∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
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 5, 2025:
Note: This year, we are again blending our annual event in with the Poe Festival, sponsored by Poe Baltimore and the Baltimore Poe House and Museum. Consequently, the timing of various events has been altered from previous years.
The post office having lost the entire membership mailing for 2024, we are in the process of converting to an all-digital membership drive. Unfortunately, the necessary details are more complicated than we anticipated, and we have not managed to put it all in place for this year. A donation button, using Squarespace, is available and active. We are asking for a minimum $10 annual donation, but gratefully accept larger amounts.
11:30 a.m. - 103rd Commemorative Edgar Allan Poe Lecture
For those who cannot make it to Baltimore to attend the festival in person, the annual lecture will again be held as a virtual presentation via Zoom conference, broadcasting from Westminster Hall. Register in advance for the this virtual presentation of the Poe Society’s Annual Edgar Allan Poe Commemorative Program (2025) by clicking the link below:
https://book.peek.com/s/43e841c2-02f5-4e8a-926e-1c9d471488c9/BqVRy
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.
For those who wish to attend in person, the event will be held at Westminster Hall, at the corner of Fayette and Greene streets. Admission to the lecture and exhibit is free for members of the Poe Society. We ask that members please register in advance through the link above, and all attendees must sign in upon entry. This process allows us to manage access to Westminster Hall, safeguard the exhibit, and meet our security obligations.
Location: Live ZOOM event (details above)
Welcome, and Introduction of the Speaker
Address: “ One meed of justice long delayed’: A History of the Poe Memorial Grave” by Jeffrey A. Savoye (The Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore).
Abstract of the lecture:
Given the degree of controversy that has long gathered around Poe's life, and the complications that have clouded the circumstances of his death, it is perhaps only appropriate that controversy has also followed him into the grave. His burial in 1849 was hasty and his place of rest unadorned by any stone. This fate was judged inappropriate over the subsequent years, and eventually formed into a movement for his reburial in 1875. The grand marble edifice that is today Poe's Memorial Grave was dedicated on November 17, 1875 and it has served as a destination for visitors for almost a century and a half. The story of its planning is as fraught with difficulties as any story Poe might have penned.
Response/Discussion and Questions from the audience. (moderated by the host)
12:30 p.m. - Wreath Laying at Poe's Grave (in person only)
In addition to the annual commemorative program, a display will honor the 150th anniversary of the dedication of the Poe Memorial Grave.
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
[S:1 - JAS] - Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore - Poe Society - Annual Commemorative Lecture