Harper's Magazine Foundation

[ Support Harper's ]

Harper’s Magazine Foundation

Defending Independent Journalism. Sustaining Literary Excellence. Since 1850.

The Harper’s Magazine Foundation, founded in 1850, is a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that Harper’s Magazine remains fearless, independent, and accessible for generations of readers.

[ How to Give ]

Support the work—at any level

All contributions to the Harper’s Magazine Foundation directly support the production, protection, and dissemination of independent journalism.

Whether you are a longtime subscriber or a new reader, your support plays a vital role in sustaining Harper’s Magazine. Gifts of all sizes help protect independent journalism and ensure that the magazine remains accessible to future generations.

Mail in a check:

Harper’s Magazine Foundation
666 Broadway, Suite 600
New York, NY 10012

Why the Harper’s Magazine Foundation Exists

In 1980, the Harper’s Magazine Foundation was created—with leadership and seed funding from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and Atlantic Richfield Company—to preserve a 130-year literary legacy and to carry that tradition forward as a living, evolving force in contemporary culture.

Since then, the Foundation has served as the nonprofit steward of Harper’s Magazine, ensuring that editorial decisions remain insulated from commercial pressure and political influence. Every charitable gift supports the essential work of publishing serious journalism, literature, and criticism in the public interest.

As a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit, the Harper’s Magazine Foundation operates with full transparency and accountability. The Foundation is overseen by an independent board and supports a publication that has shaped American letters for more than 175 years.

Gifts to the Foundation help ensure that Harper’s remains a place where ideas are tested, dissent is welcomed, and writers are free to pursue the truth wherever it leads.

[ What Your Support Makes Possible ]

Independent journalism is not free to produce—but its value to a free society is immeasurable.

Original reporting, essays, fiction, and poetry
Fair compensation for writers, editors, and fact-checkers
Rigorous editorial review and legal protections
Printing and paper costs for a monthly print magazine
Digital access to a fully indexed archive dating back to 1850
Public programs, readings, and educational events

[ Celebrating 175 Years – Together ]

A Night That Affirmed the Community Behind Harper’s

On November 13, 2025, the Harper’s Magazine Foundation hosted a landmark 175th Anniversary Gala, bringing together writers, readers, editors, publishers, artists, attorneys, and champions of the First Amendment. The evening inaugurated two new honors—the James C. Goodale First Amendment Award and the Lewis H. Lapham Award for Literary Excellence—and raised crucial funds to support the magazine’s future.

The success of the night affirmed something essential: Harper’s is not just a magazine, but a living community of readers and supporters who believe in the power of ideas.

Photographs by Jasmina Tomic and Beowulf Sheehan

Harper’s Magazine Foundation

Director
Paul W. Morris

Board of Directors
Rosa Brooks
Shawn D. Green, Treasurer
Randall Kennedy
Jackson Lears, Chairman
John R. MacArthur, President
Virginia L. Navarro, Secretary
Elizabeth Samet
Rosanna Warren

The Harper’s Magazine Foundation is a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. EIN: 13-2929531.