Which literary and debating society did Poe join at the University of Virginia?

At the University of Virginia, Edgar Allan Poe joined the Jefferson Society, formally known as the Jefferson Literary and Debating Society. The student organization was founded in 1825 and became one of the university’s prominent forums for speeches, essays, and debate.

Poe enrolled at the newly established university in February 1826, studying ancient and modern languages. His time there lasted only about a year. Financial problems, disagreements with his foster father John Allan, and gambling debts contributed to his departure, but his participation in student literary life remains part of the university’s Poe history.

The society’s name honors Thomas Jefferson, whose educational ideals shaped the university. It should not be confused with the later Raven Society, which is connected with Poe’s memory and the preservation of his former university room. Phi Beta Kappa was also not the organization identified with Poe’s membership.