Antebellum Urban Reporting as Literary Journalism and Muckraking

Abstract

This article examines the writings of George G. Foster in antebellum New York. It analyzes his particular style of social commentary as literary journalism and an early form of muckraking. A review of primary and secondary sources reveals that although presented in a more sensational, yet non-fiction style, Foster's writings, published in the New-York Tribune and in his books, demonstrate a unique critical, expository, and even self-reflective approach to journalism that existed long before famous twentieth century muckrakers and literary journalists changed American print culture. By focusing on the work of the largely understudied writer in the context of society, culture, and the press during the mid-nineteenth century, this article demonstrates that such early alternative forms of reporting should be viewed as a notable endeavor in the history of journalism.