JACKSON, Miss. – The writings of Ellen Douglas are filled references to Mississippi people and places. Her works focused on race relations, families, and the role of women in society. She was also well known for taking a modern approach when examining common themes found throughout Southern literature.
 
Many know Douglas by her pen name Josephine Haxton. She was born in Natchez, and grew up in Louisiana and Arkansas. Douglas graduated from the University of Mississippi and spent many years living in Greenville. Her novel "Apostles of Light was a 1973 national book award nominee and in 2008 Douglas received a lifetime achievement award from the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters. Ellen Douglas died Wednesday at the age of 91 in Jackson.