History's Scribe
Next year is the 250th anniversary of the United States, which means it will also be the 250th birthday of the Declaration of Independence. I know a lot about that document, thanks to the research I did several years ago to write a book about the signers. Today, I’m talking about a lesser-known individual associated with the Declaration—Timothy Matlack—the man who actually hand-wrote the document that all the Congressmen signed.
You can find out more about Matlack, the Declaration, and the font created in his honor. They are all the subject of my article at SleuthSayers, the mystery blog, today. The post is called:
That Fine American Hand!
For today’s article, I am calling upon an interview I conducted with typeface designer Brian Willson a few weeks ago. My full interview with Mr. Willson lives at this page on my site:
Mr. Fontastic!
Here’s a taste of the article at SleuthSayers today:
Back in the day, an elementary school teacher chose to chastise us students on the poor quality of our handwriting. Pointing to the alphabet displayed over the blackboard, she said, “Look at those letters! Look how perfect they are! Do you think they were drawn by a machine? They weren’t. A person *wrote* those.”
Which simultaneously shamed and puzzled youthful Joe. The green-and-white sheets of cardboard were clearly *printed* by a machine. Beyond that, some part of me must have received her meaning. A human being had shaped those letters, even the weird Q that looked like an overwrought numeral two.
Five-plus decades later, I blame her tirade for my lifelong obsession with fountain pens, stationery, calligraphy videos, and a late-life interest in books about how adults can improve their penmanship.
Which leads us inevitably to the summer of 1776.
And so it goes! I hope you will check it out. I have a lot of fun writing it, speaking with Mr. Willson, and reliving my adventures with Denise traipsing through various cities and cemeteries where the signers lived and are buried.
A lovely example of the American Scribe font…
Another sample of the American Scribe font…
You might enjoy checking out my two-volume series on the Signers of major American documents, which always get a sales boost this time of year. Two hundred thousand copies sold…and counting. So people must love ‘em.
Click to learn more about your buying options. (Also available in paperback!)
Image of the National Archives copyright Joseph D’Agnese
