Anthony "Tony" S. Abbott was an American college professor and writer. He taught at Davidson College for over 41 years.Taylor, Hannah. "Anthony Abbott: More Than Words", Charlotte Magazine online, March 19, 2014. Retrieved April 24, 2021. He received the North Carolina Award for Literature in 2015, the highest award bestowed to a civilian by the State of North Carolina. In November 2018, the Town of Davison, North Carolina awarded him the G. Jackson Burney Community Service Award.Williams, Marguerite. "Remembering Anthony S. "Tony" Abbott", News of Davison website, October 4, 2020. Retrieved April 24, 2021. In 2020, he was inducted into the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame."Anthony S. Abbott", North Carolina Writers' Network. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
Early life and education Abbott was born on January 7, 1935, in San Francisco, California. He graduated from Princeton University in 1957, and received a masters (1960) and doctorate (1962) degree at Harvard University.
Career He taught at Bates College from 1961 to 1964. In 1964, he started teaching English at Davidson College and eventually became the Charles A. Dana Professor of English Emeritus. Davidson College recognized him with the Thomas Jefferson Award in 1969 and the Hunter-Hamilton Love of Teaching Award in 1997.Hurley, Madeline. "Remembering Tony Abbott: Poet, Beloved Professor and Founder of the Abbott Honors Program", Davidson College website, October 7, 2020 (originally published October 17, 2016). Retrieved April 25, 2021.
He authored two novels and six books of poetry. The book of poetry The Girl in the Yellow Raincoat received a Pulitzer Prize nomination."Former professor is honored for poetry", The Charlotte Observer, July 1, 2012, page 1N and 7N. He was the recipient of the Sam Ragan Awards in 1996 and the Brockman-Campbell Award from the North Carolina Poetry Society in 2012. He served as the President of the North Carolina Writers Network and the Chairmen of the North Carolina Writers Conference."Professor to speak at poets' meeting", Rocky Mount Telegram, volume 90, number 319, August 31, 2000, page 5B.
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