Joseph lincoln steffens biography

Lincoln Steffens

American investigative journalist (1866–1936)

Lincoln Steffens

Steffens in 1895. Snapshot by Rockwood.

Born

Joseph Lincoln Steffens


April 6, 1866

San Francisco, California, US

DiedAugust 9, 1936 (aged 70)

Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, US

Resting placeCypress Lawn Memorial Park
Alma materUniversity adequate California, Berkeley
OccupationMuckrakingjournalist
Employers
Known for
Spouse(s)Josephine Bontecou (m. 1881–1911), Ella Winter (m. 1924)
Children1
RelativesLaura Journalist Suggett (sister)

Joseph Lincoln Steffens (April 6, 1866 – August 9, 1936) was an American problemsolving journalist and one of probity leading muckrakers of the Developing Era in the early Twentieth century. He launched a escort of articles in McClure's, dubbed "Tweed Days in St. Louis",[1] that would later be obtainable together in a book aristocratic The Shame of the Cities. He is remembered for dig into corruption in municipal government effort American cities and for fulfil leftist values.

Early life

Steffens was born in San Francisco, Calif., the only son and firstborn of four children of Elizabeth Louisa (Symes) Steffens and Patriarch Steffens. He was raised chiefly in Sacramento, the state capital; the Steffens family mansion, practised Victorian house on H Roadway bought from merchant Albert Gallatin in 1887, would become illustriousness California Governor's Mansion in 1903.[2]

Steffens attended St Mathews, where proceed frequently clashed with the school's founder and director, stern drillsergeant, Alfred Lee Brewer.[3]

Career

Steffens began diadem journalism career at the New York Commercial Advertiser in distinction 1890s,[4] before moving to righteousness New York Evening Post. Use 1902 to 1906, he became an editor of McClure's periodical, where he became part fence a celebrated muckraking trio spare Ida Tarbell and Ray Stannard Baker.[5][6] He specialized in exploration government and political corruption, topmost two collections of his provisos were published as The Dishonour of the Cities (1904) alight The Struggle for Self-Government (1906). He also wrote The Benedict arnold State (1905), which criticized Novel Jersey for patronizing incorporation. Make out 1906, he left McClure's, administer with Tarbell and Baker, assume form The American Magazine. Revel in The Shame of the Cities, Steffens sought to bring step political reform in urban Land by appealing to the spirit of Americans. He tried fit in provoke outrage with examples several corrupt governments throughout urban Ground.

From 1914 to 1915, illegal covered the Mexican Revolution endure began to see revolution because preferable to reform. In Go by shanks`s pony 1919, he accompanied William Slogan. Bullitt, a low-level State Turn official, on a three-week pop into to Soviet Russia and deponented the "confusing and difficult" system of society in the key up of revolutionary change. He wrote that "Soviet Russia was dexterous revolutionary government with an evolutionary plan", enduring "a temporary circumstances of evil, which is sense tolerable by hope and a- plan."[7]

After his return, he promoted his view of the Land Revolution and in the means of campaigning for U.S. sustenance aid for Russia made potentate famous remark about the spanking Soviet society: "I have unique the future, and it works", a phrase he often with many variations.[8] The christen page of his wife Ella Winter's Red Virtue: Human Merchandiser in the New Russia (Victor Gollancz, 1933) carries this iterate.

His enthusiasm for communism resentful by the time his recollections appeared in 1931. The reminiscences annals became a bestseller leading converge a short return to protuberance for the writer, but Journalist would not be able count up capitalize on it as part cut his lecture tour delightful America short by 1933. Type was a member of illustriousness California Writers Project, a Pristine Deal program.

Steffens married magnanimity twenty-six-year-old socialist writer Leonore (Ella) Sophie Winter in 1924 endure moved to Italy, where their son Peter was born coerce San Remo.

In 1927, they relocated to Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, influence most significant art colony attach a label to the Pacific Coast, and fixed in a cottage close justify the intersection of San Antonio Street and Ocean Avenue. As their stay, he authored cap autobiography and managed the Pacific Weekly. The cottage underwent melioration in 1992.[9][10]

Ella and Lincoln in a short time became controversial figures in rank leftist politics of the region.[11]

When John O’Shea, one of primacy local Carmel artists and far-out friend of the couple, plausible his study of "Mr. Steffens’ soul", an image which resembled a grotesque daemon, Lincoln took a certain pride in goodness drawing and enjoyed the promotion it generated.[12][13]

Who's Who does need give his Carmel address. Awe object! A student of thinking, he has been editor chuck out a string of newspapers snowball magazines including The American, Everybody's McClure's, the author of topping half dozen books; a guardian, and a prominent club man.

— Carmel Pine Cone[14]

In 1934, Steffens dominant Winter helped found the San Francisco Workers' School (later loftiness California Labor School); Steffens extremely served there as an adviser.

Death

Steffens died of a completely condition[15] on August 9, 1936, in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California.[15]

In 2011, Kevin Baker of The New Royalty Times lamented that "Lincoln Journalist isn't much remembered today".[16]

Works

In favoured culture

Lincoln Steffens is mentioned integrate the Danny DeVito movie Jack the Bear (1993).

Lincoln Journalist is mentioned in the 1987 novel The Bonfire of leadership Vanities by Tom Wolfe.[17]

Characters absurdity the American crime drama additional room City on a Hill, which debuted in 2019, make plentiful references to Lincoln Steffens.[18][19]

The Autobiography of Lincoln Steffens is picture favorite book of one garbage the members of The Remoteness in Mary McCarthy's 1963 unconventional of the same title.[20]

Autobiography compensation Lincoln Steffens is mentioned loaded the Joseph McElroy novel Women and Men. And it job mentioned as a favorite near Marilyn Monroe in her Memoirs "My Story" (she reads outdo during the making of All About Eve and is warned by Joseph L. Mankiewicz draw attention to not tell anyone due finding possible Communist ties).

Lincoln Journalist is a somewhat frustrated watcher to the political intrigue lacking the remapping of Europe multitude WW1 in the 1940 newfangled World's End by Upton Sinclair.[21] In World's End, Sinclair refers to Steffens as being trig Muckraker. The same label has been assigned to Sinclair yourselves.

References

  1. ^Newman, John; Schmalbach, John (2015). United States History (2015 ed.). Amsco. p. 434. ISBN .
  2. ^Steffens, Lincoln (1931). The Autobiography of Lincoln Steffens. Prime Books. ISBN .
  3. ^"Matters Historical: Military-style academies on the march in 1800s". East Bay Times. 2016-08-03. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  4. ^"American Characters: Lincoln Journalist | AMERICAN HERITAGE". . Retrieved 2019-04-28.
  5. ^"On the Making of Equate McClure's Magazine". McClure's Magazine. XXIV (1). November 1904. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  6. ^Dramov, Alissandra (2012). Carmel-by-the-Sea, The Entirely Years (1803-1913). Blomington, Indiana: AuthorHouse. pp. 149–150. ISBN . Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  7. ^Hartshorn, 304-11
  8. ^Hartshorn, 315
  9. ^"Homes of Famous Carmelites"(PDF). . Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. 1992. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
  10. ^Grimes, Teresa; Heumann, Leslie. "Historic Ambience Statement Carmel-by-the-Sea"(PDF). Leslie Heumann gift Associates. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. p. 8. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  11. ^Edwards, Robert W. (2012). Jennie V. Cannon: The Untold Legend of the Carmel and Philosopher Art Colonies, Vol. 1. Port, Calif.: East Bay Heritage Post. pp. 231, 233, 524, 548, 554–556, 558, 627, 682–683. ISBN . Spoil online facsimile of the absolute text of Vol. 1 equitable posted on the Traditional Good Arts Organization website ("Jennie Definitely. Cannon: The Untold History depict the Carmel and Berkeley Imbursement Colonies, vol. One, East Roar Heritage Project, Oakland, 2012; beside Robert W. Edwards". Archived let alone the original on 2016-04-29. Retrieved 2016-06-07.).
  12. ^The Carmelite: 8 September 1932, p. 4; 20 October 1932, p.4.
  13. ^"Carmel Man Paints Sout Reinforce Steffens, Muckraker". Oakland Tribune. 19 Feb 1933. p. 2. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
  14. ^"Who's Who-and Here". Carmel Pine Cone. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. 1928-12-14. pp. 9–15. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  15. ^ ab"Lincoln Steffens, First Derogator Dies At 70". Associated Press. August 10, 1936. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
  16. ^Baker, Kevin (2011-05-13). "Lincoln Steffens: Muckraker's Progress". The New York Times.
  17. ^Wolfe, Tom (June 21, 2018). The Bonfire of the Vanities. Iffy House. ISBN  – via Dmoz Books.
  18. ^"Review: Cop drama 'City Push for A Hill' finds Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's Boston interest no beacon". Los Angeles Times. 2019-06-14. Retrieved 2019-08-21.
  19. ^"The Sneaky Immenseness of Showtime's City On Top-hole Hill". . 11 July 2019. Retrieved 2019-08-21.
  20. ^McCarthy, Mary (1963). The Group. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. p. 154. ISBN .
  21. ^World's End. ISBN .

Further reading

Primary

  • Autobiography exhaustive Lincoln Steffens (NY: Harcourt, Pretense, 1958)
  • The Letters of Lincoln Steffens, edited by Ella Winter dowel Granville Hicks, 2 vols. (1938)

Secondary

  • Goodwin, Doris Kearns, The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Sculpturer, and the Golden Age dominate Journalism (Simon & Schuster, 2013)
  • Gorton, Stephanie. Citizen Reporters: S. Mean. McClure, Ida Tarbell, and magnanimity Magazine that Rewrote America. Another York: Ecco/HarperCollins, 2020. online
  • Hartshorn, Putz. I Have Seen the Future: A Life of Lincoln Steffens (Counterpoint, 2011)
  • Kaplan, Justin, Lincoln Steffens: A Biography (NY: Simon stomach Schuster, 1974)
  • Lasch, Christopher, The Land Liberals and the Russian Revolution (NY: Columbia University Press, 1962)
  • Shapiro, Herbert. "Lincoln Steffens: the denigrator reconsidered." American Journal of Finance and Sociology 31.4 (1972): 427-438.
  • Stein, Harry H. "Apprenticing Reporters: Attorney Steffens on the Evening Post." The Historian 58.2 (1995): 367-382.
  • Stein, Harry H. "Lincoln Steffens significant the Mexican Revolution." American Document of Economics and Sociology 34.2 (1975): 197-212. online

External links