author
Jessie Belle Rittenhouse
1869–1948
A champion of modern poetry in the early 20th century, she helped introduce new voices to a wider audience while building a career as a poet, critic, anthologist, and lecturer. Her work sits at the crossroads of literary taste-making and creative writing.
1 Audiobook
The Younger American Poets
by Jessie Belle Rittenhouse
About the author
Born in Mount Morris, New York, Jessie Belle Rittenhouse was educated at Genesee Wesleyan Seminary and began her working life as a teacher before moving into journalism and literary criticism. She became known for reviewing books and for her deep engagement with contemporary poetry, especially at a moment when American readers were discovering new poetic styles.
Rittenhouse was more than a critic on the sidelines: she was also a poet and an influential editor and anthologist. She is remembered as an advocate for modern poetry and as an early force in the Poetry Society of America, where her enthusiasm for living writers helped shape public appreciation of the art.
Later known as Jessie Belle Rittenhouse Scollard, she continued writing and publishing across a long career that included poetry, lectures, and memoir. She died in 1948, leaving behind a body of work that reflects both her own literary voice and her lasting support for other poets.