McClure Publishing Company archives

The publishing enterprises of Samuel Sidney McClure. born in County Antrim, Ireland, on February 17, 1857, are an important facet of early twentieth-century American journalism. The McClure Syndicate, started by Samuel Sidney McClure in 1884, was the first successful company of its kind, and was largely responsible for introducing many American and British writers to a national public. His later venture, McClure's Magazine, contained the influential "muckraking" articles of Ida Tarbell, Ray Stannard Baker, and Lincoln Steffens; it also had the distinction of promoting the then-unknown writer, Willa Cather. The material in the McClure Publishing Company Archive contains 1 linear foot of correspondence, photographs, clippings, financial and legal documents, and manuscripts relating to the company. There is also a significant amount of material concerning the company's founder, Samuel Sidney McClure, along with documents relating to his cousin, Henry Herbert McClure. The collection is organized in three series. The first contains primarily business correspondence from various literary figures and McClure staff members. The second includes various material relating to Samuel Sidney McClure. The third contains financial and legal documents relating to Henry Herbert McClure.