The 1876 author in the crossword solution is Vidal, a five-letter word. Vidal is the pen name of Gore Vidal, an American writer and public intellectual known for his essays, novels, screenplays, and stage plays. He was also a vocal critic of the political and cultural establishment. Vidal was born in 1925 and died in 2012. He wrote more than 25 novels, five plays, numerous screenplays, and more than 200 essays. His works often explored the nature of power and privilege in the United States.