Lincoln Steffens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lincoln Steffens
|
|
|---|---|
Steffens in 1895. Photo by Rockwood.
|
|
| Born |
Lincoln Austin Steffens
April 6, 1866 |
| Died | August 9, 1936 (aged 70) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of California |
| Occupation | Muckraking journalist |
| Employer |
|
| Known for |
|
| Spouse(s) | Josephine Bontecou (m. 1881–1911), Ella Winter (m. 1924–1936) |
| Children | Pete Steffens |
| Parent(s) | Joseph Steffens and Elizabeth Louisa Symes |
Lincoln Austin Steffens (April 6, 1866 – August 9, 1936) was an American journalist. He was known for his investigative reporting. He was one of the most famous "muckrakers" of his time. Muckrakers were journalists who exposed corruption. This was during the Progressive Era in the early 1900s.
Steffens wrote a series of articles for McClure's magazine. These articles were called "Tweed Days in St. Louis." They were later published in a book titled The Shame of the Cities. He is remembered for looking into corruption in city governments across America. He also held strong beliefs about social change.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Lincoln Steffens was born in San Francisco, California. He was the only son and the oldest of four children. His parents were Elizabeth Louisa (Symes) Steffens and Joseph Steffens. He grew up mostly in Sacramento, California. This is the state capital.
His family's large Victorian house was bought in 1887. It later became the California Governor's Mansion in 1903. Steffens went to the Saint Matthew's Episcopal Day School. He often had disagreements with the school's strict director, Alfred Lee Brewer.
A Career in Journalism
Steffens started his journalism career in the 1890s. He worked at the New York Commercial Advertiser. Later, he moved to the New York Evening Post. He then became an editor at McClure's magazine.
At McClure's, he joined two other famous muckrakers. They were Ida Tarbell and Ray Stannard Baker. Steffens focused on investigating corruption in government and politics. He published two collections of his articles. These were The Shame of the Cities (1904) and The Struggle for Self-Government (1906).
In The Shame of the Cities, Steffens wanted to inspire change. He showed examples of corrupt governments in American cities. He hoped to make Americans feel angry enough to demand reforms. In 1906, he, Tarbell, and Baker left McClure's. They started their own publication, The American Magazine.
Reporting on Revolutions
From 1914 to 1915, Steffens reported on the Mexican Revolution. He began to think that revolutions might be better than slow reforms. In 1919, he visited Soviet Russia. He saw a society going through big revolutionary changes. He wrote that it was a "revolutionary government with an evolutionary plan."
After returning, he spoke about the Soviet Revolution. He famously said, "I have seen the future, and it works." He often repeated this phrase. However, his excitement for communism faded by 1931. This was when his autobiography was published.
Later Life and Family
His autobiography became a bestseller. This brought him back into the public eye for a short time. However, illness cut short his lecture tour in 1933. Steffens was a member of the California Writers Project. This was a program from the New Deal era.
In 1924, he married Ella Winter, a socialist writer. She was twenty-six years old. They moved to Italy, where their son, Peter, was born. Two years later, they moved to Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. This was a large art community. Ella and Lincoln became well-known for their leftist political views in the area.
In 1934, Steffens and Winter helped start the San Francisco Workers' School. It was later called the California Labor School. Steffens also worked there as an advisor.
Death and Legacy
Lincoln Steffens died on August 9, 1936. He passed away in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. He had a heart condition.
In 2011, a writer for The New York Times noted that Steffens is not widely remembered today. However, his work as a muckraker helped shape investigative journalism.
Works
- Pittsburgh is Hell with the Lid Off (1903)
- The Shame of the Cities (1904)
- The Traitor State (1905)
- Autobiography of Lincoln Steffens (1931)
