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Kentucky writer, farmer and advocate Wendell Berry dies at 92
The prolific essayist and poet was also a conservation advocate and farmer whose work shaped Kentucky literature and agrarian politics.
Renowned Kentucky writer and farmer Wendell Berry died on Monday at his home in Port Royal at age 92, according to The New York Times.
The prolific author of more than 50 books, Berry championed land conservation and agrarian values throughout his career, earning the 2010 National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama.
Berry was a member of the 'Fab Five' group of Kentucky writers and protested the Vietnam War, saying in 1968 that "peace is more important than victory."
The Berry Center, established in 2011 to advocate for farmers and regional economies, continues his legacy. Former Kentucky Poet Laureate Silas House called him a "great light."
Berry's commitment to cultural preservation extended to a 2020 lawsuit protecting a controversial fresco mural at the University of Kentucky, which he argued required conservation for its historical significance and remains in place today.