IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 99 

Recognizing Edgar Allan Poe for his literary contributions to American 

history on the 200th anniversary of his birth. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 28, 2009 

Mr. POE of Texas (for himself, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. COHEN, Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. SARBANES, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. 

MCGOVERN, and Mr. HINOJOSA) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing Edgar Allan Poe for his literary contributions 

to American history on the 200th anniversary of his birth. 

Whereas, on January 19, 1809, Edgar Allan Poe was born 

in Boston, Massachusetts; 

Whereas Edgar Allan Poe was raised by John and Frances 

Allan of Richmond, Virginia; 

Whereas Edgar Allan Poe joined the military at the age of 

18; 

Whereas Edgar Allan Poe rose to the rank of Sergeant 

Major; 

Whereas while in the military, Edgar Allan Poe was sent to 

Sullivan’s Island in Charleston, South Carolina; 


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•HRES 99 IH 

Whereas Edgar Allan Poe’s time in Charleston inspired him 

to write and make the settings for ‘‘The Gold Bug’’, 

‘‘The Balloon Hoax’’, and ‘‘Tamerlane and Other 

Poems’’ (1827); 

Whereas Edgar Allan Poe lived in Baltimore, Maryland; 

Whereas while living in Baltimore, Edgar Allan Poe won $50 

for his short story, ‘‘MS Found in a Bottle’’, from a Baltimore newspaper; 

Whereas Edgar Allan Poe also lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; 

Whereas Edgar Allan Poe published 31 stories while in Philadelphia; 

Whereas Edgar Allan Poe wrote ‘‘The Tell-Tale Heart’’, 

which is one of Poe’s most famous gothic pieces of work, 

while living in Philadelphia; 

Whereas Edgar Allan Poe is widely attributed to being the 

first writer of fiction to earn a living through his writing 

alone; 

Whereas Edgar Allan Poe is known for writing horror fiction, 

crime fiction, detective fiction, and gothic; 

Whereas Edgar Allan Poe is considered the inventor of the 

detective fiction genre; 

Whereas the Mystery Writers of America have named their 

awards for excellence in the genre, the ‘‘Edgars’’; 

Whereas Poe wrote ‘‘The Murders in the Rue Morgue’’, 

which has been claimed to be the first detective story 

written; 

Whereas Poe wrote ‘‘The Cask of Amontillado’’, a crime mystery short story; 


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•HRES 99 IH 

Whereas Poe has contributed great works of poetry to society; 

Whereas Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘‘The Raven’’ remains one of the 

most popular poems ever written; 

Whereas the Poe Museum in Richmond, Virginia, serves as 

a permanent testament to the contributions Edgar Allan 

Poe has given to literature; 

Whereas the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site located 

in Philadelphia is a preserved home that Edgar Allan Poe 

lived in; 

Whereas Edgar Allan Poe is buried with his wife and aunt 

under the monument erected to him in Westminster 

Graveyard in downtown Baltimore; and 

Whereas January 19, 2009, will be the 200th anniversary of 

Edgar Allan Poe’s birth: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives honors 

2 Edgar Allan Poe and recognizes his impact and contribu3 tions to American literature on the 200th anniversary of 

4 his birth. 

Æ 


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