September 9, 1921

Francis Gwaltney, an author, professor, and longtime friend of Norman Mailer, was born in Traskwood (Saline County). Gwaltney wrote eight novels, the most successful and best known of which is The Day the Century Ended, which is regarded as a courageous account of the social conditions in the South and one that captures the spirit of Arkansas in particular. Gwaltney taught English at several Arkansas schools and founded the creative writing program at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville (Pope County).