Avery Cunningham’s historical fiction delves into Black elite of 1920s Chicago
Avery Cunningham, 30, grew up in Jackson, Tenn. She wrote “The Mayor of Maxwell Street” in less than a year after Hyperion Avenue bought the book based on her synopsis and eight-page proposal. (Courtesy Andrea Fenise)
She wrote the 450-page novel late at night in her East Memphis home around her day job in admissions at the Southern College of Optometry.
Topics
Avery Cunningham Hyperion Avenue Novel Memphis The Mayor of Maxwell Street Subscriber Only2025 is almost over. Now is the time to support your trusted local news source.
Will you help us reach more Memphians with quality, in-depth local news? Make a fully tax-deductible donation or other contribution to The Daily Memphian, a 501(c)3 nonprofit news organization, today.
Thank you for keeping up with what’s happening in Memphis. Thank you for investing in our community’s trusted local news source.
Jane Roberts
Jane Roberts has reported in Memphis for more than 20 years. As a senior member of The Daily Memphian staff, she was assigned to the medical beat during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also has done in-depth work on other medical issues facing our community, including shortages of specialists in local hospitals. She covered K-12 education here for years and later the region’s transportation sector, including Memphis International Airport and FedEx Corp.
Comments
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.