I am overwhelmed with grief. This man was not only a wonderful writer, an enlightened professor, and a beautiful soul, he was a friend whose support meant a lot to me and so many others. He will be sorely missed.

I remember being blown away when I read a short story of his at UNC. I remember getting excited when my professor told us that we could meet him, because his office was next door. Then I remember how kind … Read more

Randall Kenan’s passing has left a huge hole in the world and in our hearts. What I have learned in the past few days is just how much he meant to so many people–writers from Boston to New York to … Read more

There’s so much to say about Professor Kenan as a teacher—his humor and wit, his ability to be kind and constructive even when your writing for workshop was as uneven as the brick paths on Carolina’s campus—but the anecdote that … Read more

I feel so lucky to have crossed paths with him. I had the privilege of taking a writing workshop with Randall Kenan when I was 19. He taught our class of pompous undergrads by offering genuine observations and questions about … Read more

The news about Professor Kenan is incredibly saddening. I just wanted to share how his teaching impacted me. He taught my intro fiction writing class last year, when I was still a freshman new to UNC and figuring out what … Read more

I grieve to share the tragic news of the death of my colleague Randall Kenan. It was such a gift just to pass him in the hall and be buoyed by his lovely and loving smile. @PatriciaSawin

It is difficult to find words to express just how incredible Professor Randall Kenan was not only as a teacher, but as a man. I had the privilege to take his introductory class to fiction writing at UNC and it … Read more

There is a Randall Kenan sized hole in the world, and a Randall Kenan sized hole in all our hearts. Randall was the kind of person who made you feel special—like you and him had this special thing that was … Read more

When I was in undergrad at UNC, pursuing a major in English, I wrote a paper about Randall Kenan’s work for the African American literature class I was taking at the time. My professor said, “You do know he works … Read more