Zoe Byrd Akins (October 30, 1886 – October 29, 1958) was an American playwright, poet, and author. She won the 1935 Pulitzer Prize for drama for The Old Maid.
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Early life
Zoe Byrd Akins was born in Humansville, Missouri, second of three children of Thomas Jasper and Sarah Elizabeth Green Akins. Her family was heavily involved with the Missouri Republican Party, and for several years her father served as the state party chairman. Through her mother, Akins was related to George Washington and Duff Green. Her family moved to St. Louis, Missouri when Akins was 11, due to her father's new job as postmaster. Given her family’s position and economic security, Akins was exposed to the arts, regulating the theatre, and developing an interest early on. She was sent to Monticello Seminary in Godfrey, Illinois for her education, where she received further encouragement and support for her literary and theatrical work through her English teacher Miss Alden. It was at Monticello Seminary that Akins wrote her first play, a parody of a Greek tragedy. She would later attend Hosmer Hall preparatory school in St. Louis where she continued writing various works, one of which was performed at her school. While at Hosmer Hall she was a classmate of poet Sara Teasdale, both graduating with the class of 1903. In school, Teasdale formed a student-run group called “The Potters”, a group which cultivated and supported female writers. Akins, having never received an invitation to join, was left out of the group, however connected with Teasdale following the groups dissolution. With Teasdale's reputation as accomplished individual and poet, publishing her first work in 1907, this relationship for Akins served as beneficial to her career, reinforcing her work ethic and writing style. Following graduation Akins began writing a series of plays, poetry and criticism for various magazines and newspapers as well as occasional acting roles in St. Louis area theatre productions.