As was the case with a certain James Dobson correction, we have noticed a tendency for newspapers to misspell the middle name of author Edgar Allan Poe. The latest misspelling happened in the Chicago Tribune. But the paper is far from alone. A recent collection of Poe name corrections:
Chicago Tribune
July 02, 2006
In a promo on Page 1 of Sunday’s Books section, Edgar Allan Poe’s middle name is misspelled.The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
June 13, 2006
Author Edgar Allan Poe’s middle name was misspelled in Cynthia Tucker’s column in Sunday’s @issue section.Wall Street Journal
November 23, 2005
Edgar Allan Poe’s middle name was misspelled as Allen in a page-one article on Nov 21.New Orleans Times-Picayune
April 12, 2005
Name corrected: Edgar Allan Poe’s middle name was misspelled in Sunday’s Travel section.New Orleans Times-Picayune
March 8, 2005
Names misspelled: An article in Monday’s editions about a daguerreotype of Edgar Allan Poe
incorrectly spelled the author’s middle name, and the first name of
Edwin Booth, brother of John Wilkes Booth. Also, one reference to the
collector Sally Guest calls her an “Iowa collector.” Guest bought her
daguerreotype in an Iowa antique shop, but lives in Omaha, Neb.Associated Press
November 29, 2003
An Associated Press obituary Monday on author Dola de Jong misspelled the middle name of author Edgar Allan Poe. It was incorrectly spelled Allen.New York Times
April 10, 2001
A chart in
the special Education Life section on Sunday ranking authors by
popularity, with an article about the wars over literature curriculums,
misspelled the middle name of one author. He was Edgar Allan Poe, not Allen.New York Times
September 26, 1999
An entry on Sept. 12 in the
music listings for the coming season, about American Symphony concerts
at Avery Fisher Hall next month, misspelled the middle name of the
author of the literary works on which the music was based. He was Edgar Allan Poe, not Allen.New York Times
September 16, 1999
A
Capitol Sketchbook article yesterday about the debate over campaign
finance legislation misspelled the middle name of the author of
“Tell-Tale Heart,” to which a Democrat compared the resilient measure.
He was Edgar Allan Poe, not Allen.The Commercial Appeal (Memphis)
January 21, 1995
Edgar Allan Poe’s name was misspelled in a photo caption Friday.
