Tomorrow Is Edgar Allan Poe’s 215th Birthday!

Author: Megan Natoli, Challenge America Program Director

Tomorrow, we celebrate the literary arts by commemorating the 215th birthday of Edgar Allan Poe.

There isn’t another writer who has the ability to evoke such a profound sense of horror quite like Edgar Allan Poe, the revolutionary master of the macabre, romantic poet, originator of the modern detective story, and literary giant.

After being discharged from the Army in April of 1829, Poe moved to Baltimore, Maryland. Being from Baltimore myself and a Halloween all-year-round kind of person, the works of Edgar Allan Poe have a special place in my tell-tale heart. Any Baltimore Ravens fans in the house? 

According to The Poe Museum, “Poe’s most famous piece is ‘The Raven’. Once published, in the early months of 1845, this poem made him an overnight success. Before the publication, Poe was well known in literary circles, but because of “The Raven” Edgar Allan Poe became a household name. Although Poe only made around $15 from the publication of ‘The Raven’, its international success created financial opportunities like taking on literary clients and giving lectures and recitations. Poe was the first American writer to live completely off of his earnings from writing.” 

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What’s your favorite Poe-ment? Drop your favorite Poe line in the comments below! 👇