Betts, Doris

Variant names

Hide Profile

Doris June Waugh Betts was a white North Carolina author and Alumni Distinguished Professor of English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was born 4 June 1932 in Statesville, N.C., and graduated from the Woman's College of the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, N.C. Betts married Lowry Matthews Betts (1930-2007) in 1952 and with him had three children: Doris LewEllyn, David Lowry, and Erskine Moore.

Betts began her writing career as a newspaper reporter. She first gained notice as a fiction writer for her short stories and novels, including The Gentle Insurrection: And Other Stories (1954), Tall Houses in Winter (1957), and The Scarlet Thread (1964). In 1966, she joined the English Department faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Over the next 30 years, she taught English literature and creative writing and continued her steady production of novels, short stories, and articles, including "The Ugliest Pilgrim" (1969), which was turned into Violet, an award-winning movie and Broadway play; Beasts of the Southern Wild and Other Stories (1973); and Souls Raised from the Dead (1994). Among many honors, Betts received the G.P. Putnam Booklength Fiction Prize (1954); the Sir Walter Raleigh Best Fiction by a North Carolinian award (1957, 1965, and 1974); a Guggenheim fellowship (1958); the North Carolina Medal (1975); the American Academy of Arts and Letters Medal of Merit (1989); and the Southern Book Award (1995).

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Walker Percy Papers, circa 1910-1992 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn Sam Ragan Papers, 1948-1996 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn Barden, Louise Cary. [North Carolina authors literary ephemera : B]. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Shelby Stephenson Papers, 1965-2007 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn Hugh Morton Photographs and Films, late 1920s-2006, (bulk 1940s-1990s) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. North Carolina Collection.
referencedIn Hugh Morton Photographs and Films, late 1920s-2006, (bulk 1940s-1990s) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. North Carolina Collection.
referencedIn Ruth Moose Papers (#4918), 1960s-2000 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn Gail Godwin Papers, 1913-2008 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn North Carolina Literary Festival Records, 1995-2009 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. University Archives and Records Service
referencedIn Bernice Kelly Harris Papers, 1913-1973, 1996-1997 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
creatorOf Betts, Doris. Chi Omega fraternity distinguished service : [speech] / Doris Betts. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Photographic Services. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library Photographic Services photographs, 1976-2003. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Louis Decimus Rubin papers University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Watauga Club. Watauga Club records, 1884-2000 [manuscript] North Carolina State University, NCSU Libraries
referencedIn McFee, Michael. Michael McFee papers, 1970s-2002 [manuscript]. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Watauga Club Records, 1884-2011 North Carolina State University. Special Collections Research Center
referencedIn Spencer, Elizabeth, 1921-. Elizabeth Spencer papers, 1911-2003 (bulk 1999-2003. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
creatorOf Betts, Doris. Come to the party! : typescript, 1973 Sept. 27. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Buckner, Sally. Sally Buckner papers, 1963-2004. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Richard Gaither Walser Papers, 1918-1988 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn Richard Gaither Walser Papers, 1918-1988 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn Reynolds Price Papers, bulk, 1927-2010 and undated, 1956-2006 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
referencedIn William Harmon Papers (#4568), 1939-2000 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn Elizabeth Evans Papers (#5025), 1958-2007 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn General Faculty and Faculty Council of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Records, 1799-2011 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. University Archives and Records Service
referencedIn Mason, Robert Henry, 1912-. Robert Henry Mason papers, 1933-1987 [manuscript]. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Ketchin, Susan. Susan Ketchin Papers, 1980-1994. Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
referencedIn Elizabeth Evans Papers (#5025), 1958-2007 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn North Carolina Literary Festival (1998). North Carolina Literary Festival records, 1995-1998. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Harmon, William, 1938-. William Harmon papers, 1939-2000 (correspondents B). University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
creatorOf Betts, Doris. Faith and intellect / Doris Betts. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Straughan's Book Shop. Straughan's Book Shop records, 1930-1962, bulk 1945-1962. University of North Carolina at Greensboro, University Libraries, UNCG University Libraries
referencedIn Sam Ragan Papers, 1948-1996 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn Charleen Swansea Papers, 1928-2004 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn Swansea, Charleen. Charleen Swansea papers, 1928-2004. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Powell, Dannye Romine. Dannye Romine Powell papers, 1975-1999. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Charleen Swansea Papers, 1928-2004 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
creatorOf Betts, Doris. Chi Omega fraternity distinguished service : [speech] / Doris Betts. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Fred Chappell papers, 1944-2013 and undated David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
referencedIn Michael McFee Papers, 1970s-2002 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn Yardley, Jonathan. Jonathan Yardley papers, 1792-2006. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
creatorOf Doris Betts Papers, 1947-2012 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Carolina Publishing Institute. Records of the Carolina Publishing Institute, 1992-1996. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Ragan, Sam, 1915-1996. Sam Ragan papers, 1950-1996. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Mary Bernetta Quinn Papers, ., 1937-1998 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn George P. Garrett Papers, 1929-2008, (bulk 1960-2000) David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
referencedIn Moose, Ruth. Ruth Moose papers, 1960s-2000 [manuscript]. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Bicentennial Photographic Collection [graphic]. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Abbot, Louise. person
associatedWith Buckner, Sally. person
associatedWith Burden, Carter, person
associatedWith Chappell, Fred, 1936- person
associatedWith Chi Omega Fraternity. Epsilon Beta Chapter (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) corporateBody
associatedWith Evans, Elizabeth, 1935- person
associatedWith Evans, Elizabeth, 1935- person
correspondedWith Garrett, George P., 1929-2008 person
associatedWith Godwin, Gail. person
associatedWith Harmon, William, 1938- person
associatedWith Harris, Bernice Kelly. person
associatedWith Ketchin, Susan. person
associatedWith Mason, Robert Henry, 1912- person
associatedWith McFee, Michael. person
associatedWith McFee, Michael. person
associatedWith Miller, Nolan, 1907-2006. person
associatedWith Moose, Ruth. person
associatedWith Moose, Ruth. person
associatedWith Morton, Hugh M. person
associatedWith Morton, Hugh M. person
associatedWith North Carolina Literary Festival. corporateBody
associatedWith North Carolina Literary Festival (1998) corporateBody
associatedWith Percy, Walker, 1916-1990 person
associatedWith Powell, Dannye Romine. person
correspondedWith Price, Reynolds, 1933-2011 person
associatedWith Quinn, Mary Bernetta. person
associatedWith Ragan, Sam, 1915- person
associatedWith Ragan, Sam, 1915- person
associatedWith Ragan, Sam, 1915-1996. person
associatedWith Rubin, Louis Decimus, 1923- person
associatedWith Spencer, Elizabeth, 1921- person
correspondedWith Stephenson, Shelby, 1938- person
correspondedWith Straughan's Book Shop. corporateBody
associatedWith Swansea, Charleen person
correspondedWith Swansea, Charleen person
associatedWith Swansea, Charleen. person
associatedWith University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill corporateBody
associatedWith University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Carolina Publishing Institute. corporateBody
associatedWith University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. General Faculty. corporateBody
associatedWith University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Photographic Services. corporateBody
associatedWith Walser, Richard Gaither, 1908-1988. person
associatedWith Watauga Club. corporateBody
associatedWith Watauga Club. corporateBody
associatedWith Yardley, Jonathan. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Statesville NC US
Pittsboro NC US
Chapel Hill NC US
Subject
Women authors, American
Awards
Faith
Occupation
Women authors
Novelists
Activity

Person

Birth 1932-06-04

Death 2012-04-21

Female

Americans

English

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6qg9jx9

Ark ID: w6qg9jx9

SNAC ID: 87228771