Chester Himes
1909 – 1984

Chester Himes

fiction writer from the U.S. state of Missouri (1909–1984)

short story writerautobiographernovelistwriterscreenwriter
Born
1909-07-29, Jefferson City
Died
1984-11-12
Birthplace state
Missouri

Biography

Chester Bomar Himes was born in Jefferson City, Missouri in 1909 and died in 1984. He worked as a novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter whose works were adapted into films. His 1945 novel If He Hollers Let Him Go and his Harlem Detective series, set in the 1950s and early 1960s and featuring detectives Grave Digger Jones and Coffin Ed Johnson, defined his body of work. In 1958, Himes received France's Grand Prix de Littérature Policière.

Occupation

Chester Himes is recorded as a short story writer, a autobiographer, a novelist, a writer and a screenwriter, born in Missouri (1909–1984).

Connections to Missouri

Chester Himes was born in Jefferson City, Missouri in 1909. Explore other notable figures from Missouri, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from MissouriMissourihistory ›Historic sites in Missouri
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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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More notable figures from Missouri

Other historical figures born in Missouri, ranked by historical prominence.

Mark Twain
Mark Twain
American author and humorist (1835–1910)
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
president of the United States from 1945 to 1953; politician (1884–1972)
T. S. Eliot
T. S. Eliot
US-British poet (1888–1965)
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou
American poet, author, and civil rights activist (1928–2014)
Edwin Hubble
Edwin Hubble
American astronomer (1889–1953)
Robert A. Heinlein
Robert A. Heinlein
American author and aeronautical engineer (1907–1988)
Dale Carnegie
Dale Carnegie
American writer and lecturer (1888-1955)

Frequently asked about Chester Himes

Who was Chester Himes?
Chester Himes was fiction writer from the U.S. state of Missouri (1909–1984), born in Missouri (1909 – 1984).
When and where was Chester Himes born?
Chester Himes was born on 1909-07-29 in Jefferson City.
When did Chester Himes die?
Chester died on 1984-11-12.
What was Chester Himes known for?
Chester Himes is recorded as a short story writer, a autobiographer, a novelist, a writer and a screenwriter.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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