Annie Glenn | |
|---|---|
 Glenn in 1965 | |
| Born | Anna Margaret Castor (1920-02-17)February 17, 1920 Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | May 19, 2020(2020-05-19) (aged 100) Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, Virginia |
| Alma mater | Muskingum University |
| Occupation(s) | Disabilities advocate, philanthropist |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
Anna Margaret Glenn (néeCastor; February 17, 1920 – May 19, 2020) was an American advocate forpeople with disabilities and communication disorders and the wife ofastronaut and senatorJohn Glenn. Astutterer from an early age, Glenn was notable for raising awareness of stuttering and other disabilities among children and adults.
Anna Margaret Castor was born on February 17, 1920, inColumbus, Ohio, to Homer and Margaret (Alley) Castor.[1][2] Her father was a dentist.[3] In 1923, the Castor family moved toNew Concord, Ohio.[1]
Castor met John Glenn at a very young age when her parents became involved in the same community organizations as Glenn's parents.[4] The families developed a friendship which allowed Castor and Glenn to remain close as they grew up.[4] The pair becamehigh school sweethearts and continued dating through college.[4] Castor attendedMuskingum College where she majored in music with a minor in secretarial skills and physical education.[4] Castor was an active member of the swim team, volleyball team, and tennis team.[4] She graduated in 1942.[1] Even though she received an offer for apipe organ scholarship from theJuilliard School, Castor declined the offer,[5] choosing instead to stay in Ohio with Glenn. Castor and Glenn were married on April 6, 1943.[1] They had two children, David, born in 1945, and Lyn, born in 1947.[6]
During the early years of her marriage to John Glenn, Annie Glenn worked as an organist in various churches and taught trombone lessons.[4]
Throughout the middle of the twentieth century, theCold War tensions between the United States of America and theSoviet Union heightened.[7] In an effort to boost American citizens' confidence in their government, U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower decided to become involved in theSpace Race and launchProject Mercury.[7] Seven young men were chosen for this space mission. These all-American astronauts were regarded as wholesome heroes and their wives were the picture of domestic patriotism.[8] Annie Glenn was one of the wives of the Mercury 7 astronauts. These women "rocketed to fame"[9] to become celebrities.
In her bookThe Astronaut Wives Club[10] (which later became atelevision miniseries),Lily Koppel relates that Glenn and the other six wives formed a tight-knit support group informally called the "Astronaut Wives Club," which she cites as influential in shaping American identity, as Americans found their values of family, patriotism, andconsumerism embodied in Glenn. Koppel states that American women turned to Glenn, who had been elevated in the media because of her all-American family, as a role model on how to maintain a happy home, and also an indirect propagator of the American value of consumption. The appearance of the Astronaut Wives in the media was marketed to average American housewives. For example, when the wives wore a shade of "responsible pink" lipstick to aLife photoshoot, the published photographs were retouched to show the wives wearing "patriotic red" lipstick instead. The lip color was changed to represent a new, vibrant period in American history. After the magazine was published, red lipstick became a fad. Similarly, while Mercury 7 astronauts were given sportyCorvettes to drive, the wives were strongly encouraged to keep their family-friendly station wagons, which meant that the average American housewives who were following the Astronaut Wives' example also bought station wagons. As a result of Glenn and the other members of the Astronaut Wives Club, women across the U.S. were inspired to be brave and of course, to buy the same consumer goods Glenn and the other wives had in their homes.[10]
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Like her father, Annie Glenn experienced aspeech stutter throughout her life.[1] As a child, Glenn did not feel hindered by her stutter; she happily participated in activities such as softball, girl scouts, school dances, and choir.[4] It was not until sixth grade that she realized her speech impairment.[4] It was determined that her stutter was present in eighty-five percent of her verbal utterances.[11] Despite her difficulty speaking, she was able to create and maintain close relationships.[4] After graduating from college, Glenn wanted to get a job in a different town but because of her disability, her parents were worried about her living independently.[4] However, Glenn found ways to effectively communicate without speaking out loud. For example, before shopping, she would write down exactly what she was looking for and then show the note to the sales clerk when she needed help.[4]
At the age of 53, Glenn discovered and attended a three-week treatment course at Hollins Communications Research Institute inRoanoke, Virginia, to help with herdysfluency.[11] After attending the treatment course, her speech was greatly improved; however, she did not consider herself "cured" of stuttering.[1] Glenn was finally able to confidently vocally interact with others.[12] When her husband began campaigning for the Senate, she was able to support him by giving speeches at public events and at rallies.[1] Glenn used her newfound voice to bring attention to disabled people who she knew had been overlooked so often.[13]
Later, Glenn became anadjunct professor with Ohio State'sSpeech Pathology Department.[6]
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In 1983, Glenn received the first national award of theAmerican Speech and Hearing Association for her meritorious service to those with communicative disorders.[1] In 1987, the National Association for Hearing and Speech Action awarded the first annual Annie Glenn Award for achieving distinction despite a communication disorder.[1] Glenn presented the award toJames Earl Jones as its first recipient.[1] She was inducted into theNational Stuttering Association Hall of Fame in 2004.[14] In 2015,Ohio State University renamed 17th Avenue (on its campus) toAnnie and John Glenn Avenue.[15]
In 2009, the Ohio State University awarded her an honorary Doctorate of Public Service to recognize her work on behalf of children and others.[6] The department awards the "Annie Glenn Leadership Award" annually to a person that has displayed innovative and inspirational work in speech/language pathology.[15]
Organizations in which she was involved include:
Glenn died from complications ofCOVID-19 on May 19, 2020 at a nursing home inSaint Paul, Minnesota. She was 100 years old.[21][22]
Glenn was played byMary Jo Deschanel in the 1983 filmThe Right Stuff.[23] The film highlighted her stutter, particularly in a scene involving U.S. Vice PresidentLyndon B. Johnson.[23] In a 2015 interview, she and John Glenn indicated that, although they liked theTom Wolfebook, they did not care for the movie adaptation ofThe Right Stuff.[24]
In the 2015 ABC-TV seriesThe Astronaut Wives Club, she is portrayed byAzure Parsons[25] and in the 2020 Disney+ seriesThe Right Stuff byNora Zehetner.[26]
{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal= (help)| International | |
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