The New Yorker magazine is celebrating its 100th birthday this year, and the publication has a little-known connection to the University of Oregon.
The papers of The New Yorker’s co-founder Jane Grant have been archived at the UO, and are available for students to access in their research. The papers include correspondence, manuscripts, war journalism and Grant’s personal materials.
With that—and the publication's anniversary—in mind, journalism professor Charlie Butler designed an honors class around the magazine.
The course include a recent conversation between the class and David Remnick, the magazine's editor and host of the New Yorker Radio Hour.
Remnick told students that publishing long-form journalism in a short-form world has value and purpose. And, he said, in some ways he does so in defiance of today's "hyper-modernity."
When he hears about people who are avoiding the news lately, he said: “If we’re in a moment of crisis, what’s going to resist that crisis, to use the old-fashioned word? You. Not just courts, not just congresspeople. You. And if you disempower yourself, then you can also, I’m afraid, blame yourself.”
Remnick said no singular Vietnam protest caused U.S. policy on the war to change, but the efforts certainly helped. He said he could easily publish a magazine with only “delightful” pieces, but if he did that he would feel irresponsible.
