“If you wish to forget anything on the spot, make a note that this thing is to be remembered.”
– Edgar Allen Poe

Sunday afternoon. Purple jerseys. Burgers and beer. As Baltimore’s beloved Ravens took on the Houston Texans, I sat at home and watched the game from my small-screen. Fighting for the chips and dip, I began to wonder why Baltimore chose a “Raven,” not exactly an intimidating bird, as its mascot.  Baltimore sports a black raven on their jerseys in support of American literature.

Not far from M&T Bank Stadium lies Edgar Allen Poe, who lives in each cheer and on every jersey in Baltimore, MD, where he died in 1849. Even though Poe was born in Boston, Baltimore will celebrate the infamous poet’s 200th birthday on January 19th. As the Ravens players rest in the off-season, Baltimore will celebrate one of America’s beloved writers.

This past October, Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon and member’s of the Charm City community met to plan a yearlong celebration, Nevermore 2009, which will kick off this January. But Dixon is aware “that other cities are claiming Edgar Allan Poe,” though Baltimore is making a big statement.

This is particularly true of Philadelphia, PA, home of the Edgar Allen Poe National Historic Site.  In Philadelphia, Poe wrote many of his famous works and some of the first mystery novels ever written.  The two cities are locked in disagreement over the claim on Poe.

Festivities will begin in January and will include talks by famous authors, like Joyce Carol Oates, and presentations by historians, Poe experts, and even a descendant of one of Poe’s relatives, Hal Poe.

In Baltimore, where Poe is buried, Nevermore 2009 will be launched on the 17th with a “Poe-ster” contest and a “Bicentennial Birthday Celebration” at Westminster Hall, the area where Poe was buried. “The Addams family” actor, John Astin, will passionately present some of Poe’s works, intertwined with his own comments and observations. There will also be a theatrical performance of Hop Frog, one of Poe’s own tales, in addition to a musical tribute by soloist Paula McCabe.

On the day before Poe’s actual birthday, the city will host another event with more of John Astin, a performance of Some Words with a Mummy and a raffle for a special cake made by the Food Network’s Duff Goldman from Ace of Cakes. Goldman designed a cake to be shaped into the Poe monument with a black raven wrapped around the top of the stone.

Beginning on Poe’s birthday, the Enoch Pratt Free Library will display their precious collection of Poe artifacts and photographs. There will be a festival at Westminster Hall and the burying grounds. This day includes fantastically creative events, including historical tours of the catacombs, an evening ghost hunt hosted by author Vince Wilson, and an Edgar Allen Poe look-a-like contest. That night, Maryland Public Television will broadcast a special production that follows his life, legacy, and ties to Baltimore, a mini-documentary by Charles Robinson, and a live question-and-answer session with a Poe expert reporting directly from the gravesite.

One of the most interesting days of Nevermore 2009 will be October 7th, the day of Poe’s death. At the Edgar Allen Poe House in Mourning, the public will have a one-time opportunity to view Poe’s body prior to internment. From midnight to 6 a.m., there will be a candlelight vigil at the Poe monument. Then, on October 10th, there will be a chilling reenactment of Poe’s funeral service at Westminster Hall. After a horse-drawn funeral hearse carries Poe’s body from his home on Amity Street to the hall, the service will dramatically proceed with guest speakers. Five “legacies” who knew Poe will present eulogies. These people will include Alfred Hitchcock, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Charles Baudelaire, and H.G. Wells. Additionally, because Poe was a respected contributor to literature and science globally, ambassadors from different countries will make tributes.

Throughout the year, Nevermore 2009 will host repeated “Bicentennial Birthday Celebrations.” Among other plans, the year will continue with “A Cask of Amontillado Wine Tasting” at the catacombs in March, a “Baltimore for Less” weekend with discounted parking, attractions, and “Poe-tastic” events in April, a special tribute to Poe in July at Artscape, the largest free public art festival in America, and exclusive exhibitions at the Baltimore Museum of Art.

As 2008 comes closer to the end, other preparations are being made to honor the 200 year-old birthday boy. The Edgar Allen Poe 200 project will be launched on his birthday this January, a site for admirers of his literature and life with information about the author in Poepedia, a link to purchase merchandise at the Poe Marketplace, and support for artists inspired by him. The Mystery Authors of America will also be publishing two anthologies: In the Shadow of the Master, a collection of Poe’s sixteen greatest stories, and On a Raven’s Wing, twenty stories by contemporary Poe-inspired authors.

Two hundred years later, Poe’s legacy is stronger than ever. Readers and writers will have endless opportunities to bask in their Poe fanaticism, and more fans will undoubtedly be born in 2009. And though I am proud that Baltimore respects the great master of mystery, I must remind myself to actually read “The Raven.” Then I can finally call myself a true fan.