What does the poe society of baltimore think about this claim?

The Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore was officially established following a commemorative celebration of Poe’s birthday on January 19, 1923. The roots of the Poe Society, however, pass through a number of previous organizations, reaching back more than fifty years earlier. Interest in erecting a monument which would be fitting to Poe’s memory began shortly after his death in 1849. The effort, however, would prove more difficult, both logistically and financially, than anyone anticipated, and it would be 25 years before it was accomplished. Chiefly through the efforts of Miss Sara Sigourney Rice (a Baltimore school teacher) and the Poe Memorial Fund (founded in 1865), the memorial was finally erected in the corner of Westminster Presbyterian Burying Ground (at Fayette and Greene Streets) and dedicated on November 17, 1875. Among those who would champion the cause were members of the Edgar Allan Poe Literary Association (founded in 1870, with Thomas B. Hand as its president) and what began about the same time as the Sorosis Literary Society (later known as the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore, 1907-1922). (Sorosis is a Greek word meaning a union of many into one. National chapters began as early as 1868.)

Anticipating Poe’s centennial, the Poe Memorial Association was created in 1896, but once again, they would find their path strewn with difficulties, and they missed 1909 by nearly a decade. The beautiful bronze statue of Poe, created by Sir Moses Ezekiel, eventually became a reality. Despite setbacks (including a fire which destroyed the first statue in 1913; an earthquake, which destroyed the second in 1915; the death of the artist in 1917 one year after completing the final statue; and the outbreak of World War I, which delayed shipment of the statue from across the Atlantic) this elegant artistic tribute was finally unveiled in Wyman Park on October 20, 1921. (It can now be seen in the plaza outside the law school of the University of Baltimore.) Shortly afterwards, members of the Poe Memorial Association began to sponsor an annual program, and soon was formed an official group called the Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore. And so, it may fairly be said that we form one link in a chain which goes back quite nearly to Poe himself.

Following its formation in 1923, the Edgar Allan Poe Society organized an annual series of public programs that included musical settings of Poe’s poems, readings from his writings, exhibitions of information and memorabilia, and lectures about his life and works. On June 4, 1938, the Poe Society was alerted by an article in the Baltimore Sun to the planned destruction of the block of houses between Lexington and Saratoga Streets, including the house where Poe had lived in 1833-1835. The Society quickly organized to determine which was the correct building and to preserve it. This goal was accomplished substantially due to the efforts of May Garrettson Evans and Dr. John C. French. A bronze plaque was erected by 1940. A full restoration was begun in 1947, proceeding as funds and ingenuity permitted. The Poe Society provided tours from 1950 until 1977, when responsibility for the museum was assumed by Baltimore City’s Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation (CHAP).

Since 1977, the Poe Society has returned its efforts to focus on the annual commemorative lecture and associated publications. In addition, we continue to respond to as many inquires relating to Poe’s life and works as our resources permit. In a typical year, the Poe Society receives dozens of letters from around the world, particularly from school children seeking general guidance for reports and other projects. Beginning in 1997, however, our primary means of providing information about Poe shifted to this website, which allows us to reach a far greater audience that any other means at our disposal. The Edgar Allan Poe Society is a legally established non-profit organization, incorporated in the state of Maryland. We have no paid employees, relying purely on voluntary efforts.