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Since 1923, the Poe Society has sponsored an annual commemorative lecture on the life and/or works of Edgar Allan Poe, presented by a noted Poe scholar. This lecture is always held on the first Sunday in October, more-or-less coinciding with the anniversary of Poe’s death. As part of this event, it has been traditional for members of the Poe Society to gather at Poe’s grave, placing flowers on the monument in a brief and informal ceremony to honor Poe’s memory.
This Poe Society event is free and open to the public.
Sunday, October 11, 2026:
Note: The brief wreath laying will be done at some point prior to the annual program, recorded and played at the beginning of the ZOOM session.
The post office having lost the entire membership mailing for 2024, and an all-digital membership effort proving too complicated and expensive to implement, we have moved to an “open membership.”
2:00 p.m. (Eastern time) - 104th Commemorative Edgar Allan Poe Lecture
To avoid the complications and expense of an in-person event, the annual pgrogram will again be held as a virtual presentation via Zoom conference. Register in advance for the this virtual presentation of the Poe Society’s Annual Edgar Allan Poe Commemorative Program (2026) by clicking the link below:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/22qiKUDST8Gv4zUFi0HMPw
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting via computer or audio only, or a ticket for the in person event, depending on which option was selected. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required.
Location: Live ZOOM event (details above)
Welcome, and Introduction of the Speaker
Discussion: “The Notable Role of Mrs. Clemm and Virginia Poe in Poe's Life and Personal Reputation”
Background on the discussion:
Too often, Mrs. Clemm and Virginia are just seen as part of the larger topic of the women in Poe's life, and something of an afterthought as neither was very prominent outside of their connection to Poe. Virginia, in particular, is often seen as little more than an inspiration for some of Poe's more significant writings, and mostly through her long illness and death. (A few malicious and absurd claims even held that Poe had let Virginia suffer and die so that he could exploit the theme in his writings.) A little digging shows that both were not only instrumental in Poe's life, but were repeatedly brought up as the single consistently redeeming aspect of his personality.
As a discussion, participation of the audience is actively encouraged. (moderated by the host)
An outline guide for the discussion:
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[S:1 - JAS] - Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore - Poe Society - Annual Commemorative Lecture