Anna Margaret Glenn (; February 17, 1920May 19, 2020) was an American advocate for people with disabilities and communication disorders and the wife of astronaut and senator John Glenn. A stutterer from an early age, Glenn promoted the awareness of stuttering and other disabilities among children and adults.
Early life and education
Anna Margaret Castor was born on February 17, 1920, in Columbus, Ohio, to Homer and Margaret (Alley) Castor. Her father was a dentist. In 1923, the Castor family moved to New Concord, Ohio. The families developed a friendship which allowed Castor and Glenn to remain close as they grew up. choosing instead to stay in Ohio with Glenn. Castor and Glenn were married on April 6, 1943. In an effort to boost American citizens' confidence in their government, U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower decided to become involved in the Space Race and launch Project Mercury. Annie Glenn was one of the wives of the Mercury 7 astronauts. These women "rocketed to fame" to become celebrities.
In her book The Astronaut Wives Club (which later became a television 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, and consumerism 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 a Life 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 sporty Corvettes 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. Despite her difficulty speaking, she was able to create and maintain close relationships. When her husband began campaigning for the Senate, she was able to support him by giving speeches at public events and at rallies.
Later, Glenn became an adjunct professor with Ohio State's Speech Pathology Department.
Awards and honors
thumb|right|200px|The Glenns in 2012
In 1983, Glenn received the first national award of the American Speech and Hearing Association for her meritorious service to those with communicative disorders. In 2015, Ohio State University<!--Wikipedians do not use "The" as part of Ohio State's name; it is considered a marketing gimmick, and routinely deleted.--> renamed 17th Avenue (on its campus) to Annie and John Glenn Avenue.
Activities and involvements
Organizations in which she was involved include:
- Delta Gamma Theta Sorority (Muskingum College)
- The Ohio Board of Child Abuse
- The Board of Columbus (Ohio) Speech and Hearing Center
- The Board of Trustees of Muskingum College
- The Advisory Panel of the Central Ohio Speech and Hearing Association
Death
Glenn died from complications of COVID-19 on May 19, 2020 at a nursing home in Saint Paul, Minnesota. She was 100 years old.
Portrayals in popular culture
Glenn was played by Mary Jo Deschanel in the 1983 film The Right Stuff. The film highlighted her stutter, particularly in a scene involving U.S. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson.
In the 2015 ABC-TV series The Astronaut Wives Club, she is portrayed by Azure Parsons and in the 2020 Disney+ series The Right Stuff by Nora Zehetner.