With its April 14, 2008 issue, America began its 100th year of publication. Throughout our centennial year, we have been featuring articles and online features highlighting the magazines’ past, while also looking to the future. We invite you to browse through our selection of centennial features below, and visit us again as we continue to celebrate this important birthday.
Watch a brief history of America’s 100 years below:
View a slideshow of artwork and photographs tracing America’s 100 year history.
Editor-in-chief Robert Hartnett, S.J., waged a long-running battles against Senator Joe McCarthy in the pages of America. Read "Cold Warrior."
John LaFarge, S.J., played a key role in the early days of the civil rights movement while he was an editor at America. Read "The Manner is Extraordinary."
James T. Keane talks about America’s colorful history on our October 27 podcast. Listen to this episode.
From Our Pages: Legendary Washington Post columnist Mary McGrory got her start at America, covering John F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign. Read "Washington Front."
Richard H. Tierney substantially changed America from a pacific and low-profile magazine into a controversial journal of opinion on the international political scene. Read "A Bold New Direction."
From Our Pages: "Why Some Look Up to Planets and Heroes," a poem by Thomas Merton from 1963.
From Our Pages: "The Diabolic Plot," by Dorothy Day, from 1933.
Read about the idosyncratic editor who was instrumental in the founding of America: "A Certain Independence of Character."
From Our Pages: "The Future of the Church in America," by Hilaire Belloc. A view of the American church from the famous Catholic apologist, from 1937.
View a pdf copy of America’s first issue, published on April 17, 1909. This may take a few moments to download.
From Our Pages: Fr. Walter Ciszek’s essay "Return from Russia," which was written after he returned from the Soviet Union after 24 years. Read Fr. Ciszek’s article.
In his April 14 Of Many Things column, our editor in chief reflected on the ways America has changed over the years, and looked forward to the celebrations for the centennial year. Read Fr. Drew Christiansen’s column.
To launch our centennial, Fr. Drew Christiansen gathered with acting publisher James Martin, S.J., and James T. Keane, S.J., to discuss plans for the anniversary year. Listen to this podcast.
