The Muckraker: How the Radical Lincoln Steffens Won the Hearts (If Not the Minds) of Carmel, with journalist Joe Livernois

Carmel Public Library Foundation presents "The Muckraker: How the Radical Lincoln Steffens Won the Hearts (If Not the Minds) of Carmel," with journalist Joe Livernois. This program is part of the Henry Meade Williams Local History Lecture Series.

Lincoln Steffens was one of America’s most influential muckraking journalists—a fierce critic of political corruption and a relentless advocate for reform. Through works like The Shame of the Cities, he exposed graft in city governments and helped define the Progressive Era’s demand for accountability. In his later years, Steffens settled in Carmel-by-the-Sea, bringing his radical ideals to this quiet coastal town. Carmel offered him a place to reflect, write his memoirs, and engage in spirited debate with the town’s artists and intellectuals. Despite his uncompromising views—he remained a vocal socialist and internationalist—Steffens was warmly received. His neighbors may not have shared his politics, but they respected his integrity and wit. In Carmel, the muckraker found a home, and the town, in turn, embraced the rebel in its midst.