The American Magazine, July 1932

The American Magazine, July 1932

The American Magazine was a periodical publication founded in June of 1906, stemming from failed publications purchased a few years earlier from publishing mogul Miriam Leslie. It operated between 1904 and August 1905 as Leslie's Magazine; then until May 1906 as the American Illustrated Magazine; then subsequently as The American Magazine until publication ceased in August 1956. In June 1906, muckraking journalists Ray Stannard Baker, Lincoln Steffens and Ida M. Tarbell left McClure's to help create American Magazine. Ray Stannard Baker contributed articles under the pseudynom David Grayson. Under John S. Phillips, who served as editor until 1915, the monthly magazine departed somewhat from the muckraking style and focused on human interest stories, social issues and fiction. Initially published by his Phillips Publishing Company of Springfield, Ohio, it later was taken over by Crowell Publishing Company, which merged with Collier's. It was published by Crowell-Collier until the magazine folded in 1956. With the changes in 1915, the periodical's editor was John M. Siddall (1915-1923), and it expanded its market considerably by concentrating on female readership. The cover of the September 1917 issue announced: "This Magazine's Circulation Has Doubled in 20 Months." The September 1922 cover stated circulation had reached 1.8 million. Merle Crowell served as editor of American Magazine from 1923 until 1929 when Sumner Blossom took over. Blossom, who had been editor of Popular Science, was there for the last 27 years of the magazine's existence. Fictional serials and short stories were a popular feature, and the magazine published several winners of the O. Henry Awards. High-profile writers contributed articles on a variety of topics. During his editorship, Blossom adopted the unusual policy of hiding the author's name on all works of fiction during the selection process, as a way to encourage new fiction writers. The magazine's staff only learned the author's identity once they accepted or rejected a manuscript. The American Magazine ceased publishing in August of 1956.

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