The Southern Literary Messenger
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The ''Southern Literary Messenger'' was a periodical published in
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...
, Virginia, from August 1834 to June 1864, and from 1939 to 1945. Each issue carried a subtitle of "Devoted to Every Department of Literature and the Fine Arts" or some variation thereof and included poetry, fiction, nonfiction, reviews, and historical notes. It was founded by Thomas Willis White, who served as publisher and occasional editor until his death, in 1843. White hired Edgar Allan Poe in 1835 as a staff writer and critic. Others involved with the periodical included Matthew Fontaine Maury and Maury's kinsman
Benjamin Blake Minor Benjamin Blake Minor (October 21, 1818 – August 1, 1905) was an American writer, educator, legal scholar, and fourth President of the University of Missouri, from 1860-1862. Today, he is most known as the editor of the ''Southern Literary Messe ...
. Publication ended in June 1864, in part because of Richmond's involvement in the American Civil War, and was revived from 1939–1945.


History

The ''Southern Literary Messenger'' first appeared in August 1834 with
Thomas Willis White Thomas Willis White (1788–1843) was an American printer and publisher who founded the Southern Literary Messenger. He was born in Williamsburg, Virginia. He became an apprentice at the ''Virginia Federalist'' at the age of eleven. Later he gaine ...
(1788–1843) as publisher. In the inaugural issue, he stated that his aim was "to stimulate the pride and genius of the south, and awaken from its long slumber the literary exertion of this portion of our country." That was in reference to the fact that at the time, most magazines were published in Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia. Edgar Allan Poe served as an editor for a time (see below). After his departure, White resumed editorial duties before he hired Lieutenant Matthew Fontaine Maury
USN The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of ...
as editor from 1840 to 1843. Upon White's death in 1843,
Benjamin Blake Minor Benjamin Blake Minor (October 21, 1818 – August 1, 1905) was an American writer, educator, legal scholar, and fourth President of the University of Missouri, from 1860-1862. Today, he is most known as the editor of the ''Southern Literary Messe ...
served as editor and publisher from August 1843 to October 1847. The loss of writing and subscriptions led to the journal's cancellation in June 1864. As was explained editorially in the last issue, the press in Richmond and the town in general had been thrown into considerable disarray by the American Civil War.


Editors

*James E. Heath *
Edward Vernon Sparhawk Edward Vernon Sparhawk (1798–January 13, 1838) was an American author, poet, journalist, editor and publisher, and a contemporary of Edgar Allan Poe. Early life Edward Vernon Sparhawk was born in 1798, in Buckstown (now called Bucksport, Maine ...
* Edgar Allan Poe *Lieut. Matthew Fontaine Maury, U. S. N. *
Benjamin Blake Minor Benjamin Blake Minor (October 21, 1818 – August 1, 1905) was an American writer, educator, legal scholar, and fourth President of the University of Missouri, from 1860-1862. Today, he is most known as the editor of the ''Southern Literary Messe ...
*
John Reuben Thompson John Reuben Thompson (October 23, 1823 – April 30, 1873) was an American poet, journalist, editor and publisher. Biography John Reuben Thompson was born in Richmond, Virginia, in 1823. He graduated in law from the University of Virgini ...
(1823-1873), editor and proprietor from 1847 until 1860 *Dr.
George William Bagby George William Bagby (August 13, 1828 – November 29, 1883) was an American physician and humorist. Early life and education He was born in Buckingham County, Virginia, to George Bagby and Virginia Evans. He attended Delaware College and th ...


Content

The ''Southern Literary Messenger'' featured poems, fiction, nonfiction, translations, reviews, legal articles, and Virginia historical notes. Each issue carried the
subtitle Subtitles and captions are lines of dialogue or other text displayed at the bottom of the screen in films, television programs, video games or other visual media. They can be transcriptions of the screenplay, translations of it, or informati ...
"Devoted to Every Department of Literature and the Fine Arts" or some variation of it. The periodical was published approximately monthly, and it initially had subscribed mostly readers in the North but it picked up readers in the South and writers over time as more Southerners wrote articles to be published, as was stated in an 1840 issue of the ''Messenger''. James E. Heath, the first editor of the ''Southern Literary Messenger'' wrote:
From our Northern and Eastern friends we have received more complimentary notices than from any of our Southern brethren without the limits of our own State. We say this not in a reproachful spirit, but in a somewhat sad conviction of mind, that we who live on the sunny side of
Mason and Dixon's line Mason may refer to: Occupations * Mason, brick mason, or bricklayer, a craftsman who lays bricks to construct brickwork, or who lays any combination of stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or similar pieces * Stone mason, a craftsman in the stone-cutt ...
are not yet sufficiently inspired with a sense of importance of maintaining our just rights, or rather our proper representation in the Republic of Letters.
In February 1861, the ''Southern Literary Messenger'' defended the secession movement by publishing an article by William H. Holcombe, a doctor, entitled "The Alternative: A Separate Nationality, or the Africanization of the South."


Involvement of Poe

Edgar Allan Poe was hired as a staff writer and critic in August 1835, possibly based on a recommendation to White from
John Pendleton Kennedy John Pendleton Kennedy (October 25, 1795 – August 18, 1870) was an American novelist, lawyer and Whig politician who served as United States Secretary of the Navy from July 26, 1852, to March 4, 1853, during the administration of President Mi ...
. Just a month later, White fired Poe, allegedly for his drinking habits, but rehired him in October. By December, Poe was made editor of the journal. While working for the ''Messenger'', Poe published 37 reviews of American and foreign books and periodicals, cementing his place as a premier critic in the United States.Sova, Dawn B. ''Edgar Allan Poe: A to Z''. Checkmark Books, 2001. pp. 225-6. Poe was proud of his accomplishments with the journal and may have aided in a large jump in subscribers. In a letter years later, in 1844, Poe wrote that he began working when the ''Messenger'' had about 700 subscribers and left when it had 5,500 paying subscribers. Besides criticism, Poe published many first printings of his now famous works in the ''Messenger'', including the controversial "
Berenice Berenice ( grc, Βερενίκη, ''Bereníkē'') is the Ancient Macedonian form of the Attic Greek name ''Pherenikē'', which means "bearer of victory" . Berenika, priestess of Demeter in Lete ca. 350 BC, is the oldest epigraphical evidence. Th ...
", " Morella" and, in installments, parts of his only novel '' The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket''. Poe left the magazine with the January 1837 issue but still contributed works even after White's death.


See also

Other American journals that Edgar Allan Poe was involved with include: *'' American Review: A Whig Journal'' *'' Broadway Journal'' *''
Burton's Gentleman's Magazine ''Burton's Gentleman's Magazine and American Monthly Review'' (sometimes ''...and Monthly American Review'' or, more simply, ''Burton's Magazine''), was a literary publication published in Philadelphia from 1837 to 1840. Its founder was William Ev ...
'' *'' Godey's Lady's Book'' *'' Graham's Magazine'' *'' The Stylus''


References


Bibliography

*


External links


''Southern Literary Messenger''
at University of Michigan, complete archive. *
Wm. H. Holcombe, M.D., "The Alternative: A Separate Nationality, or the Africanization of the South," ''Southern Literary Messenger'', February 1861
* Davis, David A
Southern Literary Messenger
Encyclopedia Virginia. Virginia Foundation for the Humanities * Kollatz, Harry
Poe's Training Ground.
Richmond Magazine Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a ...
. {{Authority control 1834 establishments in Virginia 1864 disestablishments in Virginia American Southern literary magazines Defunct literary magazines published in the United States Edgar Allan Poe History of Richmond, Virginia Magazines established in 1834 Magazines disestablished in 1864 Mass media in Richmond, Virginia Magazines published in Virginia Monthly magazines published in the United States