Meet Jim Harris
Jim Harris taught literature and writing classes in colleges and universities in Texas, Louisiana, and New Mexico for 31 years. His degrees are from Stephen F. Austin State University and Texas A&M University–Commerce. For 21 years he was the Director of the Lea County Museum, a history museum where he oversaw the publication of 16 different history and literary books. He is the author of several books, including Ruby Dallas, a novel, and he has written dozens of articles and reviews for books, periodicals, and newspapers. He has written over 1000 columns (“The History Notebook”) for the Lovington Leader and over 500 columns (“The Last Frontier”) for the Hobbs News Sun. Living in New Mexico since 1974, he and his wife Mary have been married since 1965. Dr. Mary Harris teaches in the School of Education at University of the Southwest in Hobbs. They have one son, Hawk Harris, who lives and works in Georgetown, Texas, with his wife Leonor. Jim and Mary live north of Hobbs, New Mexico, and spend as much time as they can at their isolated South Camp cabin along the Mexican border in the Big Bend Country of West Texas.
Photo by Dianne Stromberg
Awards & Honors
President, Texas Folklore Society, 1987
Distinguished Alumnus, Texas A& M Commerce, 1988
New Mexico Eminent Scholar, 1989
New Mexico Humanities Award: NMEH, 1994
Professor Emeritus, NMJC, 2000
Lea County Pioneer, 2003
Edgar Hewett Award, NM Association of Museums, 2008
Paul Harris Fellow, Rotary International, 2015
National Cowboy Symposium/Celebration, Lubbock: Best Museum, 2016
New Mexico Rounders Award, NM Dept. Agriculture, 2017
Walker Award for Arts in Lea County, 2017
New Mexico 55th Legislature Recognition, 2021
Texas Folklore Society Fellow, 2022
NM Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, 2023
Education
Bachelors Degree, 1966, English Major, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas
Masters Degree, 1968, American Literature, SFASU, Nacogdoches, Texas
Doctorate, 1974, American Literature, Texas A&M University Commerce
Teaching & Other Work
English Instructor, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana, 1968-1971
English Teacher, Kemp Schools, Kemp, Texas 1971-1972
Assistant Instructor of English, Texas A&M University–Commerce, 1972-1974, with two semesters Internship at Eastfield College, Dallas, Texas
Professor of English, New Mexico Junior College, 1974-2000
Author, Linebery and Friends, Frying Pan Ranch History, 2000-2001
Photographer, Hobbs News-Sun, 2001-2002
Director, Lea County Museum, Lovington, NM 2002-2022
Book Publications
Dissertation: Folklore in Southwestern Fiction: Utilization In Five Contemporary Novels and an Original novel, First Monday, 1974
Llano Sons, poetry, 1976
Hawk My Son and Other Poems, 1978
Ratholes and Blowouts, folklore, 1978
Sundeck, poetry 1982
Unexpected Events: Poems from Writers in New Mexico, 1985
Running Through Indian Country, poetry, 1985
Stalking Place: Poems Beyond Borders, 1988
Llano Sons: Trips and Passings, poetry, 1989
Fishing North America, poetry, 1989
Jan Lake Sharing, poetry, 1994
Before, During and After the Fall, poetry, 1996
Features and Fillers: Texas Journalists on Texas Folklore, TFS Publication 1999
Frontier Land, Pioneer Spirit, essays, 2005
Linebery and Friends, ranch history, 2001
From the Bull Barn to Bucking Broncos, County Fair history, 2010
Water and Rock, poetry, 2017
Publisher/Editor, 16 books, Lea County Museum Press, 2002-2022
Articles, Reviews & Criticisms in Books & Magazines
Southwest Heritage
Southwestern American Literature
Western American Literature
Texas Books in Review
English in Texas
Some Still Do: Essays on Texas Customs
T for Texas
Hoein’ the Short Row
The Folklore of Texan Cultures
Blue Mesa Review
The New York Quarterly
Gulf Stream
Black Bear
Concho River Review
Collective Heart
Many others
Journalism, Columns & Feature Stories in Newspapers
20+ years as a weekly columnist for The Lovington Leader
10+ years as a weekly columnist for Hobbs News Sun