A Legacy of Excellence: Baltimore’s Literary Landscape
- Mac Ferrone
- Mar 15
- 3 min read
Baltimore is the “City that Reads.” That is, former Mayor Kurt Schmoke proclaimed it so in his 1987 inaugural address (The City That Writes). Taking a closer look at Baltimore's well-known cornerstones, this is not so surprising. The central Enoch Pratt Free Library in Mount Vernon is one of the first to be erected in the U.S. and spans “an entire city block,” with 21 other separate locations around and near Baltimore (Baltimore: A Book Lover’s Dream).
Since their founding nearly 30 years ago, the Baltimore Ravens have taken their moniker from Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven; a marker of Poe’s impact on Baltimore and its people (Ravens Naming of the Team).
These examples merely scratch the surface of what Baltimore has to offer. Keeping on Poe, not only did he pass away in Baltimore after living there for years, but his house has since been revived as a Museum documenting his life and early works (Baltimore: A Book Lover’s Dream). Likewise, the Baltimore houses of John H.B. Latrobe, Lucille Clifton, and homes built by Frederick Douglass for African Americans are all commemorated and able to be visited (Baltimore: A Book Lover’s Dream).
Other African American authors found great success in the city. Besides advocating for women’s rights, Frances Harper wrote books like her acclaimed novel “Iola Leroy, about the plight of slaves and former slaves around the time of the Civil War.” While W.E.B. Dubois moved to the city after publishing his 746-page masterwork Black Reconstruction in America, he “remained active and increasingly focused on issues of peace and African independence from European colonizers, writing two books on the topic in 1945 and 1946” (Baltimore: A Book Lover’s Dream).
Even Baltimore's culinary side cannot shed the shadow of literature. Apropoe commemorates Edgar Allen Poe with a gothic feel and dishes like the “Poe Burger.” Likewise, The Charmery features the “Poe-inspired flavor Tell Tale Chocolate” and has locations in Hampden and Federal Hill. (Baltimore: A Book Lover’s Dream). Feeling hungry? Nevermore!
Baltimore is no stranger to bookstores. To name a few, Charm City Books is an “independent, family-oriented” spot with charm to spare (pun intended). The Ivy Bookshop, recently relocated into a renovated Mount Washington house, has a great selection of titles and an equally great “[backyard] for reading.” Finally, for readers looking for Baltimore writers, Greedy Reads is the place to be (The City That Writes)!
However, Baltimore’s ties to literature don’t stop at buildings or mementos from a century past. The Baltimore Book Festival is a nearly 30-year tradition featuring “a diverse group of keynote authors” and literary genres, book readings and signings, and plenty of food and drink to delight all audiences. Similarly, for the past 22 years, the CityLit Festival has hosted a day-long literary celebration in the Spring–featuring up to 80 poets and other writers hosting similar events–“All for the love of the written word.” In recent years, notable New York Times bestselling authors Dani Shapiro and Elizabeth Acevedo (CityLit Festival) have been recognized with awards, alongside many others, for their literary contributions.
With such a storied history of literary excellence, promoting literacy to the people of Baltimore and beyond becomes all the more important. Together, we can make Schmoke’s proclamation a reality for all.
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