John Charles Shields

John Charles Shields

Normal, IL

John Charles Shields, age 72, died Saturday, April 1, 2017, at OSF Medical Center, Bloomington, Illinois.

He is survived by his brother, Granville B. Shields, Jr., of Normal, IL; and sister, Rhonda E. (Beth)Stubbs, of Knoxville, TN; his niece, Melanie Upton, of Chicago, IL; and nephew, Thomas B. Stubbs, Knoxville, TN. Shields was preceded in death by his parents, the late Dr. Granville B. Shields and Elizabeth Hartgraves Shields; as well as his sister, Ruth Ann Shields. After graduating Sevier County High School, he attended University of Tennessee where he received his B.A. and M.A. degrees. He earned an Ed. S. at George Peabody College for Teachers, and returned to University of Tennessee for his PH.D. in English and Religious Studies. He was a teacher at Sevier County High School, Battleground Academy at Franklin, TN, and Brentwood Academy.

He was a retired Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Illinois State University in Normal, Il where he taught from 1979 to 2011. He is the author of six volumes of literary criticism, including 'The American Aeneas: Classic Origins of the American Self', which was awarded a Choice Outstanding academic book, his most recent book, 'Phillis Wheatley and the Romantics' (Tennessee, 2010). He was the editor of 'The Collected Works of Phillis Wheatley' (Oxford, 1988) and coeditor of 'New Essays on Phillis Wheatley' (Tennessee, 2011). His articles have appeared in 'American Literature', 'Eighteenth Century Studies', 'College Language Association Journal', and numerous others. Shields received a National Endowment for the Humanities grant while at Illinois State, and served as an NEH Fellow at the University of California at Berkeley, Yale University, and Princeton University.

Shields was widely known for his work on Phillis Wheatley, the first African American to publish a book. He did groundbreaking work on reclaiming the literary works of Wheatley.

At his request, there will be no memorial service.