On this date in 1926, Philip Dean Appleman was born in Kendallville, Ind. Appleman, a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Indiana University, was considered the “Poet Laureate of Humanism and Freethought” and published nine volumes of poetry, three novels (two with explicitly freethinking themes) and six volumes of nonfiction. His work often skewered religious belief, including the bible. One of his most notable volumes was New and Selected Poems, 1956-1996, which included his powerful freethought poetry from the acclaimed Let There Be Light: Poems.
Appleman, a Darwin scholar and aficionado, was the editor of the widely used Norton Critical Edition, Darwin, and the Norton Critical Edition of Malthus’ Essay on Population. Appleman’s poetry and fiction have won many awards, including a fellowship in poetry from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Humanist Arts Award from the American Humanist Association, the Friend of Darwin Award from the National Center for Science Education, and the Castagnola Award from the Poetry Society of America.
His writing appeared in Harper’s Magazine, The Nation, New Republic, The New York Times, Paris Review, Partisan Review, Poetry, Sewanee Review and Yale Review. He was married for 67 years to playwright Marjorie Appleman, née Haberkorn. A great friend of FFRF, he spoke at three national conventions and was an interview guest on several broadcasts over the years. He died at age 94. Read a lovely tribute here in FFRF’s Freethought Today. (D. 2020)
