1779
Pierre Desloges (Deaf, French) writes and publishes "Observations of a Deaf-Mute on an Elementary Course of Education for Deaf Mutes" in Paris, France (essay).

1822/1827
James Nack's (Deaf, American) The Legend of the Rock and Other Poems.

1832
Elizabeth Allen's (Deaf, American) The Silent Harp or Fugitive Poems.

1835
John R. Burnet (Deaf, American) publishes poetry, short stories, and essays on education in his book, Tales of the Deaf and Dumb and Other Poems.

1839
Ferdinand Berthier's (Deaf, French) biography of Bebian is published.

1849
Laurent Clerc publishes a sketch of Jean Massieu in American Annals.

1850
Adele M. Jewel (Deaf, American) publishes her pamphlet, A Brief Narrative of the Life of Mrs. Adele M. Jewel.

1852
Ferdinand Berthier's (Deaf, French) biography of De l Epee is published.

1857
The Literary Society at the Kentucky School for the Deaf organized. Literary societies were formed at a number of residential schools for the Deaf across the nation and began to wane in popularity in the 1970s.

1860-1921
Laura C. Redden Searing (Deaf, American--often using the pen name Howard Glyndon) writes personal narratives, essays, poetry, translations and newspaper articles.

1865
The Clerc Literary Association of Philadephia was founded.

1873
Ferdinand Berthier's (Deaf, French) biography of Sicard is published.

1874
Ballard Literary Society established at Gallaudet University (named after the first graduate of the college, Melville Ballard).

1883
Angeline A. Fuller's (Deaf, American) The Venture (poetry).

1892
OWLS, a literary and performance group established by women who attended Gallaudet and later became a sorority (Phi Kappa Zeta) in the 1950s.

1893
Agatha Tiegel's (Deaf, American) "Intellect of Women" graduation speech at Gallaudet College.

Little Paper Family Editorial Association established consisting of predominantly the editors of various publications at residential schools for the Deaf across the nation. (At this time, there were at least 35 publications across 29 states, the first beginning 1849.)

1907
First meeting of the National Literary Society of the Deaf (NLSD) in Washington, D.C.

1933
Albert Ballin (Deaf, American) publishes The Deaf Mute Howls (memoir).


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1960
Robert Panara, Taras B. Denis and James H. MacFarlane edit The Silent Muse: An Anthology of Prose and Poetry by the Deaf.

1970
Julius Wiggins (Deaf, American) publishes his biography No Sound.

1973
Eugene Bergman (Deaf, American) and Trenton Batson (Hearing, American) publish The Deaf Experience, later edition entitled Angels and Outcasts: An Anthology of Deaf Characters in Literature.

1976
Dorothy Miles (Deaf, British) publishes a book of poetry in the USA, Gestures, with accompanying film in ASL.

1986
Douglas Bullard (Deaf, American) publishes Islay (novel).

Video: John Lee Clark on "Islay": A Literary Milestone
Text Summary

1992
J. Jepson (Hard of Hearing, American) edits and publishes No Walls of Stone: An Anthology of Literature by Deaf and Hard of Heading Writers.

2000
Cynthia Peters' (Deaf, American) Deaf American Literature is published.

Christopher Krentz (Deaf, American) edits A Mighty Change: An Anthology of Deaf American Writing (1816-1864).

2001-2006
The Tactile Mind: Literary Magazine of the Signing Community (John Lee and Adrean Clark Publishers--Deaf, Americans).

2002
Tonya M. Stremlau (Deaf, American) edits and publishes The Deaf Way II Anthology: A Literary Collection by Deaf and Hard of Hearing Writers.

2009
John Lee Clark (Deaf, American) edits Deaf American Poetry: An Anthology.