Joseph Medill was a powerhouse in 19th century journalism who made no attempt to conceal his bias when it came to political writing. He also had a fascinating second career due to a tragedy, when he became a politician.

Research:
Anderson, Jeffrey Justin. “JOSEPH MEDILL: HOW ONE MAN INFLUENCED THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION OF 1860.” Thesis. Roosevelt University. 2011. https://www.proquest.com/openview/6c0d810b769e5f18c08a028835deba88/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750
Britannica Editors. "Joseph Medill". Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joseph-Medill
Britannica Editors. "Chicago Tribune". Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Aug. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Chicago-Tribune
“Chicago History.” Chicago.gov. https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/about/history.html#:~:text=Incorporated%20as%20a%20city%20in,Hare%20and%20Midway%20International%20airports.
Hughes, Frank. “Lincoln and the Tribune: A Great American and a Great Paper to Mold U.S. History.” Chicago Tribune. June 10, 1947. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/169275545/
“Joseph Medill, Giant of Journalism.” Chicago Tribune. June 10, 1947. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/370685102/?match=1&terms=Joseph%20Medill
“Joseph Medill Is Dead.” Chicago Tribune. March. 17, 1899. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/355009623/?fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjM1NTAwOTYyMywiaWF0IjoxNzY1MjUwOTIxLCJleHAiOjE3NjUzMzczMjF9.T6Xs_g5fD6JZTwZSYECT73-0gILoXji25OQ_fIX1MI4
McKinney, Megan. “The Magnificent Medills: America's Royal Family of Journalism During a Century of Turbulent Splendor.” Harper Collins. 2011.
Medill, Joseph. “Mayor Joseph Medill Inaugural Address, 1871.” https://www.chipublib.org/mayor-joseph-medill-inaugural-address-1871/
Moses, John. “Biographical dictionary and portrait gallery of the representative men of the United States : Illinois volume.” Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co. 1896. Accessed online: https://archive.org/details/biographicaldi1271mose/page/12/mode/2up
Smith, Richard Norton. “The Colonel: The Life and Legend of Robert R. McCormick 1880-1955.” Houghton Mifflin. 1997.

Joseph Medill was a powerhouse in 19th century journalism who made no attempt to conceal his bias when it came to political writing. He also had a fascinating second career due to a tragedy, when he became a politician.
Research:
<ul>
<li>Anderson, Jeffrey Justin. &ldquo;JOSEPH MEDILL: HOW ONE MAN INFLUENCED THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION OF 1860.&rdquo; Thesis. Roosevelt University. 2011. https://www.proquest.com/openview/6c0d810b769e5f18c08a028835deba88/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&amp;cbl=18750</li>
<li>Britannica Editors. "Joseph Medill".&nbsp;Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joseph-Medill</li>
<li>Britannica Editors. "Chicago Tribune".&nbsp;Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Aug. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Chicago-Tribune</li>
<li>&ldquo;Chicago History.&rdquo; Chicago.gov. https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/about/history.html#:~:text=Incorporated%20as%20a%20city%20in,Hare%20and%20Midway%20International%20airports.</li>
<li>Hughes, Frank. &ldquo;Lincoln and the Tribune: A Great American and a Great Paper to Mold U.S. History.&rdquo; Chicago Tribune. June 10, 1947. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/169275545/</li>
<li>&ldquo;Joseph Medill, Giant of Journalism.&rdquo; Chicago Tribune. June 10, 1947. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/370685102/?match=1&amp;terms=Joseph%20Medill</li>
<li>&ldquo;Joseph Medill Is Dead.&rdquo; Chicago Tribune. March. 17, 1899. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/355009623/?fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjM1NTAwOTYyMywiaWF0IjoxNzY1MjUwOTIxLCJleHAiOjE3NjUzMzczMjF9.T6Xs_g5fD6JZTwZSYECT73-0gILoXji25OQ_fIX1MI4</li>
<li>McKinney, Megan. &ldquo;The Magnificent Medills:&nbsp;America's Royal Family of Journalism During a Century of Turbulent Splendor.&rdquo; Harper Collins. 2011.</li>
<li>Medill, Joseph. &ldquo;Mayor Joseph Medill Inaugural Address, 1871.&rdquo; https://www.chipublib.org/mayor-joseph-medill-inaugural-address-1871/</li>
<li>Moses, John. &ldquo;Biographical dictionary and portrait gallery of the representative men of the United States : Illinois volume.&rdquo; Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co. 1896. Accessed online: https://archive.org/details/biographicaldi1271mose/page/12/mode/2up</li>
<li>Smith, Richard Norton. &ldquo;The Colonel: The Life and Legend of Robert R. McCormick 1880-1955.&rdquo; Houghton Mifflin. 1997.</li>
</ul>

Join Holly and Tracy as they bring you the greatest and strangest Stuff You Missed In History Class in this podcast by iHeartRadio.

Stuff You Missed in History Class

Listen to this collection of top episodes from iHeartRadio and iHeartPodcasts. 

Listen to this collection of top episodes from iHeartRadio and iHeartPodcasts.&nbsp;

Podcasts from iHeartRadio

Joseph Medill was a powerhouse in 19th century journalism who made no attempt to conceal his bias when it came to political writing. He also had a fascinating second career due to a tragedy, when he became a politician.

Joseph Medill

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ee0bb8b8-5f93-41d4-b4d6-b3bb00433c47/transcript

This 2018 episode covers the sinking of the SS Princess Sophia, a massive tragedy for both Canada and the United States. But it was also really overshadowed by the end of World War I and the flu pandemic. 

 

This 2018 episode covers the sinking of the SS Princess Sophia, a massive tragedy for both Canada and the United States. But it was also really overshadowed by the end of World War I and the flu pandemic.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

SYMHC Classics: SS Princess Sophia 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/2a86e696-3246-4b07-8a6f-b3b8017cd965/transcript

Tracy shares her experiences watching the show "Molly of Denali." The discussion then turns to glacier surge. 

Tracy shares her experiences watching the show "Molly of Denali." The discussion then turns to glacier surge.&nbsp;

Behind the Scenes Minis: Mountains and Glaciers

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ef0646cc-3091-40c1-8779-b3b8004d62ee/transcript

The final stages of the expedition to summit Denali were grueling for Walter Harper and the rest of the team. And after that accomplishment, Harper's life was tragically short.

Research:
Bishop, Click. “Sponsor Statement SB-144 – Walter Harper Day.” Alaska State Legislature. https://www.akleg.gov/basis/get_documents.asp?session=31&docid=58198
Dean, Patrick. “How Hudson Stuck's Ascent of Denali Boosted Recognition of Indigenous Alaskans.” History News Network. 12/13/2020. https://www.hnn.us/article/how-hudson-stucks-ascent-of-denali-boosted-recogni
Denali National Park and Preserve. “Superintendent Harry Karstens.” https://www.nps.gov/dena/learn/photosmultimedia/station06a.htm
Ehrlander, Mary. “Walter Harper, Alaska Native Son.” UAF Summer Sessions & Lifelong Learning. Via YouTube. 7/7/2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-FrvS3gONg
Farquhar, Francis P. “Henry P. Karstens—1878-1955.” The American Alpine Club. https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12195611200/Henry-P-Karstens-1878-1955
Hayes, Alan L. “One Congregation, Two Cultures: St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Nenana, Alaska.” Anglican and Episcopal History, vol. 68, no. 1, 1999, pp. 141–46. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/42612013. Accessed 24 Nov. 2025.
James, David A. “In story of the legendary ‘Walter Harper: Alaska Native Son,’ Denali is just the beginning.” Alaska Daily News. 12/16/2017. https://www.adn.com/arts/books/2017/12/16/in-story-of-the-legendary-walter-harper-alaska-native-son-denali-is-just-the-beginning/
James, David. “The Brief, But Bright Story of Walter Harper.” Alaska. 5/21/2022. https://alaskamagazine.com/authentic-alaska/the-brief-but-bright-story-of-walter-harper/
John, Peter. “The Gospel According to Peter John.” Krupa, David J., editor. Alaska Native Knowledge Network. 1996. https://ankn.uaf.edu/publications/Books/Peter_John.pdf
Johnson, Erik. “Honoring the Unsung Heroes of the 1913 Summit Expedition: Esaias George and John Fredson.” National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/dena-history-unsung-heroes.htm
Johnson, Erik. “The Ultimate Triumph and Tragedy: Remembering Walter Harper 100 Years Later.” National Park Service. Denali National Park. https://www.nps.gov/articles/dena-history-harper.htm
Manville, Julie and Ross Maller. “The Influence of Christian Missionaries on Alaskan Indigenous Peoples.” Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion. Vol. 5, Article 8. 2009.
Miller, Matt. “‘May Light Perpetual Shine Upon Them.’” KTOO. https://www.ktoo.org/2013/10/26/may-light-perpetual-shine-upon-them/
New York Times. “Yukon Indian Opens Coney Island Eyes.” 6/1/1914.
Stuck, Hudson. “A winter circuit of our Arctic coast; a narrative of a journey with dog-sleds around the entire Arctic coast of Alaska.” New York. C. Scribner’s Sons. 1920. https://archive.org/details/wintercircuito00stuc/
Stuck, Hudson. “Ten Thousand Miles With A Dog Sled a Narrative of winter travel in Interior Alaska.” 1917. https://archive.org/details/tenthousandmiles0000huds/
Stuck, Hudson. “The ascent of Denali (Mount McKinley) a narrative of the first complete ascent of the highest peak in North America.” New York, C. Scribner's Sons. 1914. https://archive.org/details/ascentofdenalimo01stuc/
Stuck, Hudson. “Voyages on the Yukon and its tributaries: a narrative of summer travel in the interior of Alaska.” New York : Charles Scribner's Sons. 1917. https://archive.org/details/cihm_76545/
Walker, Tom. “A Brief Account of the 1913 Climb of Mount McKinley.” Denali National Park and Preserve. https://www.nps.gov/dena/learn/historyculture/1913ex.htm
Woodside, Christine. “Who Led the First Ascent of Denali? Hudson Stuck, Archdeacon of the Yukon.” Vol. 63, No., 2 Summer/Fall 2012.

The final stages of the expedition to summit Denali were grueling for Walter Harper and the rest of the team. And after that accomplishment, Harper's life was tragically short.
Research:
<ul>
<li>Bishop, Click. &ldquo;Sponsor Statement SB-144 &ndash; Walter Harper Day.&rdquo; Alaska State Legislature. https://www.akleg.gov/basis/get_documents.asp?session=31&amp;docid=58198</li>
<li>Dean, Patrick. &ldquo;How Hudson Stuck's Ascent of Denali Boosted Recognition of Indigenous Alaskans.&rdquo; History News Network. 12/13/2020. https://www.hnn.us/article/how-hudson-stucks-ascent-of-denali-boosted-recogni</li>
<li>Denali National Park and Preserve. &ldquo;Superintendent Harry Karstens.&rdquo; https://www.nps.gov/dena/learn/photosmultimedia/station06a.htm</li>
<li>Ehrlander, Mary. &ldquo;Walter Harper, Alaska Native Son.&rdquo; UAF Summer Sessions &amp; Lifelong Learning. Via YouTube. 7/7/2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-FrvS3gONg</li>
<li>Farquhar, Francis P. &ldquo;Henry P. Karstens&mdash;1878-1955.&rdquo; The American Alpine Club. https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12195611200/Henry-P-Karstens-1878-1955</li>
<li>Hayes, Alan L. &ldquo;One Congregation, Two Cultures: St. Mark&rsquo;s Episcopal Church Nenana, Alaska.&rdquo; Anglican and Episcopal History, vol. 68, no. 1, 1999, pp. 141&ndash;46. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/42612013. Accessed 24 Nov. 2025.</li>
<li>James, David A. &ldquo;In story of the legendary &lsquo;Walter Harper: Alaska Native Son,&rsquo; Denali is just the beginning.&rdquo; Alaska Daily News. 12/16/2017. https://www.adn.com/arts/books/2017/12/16/in-story-of-the-legendary-walter-harper-alaska-native-son-denali-is-just-the-beginning/</li>
<li>James, David. &ldquo;The Brief, But Bright Story of Walter Harper.&rdquo; Alaska. 5/21/2022. https://alaskamagazine.com/authentic-alaska/the-brief-but-bright-story-of-walter-harper/</li>
<li>John, Peter. &ldquo;The Gospel According to Peter John.&rdquo; Krupa, David J., editor. Alaska Native Knowledge Network. 1996. https://ankn.uaf.edu/publications/Books/Peter_John.pdf</li>
<li>Johnson, Erik. &ldquo;Honoring the Unsung Heroes of the 1913 Summit Expedition: Esaias George and John Fredson.&rdquo; National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/dena-history-unsung-heroes.htm</li>
<li>Johnson, Erik. &ldquo;The Ultimate Triumph and Tragedy: Remembering Walter Harper 100 Years Later.&rdquo; National Park Service. Denali National Park. https://www.nps.gov/articles/dena-history-harper.htm</li>
<li>Manville, Julie and Ross Maller. &ldquo;The Influence of Christian Missionaries on Alaskan Indigenous Peoples.&rdquo; Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion. Vol. 5, Article 8. 2009.</li>
<li>Miller, Matt. &ldquo;&lsquo;May Light Perpetual Shine Upon Them.&rsquo;&rdquo; KTOO. https://www.ktoo.org/2013/10/26/may-light-perpetual-shine-upon-them/</li>
<li>New York Times. &ldquo;Yukon Indian Opens Coney Island Eyes.&rdquo; 6/1/1914.</li>
<li>Stuck, Hudson. &ldquo;A winter circuit of our Arctic coast; a narrative of a journey with dog-sleds around the entire Arctic coast of Alaska.&rdquo; New York. C. Scribner&rsquo;s Sons. 1920. https://archive.org/details/wintercircuito00stuc/</li>
<li>Stuck, Hudson. &ldquo;Ten Thousand Miles With A Dog Sled a Narrative of winter travel in Interior Alaska.&rdquo; 1917. https://archive.org/details/tenthousandmiles0000huds/</li>
<li>Stuck, Hudson. &ldquo;The ascent of Denali (Mount McKinley) a narrative of the first complete ascent of the highest peak in North America.&rdquo; New York, C. Scribner's Sons. 1914. https://archive.org/details/ascentofdenalimo01stuc/</li>
<li>Stuck, Hudson. &ldquo;Voyages on the Yukon and its tributaries: a narrative of summer travel in the interior of Alaska.&rdquo; New York : Charles Scribner's Sons. 1917. https://archive.org/details/cihm_76545/</li>
<li>Walker, Tom. &ldquo;A Brief Account of the 1913 Climb of Mount McKinley.&rdquo; Denali National Park and Preserve. https://www.nps.gov/dena/learn/historyculture/1913ex.htm</li>
<li>Woodside, Christine. &ldquo;Who Led the First Ascent of Denali? Hudson Stuck, Archdeacon of the Yukon.&rdquo; Vol. 63, No., 2 Summer/Fall 2012.</li>
</ul>

The final stages of the expedition to summit Denali were grueling for Walter Harper and the rest of the team. And after that accomplishment, Harper's life was tragically short.

Walter Harper and the Summiting of Denali, Part 2

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/7a2a78e4-025e-47c4-a86e-b3b60062310b/transcript

Joseph Medill

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