Birth of James Whitcomb Riley
Author and poet James Whitcomb Riley was born on October 7, 1849, in Greenfield, Indiana. He was considered “the National Poet,” “the poet laureate of America,” and “the people’s poet laureate.”
Literature
-
-
Birth of William Faulkner
Celebrated American author William Faulkner was born on September 25, 1897, in New Albany, Mississippi. Known for using a wide range of styles, Faulkner explored America’s geography, history, economy, and social and moral life in his writing.
-
Birth of Richard Wright
Richard Nathaniel Wright was born on September 4, 1908, near Roxie, Mississippi. His book, Native Son, was the first best selling novel by a black writer.
-
Happy Birthday Frank Laubach
Missionary Frank Charles Laubach was born on September 2, 1884, in Benton, Pennsylvania. He dedicated his life to teaching people around the world to read, visiting more than 100 countries and developing books for 312 different languages.
-
Happy Birthday Dorothy Parker
Poet and writer Dorothy Parker (born Dorothy Rothschild) was born on August 22, 1893, in Long Branch, New Jersey. A founding member of the Algonquin Round Table, she was known for her sharp wit.
-
Birth of Paul Laurence Dunbar
Poet Paul Laurence Dunbar was born on June 27, 1872, in Dayton, Ohio. He was one of the most prolific African American writers his time, despite having his life cut short by illness.
-
Birth of James W. Johnson
James Weldon Johnson was born on June 17, 1871, in Jacksonville, Florida. A poet, songwriter, diplomat, and activist, he was the first African American executive secretary of the NAACP.
-
Death of Noah Webster
On May 28, 1843, author and lexicographer Noah Webster died in New Haven, Connecticut. Webster developed several important textbooks as well as the dictionary that standardized the American spelling of many words.
-
First Publication of Dracula
On May 26, 1897, Bram Stoker’s Dracula was first published in London, England. It went on to become one of the most famous pieces of English literature and has been adapted for film more than 30 times.
