Gary Richards, Associate Professor of English and Chair of the Department of English, Linguistics, and Communication, was one of three invited members on a panel titled “Celebrating Allan Gurganus” at The North Carolina Writers Conference held in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, July 28-29. The conference honored Gurganus, the author of Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All, White People, Plays Well with Others, The Practical Heart, and Local Souls, among other books. Richards has published on Gurganus’ Plays Well with Others, reviewed his Local Souls, and routinely taught his works in Southern literature and contemporary U.S. fiction courses.