books are gifts that create lifelong learners.”
Support Duncan’s mission by purchasing her titles at your local bookstore, and consider gifting them to the children in your life.
