The Harper Brothers

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 In 1817, brothers James and John Harper founded J. & J. Harper in New York. They were later joined by their younger brothers Wesley and Fletcher, and the company was renamed Harper & Brothers. It became the leading book publisher in the United States during most of the 19th century.


Harper & Brothers played a major role in the early industrialization of book publishing. In the 1850s, they shaped American culture by creating and distributing Harper's New Monthly Magazine and Harper's Weekly. The company had its most significant influence during the three decades following the Civil War. Harper textbooks educated students, Harper trade books were found on family shelves, and Harper periodicals illustrated current affairs and guided national thought.

However, as the literary marketplace evolved, Harper was increasingly viewed an old-fashioned "family" publisher by the century's end. This compelled its corporate reorganization. In 1962, Harper & Brothers merged with Row, Peterson & Company of Evanston, Illinois. The company's name was changed to Harper & Row and underwent other mergers. Today, the firm is known as HarperCollins, one of the world's largest publishing houses.

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