Dearborn Independent Graphics Files

Photoprints and drawings used to illustrate articles in The Dearborn Independent during a portion of Henry Ford's ownership.

DOWNLOAD FINDING AID (PDF)

Biographical / Historical Note

The Dearborn Independent began publication in 1901 in Dearborn, Michigan. It was published between 1901 and 1905 by J.J. Brown of the Suburban Publishing Company, and from 1905 until 1918 by M.T. Woodruff. Henry Ford purchased the small-town weekly in November 1918 to provide a forum in which to rectify what he felt were misinterpretations of his opinions by the press, and as an outlet for his ideas on social issues. The Dearborn Publishing Company, which published The Dearborn Independent, was formed in November 1918, with Henry Ford as president, Clara Ford, vice-president, Edsel Ford, secretary-treasurer and E.G. Pipp, editor. The first publication under Henry Ford's ownership was issued on January 11, 1919.

Articles covered a wide range of topics and geographical areas, both national and international. The following fields were particularly well-covered: politics; industry and agriculture; transportation; education and training; science and technology; health and welfare; leisure and travel; entertainment and the arts.

The newspaper is remembered chiefly as a vehicle for Henry Ford's anti-Semitic views, aired in two campaigns in 1920-1921 and 1924-1925. The second, and most notorious, campaign criticized Chicago attorney Aaron Sapiro for organizing farmers into what Ford felt were unfair marketing monopolies. Sapiro brought a defamation of character lawsuit against Henry Ford in March 1927 which was settled out of court the following July. Henry Ford published his last issue of The Dearborn Independent in December 1927.

Despite its vast circulation, with subscriptions exceeding 900,000 at its peak in 1925 and 1926, The Dearborn Independent was not a commercial success during the Ford era, losing $5 million in 8 years. In late 1928, The Dearborn Independent subsequently resumed publication as a triweekly newspaper, under the new ownership of George O. St. Charles. It was amalgamated with The Dearborn Press in 1961, under the title, The Dearborn Press-The Dearborn Independent. In 1963, the name was dropped entirely from the newspaper, which continued to be published as The Dearborn Press.

Less

Scope and Content Note

These files were found in the home of James Clyde Gilbert, who was secretary to William J. Cameron for 20 years, including the period of Cameron's editorship of The Dearborn Independent between 1921 and 1927. The collection was acquired by the Benson...

The collection includes photoprints and drawings which were used to illustrate articles in The Dearborn Independent during a portion of the period of Henry Ford's ownership. The range of subject matter of the images is vast. The following examples give an idea of the diversity: laboratory technicians smashing plates in Washington DC to test the relative durability of American and imported crockery; hydro-electric power plants; blind war veterans plucking chickens in a rehabilitation project; inventions that include lie detectors, electronic medical equipment to diagnose disease, and coffee decaffeinators; Seminole Indians in full tribal costume instructing wealthy American women in archery; children visiting art galleries; bread lines in New York; the destruction of illegal gambling and distilling equipment during Prohibition; and an elderly African-American woman fleeing the flooded Mississippi River with her few remaining possessions.

The illustrations, and corresponding texts in which the images appeared, are organized by date of issue. The images are further subdivided by individual article within each folder. Related images taken to illustrate articles but never published are included in the corresponding folders. Miscellaneous graphics that cannot be identified with a particular article in The Dearborn Independent are included in box 16. There is also a box 17 which holds oversize material.

Less

Collection Details

Object ID: 91.98.1
Creator: Dearborn Publishing Company
Inclusive Dates: circa 1750-1926
Size: 9.1 cubic ft. (17 boxes)
Language: English

Collection Access & Use

Item Location: Not Currently On Exhibit

Access Restrictions: The records are open for research.

Credit: From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford R. Bryan.

Keywords

Drawings (Visual works)

Periodicals

Photographs

Anti-Jewish propaganda

Antisemitism

Businesses (Business enterprises)

Fashion (Concept)

International relations

Newspaper industry

Political participation

Reporters and reporting

Travel

Ford, Henry, 1863-1947

Digitized Artifacts From This Collection

In many cases, not all artifacts have been digitized.
Contact us for more information about this collection.

Looking South toward Randolph Street from the Michigan Avenue Bridge, Chicago, Illinois, 1920-1922

Details

Looking South toward Randolph Street from the Michigan Avenue Bridge, Chicago, Illinois, 1920-1922

View in our Collectionson thehenryford.org

Artifact

Photographic print

Date Made

1920-1922

Creators

Dearborn Publishing Company