Helen Hunt Jackson

Helen Hunt Jackson was born only two blocks away from Dickinson, within 27 days of Dickinson's birth. Dickinson and Jackson went to school together for a few years, but then lost contact until the age of 40, when they began correspondence. They wrote many letters to each other, and Jackson continually urged Dickinson to publish her poems, as Jackson was one of the few people who understood the genius of Dickinson's poetry. The two women had very different personalities: Jackson was a very public person and loved being in the public eye. Thus it is apparent why Jackson published many works within her lifetime, and why she encouraged Dickinson to publish.