Henry Luce facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry Luce
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| Born |
Henry Robinson Luce
April 3, 1898 Tengchow, China
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| Died | February 28, 1967 (aged 68) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Yale University |
| Occupation | Publisher, journalist |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) |
Lila Ross Hotz
(m. 1923; div. 1935) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent(s) | Henry W. Luce |
Henry Robinson Luce (born April 3, 1898 – died February 28, 1967) was an American publisher who started famous magazines. He founded Time, Life, Fortune, and Sports Illustrated. Many people called him "the most influential private citizen in America" during his time.
Henry Luce was born in Shandong, China. His parents were Presbyterian missionaries. He moved to the United States when he was 15 years old. Later, he went to Yale College. He created and managed many magazines that changed how millions of Americans read the news. Time magazine summarized the week's news. Life magazine showed pictures of politics, culture, and society. It was very important before television became popular. Fortune magazine reported on business in the U.S. and around the world. Sports Illustrated explored the world of sports. Luce also created radio shows and newsreels. He built one of the first big media companies. He believed the United States would become a world leader. In 1941, he famously said the 20th century would be the "American Century".
Early Life and School
Henry Luce was born in Tengchow (now Penglai), Shandong, China. This was on April 3, 1898. His parents were Elizabeth Root Luce and Henry Winters Luce. His father was a Presbyterian missionary.
When he was 15, Henry Luce moved to the U.S. He went to the Hotchkiss School in Connecticut. He worked hard to stop his stuttering. He was a scholarship student and studied very hard. He was especially good at languages like Greek, Latin, French, German, and Chinese.
At Hotchkiss, he met Briton Hadden. They became very good friends. They both loved journalism. After Hotchkiss, Luce went to Yale. He was a top student there too. He and Hadden worked together on the Yale Daily News newspaper. They started planning to create their own magazine.
Starting Magazines
Henry Luce and Briton Hadden both quit their jobs in 1922. They were 23 years old. They wanted to create a new kind of news magazine. Later that year, they teamed up with Robert Livingston Johnson and another friend from Yale. Together, they started a company called Time Inc.
Luce was the editor-in-chief of all his magazines until 1964. He was also an important member of the Republican Party. He helped shape American foreign policy. He strongly supported Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek and his wife, Soong Mei-ling. This was during their war against the Japanese. The Chiangs appeared on the cover of Time magazine many times.
In 1941, Luce wrote a famous article in Life magazine. It was called "The American Century". This article described how the U.S. should lead the world. It influenced American foreign policy for many years.
Family Life
Henry Luce met his first wife, Lila Hotz, at Yale in 1919. They married in 1923. They had two sons, Peter Paul and Henry Luce III. They divorced in 1935.
In 1935, he married his second wife, Clare Boothe Luce. She had a daughter named Ann Clare Brokaw. Henry Luce helped raise Ann as his own child.
Henry Luce passed away in Phoenix, Arizona in 1967. Most of his money went to the Henry Luce Foundation. His son, Henry III, led this foundation for many years.
Recognition
The United States Postal Service honored Henry Luce with a postage stamp. It was part of the Great Americans series. He was also inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame.
See also
In Spanish: Henry Luce para niños
