Harper’s Weekly: A Window to the World for More than Half a Century
By Jeffrey V. Moy, North Jersey History and Genealogy Center
A country torn at the seams by hyper-partisanship…warnings about immigrants and homegrown terrorists… anxiety over lightning fast technological developments… questions about the role of special interests in the public sphere.
Sound familiar?
It did to Americans in the last three decades of the nineteenth century.
Following the Civil War our nation continued its rapid industrialization and westward expansion that also brought millions of new immigrants whose customs and religion challenged what it meant to be an American during a time when the nation was still recovering from the psychic and physical traumas of the War itself.
Along the way, Harper’s Weekly: A Journal of Civilization attempted to navigate the complex issues of the day; whether involving stories of small town customs or coverage of political revolution overseas, the New York City-based newspaper presented its readers with beautifully illustrated articles that provided a window to all parts of the world.
Although politically moderate, the publication took editorial positions over the years that modern readers would find both unbelievably conservative and liberal.
During the tenure of famed political cartoonist Thomas Nast, the publisher shared sympathies with Radical Republicanism of the post-bellum era, which advocated for strict enforcement of Reconstruction in the South, sought to protect voting rights of African Americans, decried the rampant political corruption of Northeastern cities, and encouraged free and open immigration.
Nast’s most pointed criticisms were lobbed towards racist Southern Democrats who openly undermined Reconstruction efforts along with the Klansmen who anonymously terrorized freed blacks, as well as corrupt Northern party bosses like William Tweed of New York City who traded favors and jobs in exchange of bribes and political support.
Although born in Germany and overly sympathetic to most immigrants, Nast’s depictions of Irish Catholics and some Eastern Europeans (whom he saw as a threat to traditional American values) were surprisingly racist.
Over the next few months, the North Jersey History and Genealogy Center will offer a glimpse into our historic collection of Harper’s Weekly newspapers to explore how Americans sought to resolve the contentious social, political, and economic programs of the late nineteenth century, even as they wondered at the technological achievements and new frontiers that greeted them each day.
For a behind the scenes look at our collections and additional information on New Jersey history, follow us on Twitter @NJHistoryCenter and on Tumblr at njhgc.tumblr.com.
