Timeline of the Desiderata
Origins and Early Dissemination
1927
Max Ehrmann, a lawyer and writer from Terre Haute, Indiana, registers Desiderata with the U.S. Copyright Office.
1933
Ehrmann sends Desiderata as a Christmas card without a copyright notice, a decision that later impacts its legal status.
1940s
Army psychiatrist Merrill Moore distributes over 1,000 copies of the poem, with Ehrmann's permission, to soldiers and patients, further spreading its reach.
Misattribution and Popularity Surge
1956
Rev. Frederick Ward Kates of Old St. Paul’s Church in Baltimore includes Desiderata in a Lenten devotional booklet. The church's letterhead, stating "Old St. Paul's Church, A.D. 1692," is mistakenly interpreted as the poem's origin date, leading to widespread misattribution.
1965
After the death of Adlai Stevenson, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, a copy of Desiderata is found on his bedside table. He had planned to use it for his Christmas cards, bringing renewed attention to the poem.
Fred Werner's Musical Adaptation
1971
Fred Werner, an American composer with a background in Broadway and television, collaborates with former TV talk show host Les Crane to produce a musical version of Desiderata. Werner's arrangement features a gospel choir and harpsichord, with Crane narrating the poem. The song enters the Billboard charts in October and peaks at number 8 by December 10. The album wins the 1971 Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Recording.
Legal Challenges and Public Domain Status
August 1971
Desiderata is published in Success Unlimited magazine without authorization, leading to legal disputes over its copyright status.
1975
Robert L. Bell of Crescendo Publishing files a lawsuit against Combined Registry Company, the publisher of Success Unlimited. The court rules that Desiderata had entered the public domain due to earlier distributions without copyright notices.
1976
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals upholds the decision, confirming the poem's public domain status in certain jurisdictions.
Legacy and Continued Influence
2010
A bronze statue of Max Ehrmann is unveiled in Terre Haute, Indiana, commemorating his contribution to literature and the enduring impact of Desiderata.
2024
Fred Werner passes away on June 11, his 90th birthday. He is honored at the 77th Tony Awards for his contributions to music and theater.
2025
The Desiderata Project, headed by Julie Meyers Werner begins the search for talent to bring about a renewed vision of The Desiderata for the modern age, seeking to spread the loving message of the Desiderata to the many who need to hear its profound words.