Norris, Hoke

Reporter, book reviewer, novelist, and public affairs director.

Hoke Marion Norris was born on October 8, 1913 in Holly Springs, North Carolina. Norris left North Carolina in 1955 to work as a reporter (1955-1958), and literary editor (1958-1968), at the Chicago Sun-Times. During the 1960's he played a significant role in reporting the events surrounding Civil Rights movement in the South. After leaving the Sun-Times, Norris served on the editorial board of the Chicago Daily News from 1968-1970, and taught creative writing at the University of Chicago. In 1971, Norris became the Director of Public Information at the Chicago Public Library, where he worked until 1974. He then served as the Assistant Vice-President for Public Affairs and Director of the Office of Public Information at the University of Chicago until 1976. In addition to his contributions to newspapers, Norris edited and wrote short stories, magazine articles, and novels. Norris died on July 8, 1977 at the age of 63.

Hoke Marion Norris was born on October 8, 1913 in Holly Springs, North Carolina. He received an A.B. from Wake Forest College (now Wake Forest University) in 1934. His post-graduate work included time at the University of North Carolina (1946), Harvard University (1950-1951, as a Nieman Fellow), and the University of Chicago (1960-1961, on a Ford Foundation Grant).

Norris’ long career in journalism began in 1934 when he started working for the Daily Advance of Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Work at other papers soon followed including the News and Observer (Raleigh, North Carolina, 1936-1937), the Associated Press (editor for Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina, 1937-1942, 1946), the Winston-Salem Journal-Sentinel (1946-1950, 1951-1955), the Chicago Sun-Times (reporter, 1958-1959; literary editor, 1959-1968), and the Chicago Daily News (editorial board member, 1968-1970).

In addition to his work in journalism, Norris served as public relations director for the Lost Colony summer theater of Manteo, North Carolina (1946-1947). He was also an instructor in creative writing at the University of Chicago, at the Y.M.C.A., and at the summer program of the University of Wisconsin. From 1971 to 1974 he served as the Director of Public Information for the Chicago Public Library. In 1974 Norris returned to the University of Chicago to serve as Assistant Vice-President for Public Affairs and Director of Public Information. Amidst these jobs Norris served as an intelligence officer in the Army Air Force from 1942 to 1946 in the Southwest Pacific Theater.

Norris’ publications extend from newspaper articles to non-fiction to novels. His work includes All the Kingdoms of the Earth (1956), We Dissent (1962), and It’s Not Far But I Don’t Know the Way (1968). He also had short storied published in Playboy, Redbook, Rogue, Cavalier, Gallery, Genesis, and other journals and anthologies.

In 1965 the Illinois Library Association presented Norris with the Intellectual Freedom Citation.

Norris married Edna Dees. The couple had one child, Marion Dees Norris.

Hoke Norris died on July 8, 1977 in Chicago. He was 63.