Mitchell S. Jackson is an American writer.^[1] He is the author of the 2013 novel The Residue Years, as well as Oversoul (2012), an ebook collection of essays and short stories.^[1] Jackson is a Whiting Award recipient^[2] and a former winner of the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence.^[3] In 2021, while an assistant professor of creative writing at the University of Chicago, he won the Pulitzer Prize^[4] and the National Magazine Award for Feature Writing for his profile of Ahmaud Arbery for Runner's World.^[5] As of 2021, Jackson is the John O. Whiteman Dean's Distinguished Professor in the Department of English at Arizona State University.^[6]

He has also been the recipient of fellowships from TED^[7] and the Lannan Foundation.^[8] Jackson is also a public speaker and documentarian.^[1]

Jackson was born in Portland, Oregon.^[1] He was raised by a single mother.^[9] In his youth, he was arrested on drug charges and sent to prison,^[10] where he took an interest in literature and began experimenting with autobiographical writing.^[9]

Following his release in the summer of 1998,^[10] Jackson received a Master of Arts in writing from Portland State University, as well as a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from New York University.^[1]

Jackson is a father of two.^[11]

In 2012, Jackson published Oversoul: Stories & Essays, an ebook compilation of short fiction and non-fiction.^[1] His debut novel, The Residue Years, was released in the summer of 2013 and was praised by publications such as The New York Times,^[12] The Paris Review,^[13] and The Sydney Morning Herald.^[14] Jackson is a Whiting Award recipient.^[2] The Residue Years also won The Ernest Gaines Award for Literary Excellence^[3] and was short-listed for the Center For Fiction's Flaherty-Dunnan First novel prize,^[15] the PEN/ Hemingway award for first fiction,^[16] The Hurston/Wright Legacy Award for best fiction by a writer of African descent;^[17] it was short-listed for the William Saroyan International Prize for writing,^[18] and named an "Honor Book" by the BCALA.^[19] He has been the recipient of fellowships from TED,^[7] the Lannan Foundation,^[8] The Center For Fiction,^[20] and The Bread Loaf Writer's Conference.^[21]

Jackson is the co-director, writer, and producer of The Residue Years: A Documentary (2013), a documentary film exploring the autobiographical elements of his novel of the same name.^[22] It was an Official Selection of the Portland Film Festival.^[23] It premiered on the Web at the Literary Hub website.^[22]

Jackson's short fiction, nonfiction, and poetry have been published in Vice, Esquire, Gigantic Magazine, Flaunt Magazine, The Frozen Moment: Contemporary Writers on the Choices That Change Our Lives, and New York Tyrant, among other publications. He was the first Black columnist for Esquire.^[24]

Jackson is a former TED speaker.^[7] He has also read and/or and lectured at institutions including Brown University,^[25] Middlebury College,^[26] and UMASS;^[27] at events including The Brooklyn Book Festival,^[28] and the Sydney Writers' Festival;^[29] at various adult prisons and youth facilities;^[1] and for organizations including The Pathfinders of Oregon,^[30] The PEN/Faulkner Foundation,^[31] and The Volunteers of America. He has served on the faculty of New York University,^[32] Columbia University,^[33] and the University of Chicago.^[34] He is currently on the faculty at Arizona State University.^[6]

Jackson published Survival Math: Notes on an All American Family in 2019.^[35] It was selected for Time's 100 Must-Read Books of 2019,^[36] NPR's Books We Love 2019,^[37] and Buzzfeed's Best Books of 2019.^[38]

• 2004: Hurston Wright Foundation, Award For College Writers (Fiction)
• 2008: Urban Artist Initiative, NYC Fellowship
• 2011: Center For Fiction, Emerging Writers Fellowship^[20]
• 2013: New York Times Book Review, Editor's Choice
• 2013: Center For Fiction, Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize, Finalist^[15]
• 2013: American Book Sellers Association, Debut Dozen
• 2014: Sydney Morning Herald, Pick of the Week^[14]
• 2014: The New York Times Book Review, Paperback Row
• 2014: Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence, Winner ^[3]
• 2014: Lannan Literary Fellowship, Fiction^[8]
• 2014: PEN / Hemingway Debut Fiction Award, Finalist^[16]
• 2014: Hurston Wright Legacy Award, Finalist
• 2014: Saroyan International Prize For Writing, Shortlist ^[18]
• 2014: Black Caucus of the American Library Association, Honor Book^[19]
• 2015: Portland Community College, Diamond Alumni Award
• 2015: Everybody Reads Selection, Multnomah County Library, Oregon^[41]
• 2016: Whiting Writers’ Award, Winner ^[42]
• 2016: TED, Fellowship ^[7]
• 2021: National Magazine Award, Feature Writing ^[43]
• 2021: Pulitzer Prize, Feature Writing ^[44]