Henry Luce

Lore & Background

At age 15, he was sent to the United States to attend the Hotchkiss School in Connecticut, where he overcame a stutter and became the top student, excelling in languages. There he met Briton Hadden, who became his best friend and later co-founder of Time Inc. Luce then attended Yale University, where he and Hadden worked on the Yale Daily News; Hadden was elected chairman by one vote, and Luce became managing editor. Both were tapped into the Skull and Bones secret society. After Yale, Luce spent a year traveling Europe before returning to Chicago as a junior reporter.

Reader's Guide

Henry Luce's significance lies in his creation of a multimedia empire that redefined American journalism. Through Time, Life, Fortune, and Sports Illustrated, he introduced new formats—summarized news, picture-driven storytelling, business reporting, and sports coverage—that dominated American media before television. Counting his radio projects and newsreels, Luce created the first multimedia corporation. He also wielded political influence, championing anti-communist causes and supporting figures like Chiang Kai-shek and Ngo Dinh Diem. He was honored with a U.S. postage stamp in the Great Americans series.

Did You Know?

• Luce was born in China to Presbyterian missionary parents and spoke Chinese along with Greek, Latin, French, and German.
• Luce and his second wife, Clare Boothe Luce, both had positive experiences in guided LSD sessions before legal restrictions.