First published 1994
This collection brings together three pivotal investigative pieces from 1903 that defined American muckraking journalism. Ray Stannard Baker examines labor conflicts in "The Right to Work," focusing on the coal strike and workers' struggles for employment rights. Lincoln Steffens reveals the deep web of political corruption plaguing Minneapolis in "The Shame of Minneapolis," exposing how city officials betrayed public trust. Ida Tarbell chronicles corporate manipulation and monopolistic practices in "The Oil War of 1872," detailing how big business crushed competition. Publisher S. S. McClure provides editorial context for these groundbreaking investigations. Ellen Fitzpatrick adds scholarly perspective to help readers understand how these journalists transformed American media and public discourse. The book demonstrates how these writers used detailed reporting and compelling narratives to expose systemic problems in American society.
Genres: 20th-century, investigative-journalism, activism, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: expos, social-justice
Setting: Minneapolis, America
Period: 1903
132 pages · Paperback · Bedford/St. Martin's