author
Francis E. (Francis Ellington) Leupp
1849–1918
A journalist, editor, and public official, this late-19th- and early-20th-century writer moved between newspapers, politics, and debates over U.S. Indian policy. His work offers a window into the ideas and controversies of the Progressive Era.
1 Audiobook
Walks about Washington
by Francis E. (Francis Ellington) Leupp
About the author
Born in New York City on January 2, 1849, he studied at Williams College and later at Columbia Law School before building his career in journalism. He worked with the New York Evening Post, edited the Syracuse Herald, and became known as a writer and newspaper editor with a strong interest in public affairs.
Leupp also served in government, most notably as U.S. Commissioner of Indian Affairs from 1905 to 1909 during Theodore Roosevelt's presidency. That role placed him at the center of federal policy toward Native peoples, and it shaped much of the writing for which he is remembered today.
He wrote nonfiction on Indigenous life and policy, including The Indian and His Problem, combining observation, advocacy, and the assumptions of his era. He died on November 19, 1918, and remains a useful figure for readers interested in American journalism, reform politics, and the history of federal Indian administration.