Year Erected: 2023

Marker Text: Born in Augusta on September 5, 1916, author Frank Garvin Yerby graduated from Haines Institute and Paine College, and also attended Fisk University and the University of Chicago. He published poetry, short stories, and 33 novels, 12 of which became best sellers. His early novels depicted White characters in historical events; his later works focused on Black characters. Widely celebrated, he was criticized by some African Americans for not confronting racial injustice more openly in his writings. In rebuttal, Yerby challenged critics to read several of his works, including Speak Now and The Dahomean, which he felt addressed racism. Yerby moved to France in 1951 and then Madrid, Spain, in 1955, where he lived until his death on November 30, 1991. His works have been adapted for motion pictures and translated into 30 languages.

Erected by the Georgia Historical Society, the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History, Haines Alumni Association, and Paine College