Life Magazine

November 23, 2009

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Profile America — Monday, November 23rd. One of America’s most influential and popular magazines published its first issue on this date in 1936. At the time, Life magazine was a startling innovation. Taking advantage of the recently developed, small 35-millimeter camera which could take pictures anywhere, Life established the art of photojournalism. For 36 years, millions of homes across the U.S. eagerly awaited their weekly issues, which chronicled American society and culture in pictures that were a personal experience for readers. Now, no single magazine has the market share that Life enjoyed in the 1930s and ‘40s. Americans spend nearly $46 a year on magazines and 114 hours reading them. Profile America is in its 13th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sources: Chase's Calendar of Events 2009, p. 561
www.life.com
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2009, t. 1089
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2009edition.html