Jesse Lynch Williams

Biography

Jesse Lynch Williams, born 1871, enriched American letters as a novelist, critic, and playwright whose 1918 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Why Marry? celebrated his deep empathy for human relationships and the struggles of small-town life.

He balanced his literary energy with a devotion to guiding young writers, and the Lindenwood community remembers him as a thoughtful force who lifted up the voices of others while resting now in its quiet grounds.