Flappers & Fiction

Murat Halstead presents a biographical portrait of Horace Greeley seventeen years after his death, examining his life from poor printer’s boy to powerful editor and failed presidential candidate. Greeley was known for his fierce anti-slavery writing, his controversial signing of Jefferson Davis’s bail bond, and his principled but often unpopular political stances. The article chronicles his early struggles, including a touching speech about his time working in Erie, Pennsylvania as a young man seeking employment. Despite facing criticism for his actions and never achieving great wealth or high office, Greeley remained committed to his principles throughout his career in journalism and politics.