Beacon Press

Beacon Press was founded in 1854 by the American Unitarian Association, it is currently a department of the Unitarian Universalist Association. It is a Boston based mission driven non-profit book publisher known for publishing authors such as James Baldwin, Mary Oliver, Martin Luther King Jr., and Viktor Frankl, as well as The Pentagon Papers.

History The history of Beacon Press began in 1825, the year the American Unitarian Association (AUA) was formed. This liberal religious movement had the enlightened notion to publish and distribute books and tracts that would spread the word of their beliefs not only about theology, but also about society and justice.

The early years: 1854–1900 In the Press of the American Unitarian Association (as Beacon was called then) purchased and published works that were largely religious in nature and "conservative Unitarian" in viewpoint (far more progressive, nonetheless, than many other denominations). The authors were often Unitarian ministers—dead or alive, American or British, mostly Caucasian, and far more male than female. Many of the books were collections of sermons, lectures, and letters, balanced by volumes of devotion, hymns, and morally uplifting tales.

New century, new mission: 1900–1945 In the early 1900s Samuel Eliot broadened the mission of the press by publishing books dealing with ethical, sociological, philanthropic, and similar subjects, as well as those of a more strictly religious character.... Although books of marked theology and religious note continued to have a predominant place in Association publication, the wide interest in all subjects relating to social and moral betterment were included and the evergrowing topics of war and peace and arbitration, or national amity and racial brotherhood were represented

The modern era: 1945– In 1949, Beacon published American Freedom and Catholic Power, an anti-Catholic tome written by socialist and secular humanist Paul Blanshard, who was the assistant editor for The Nation. Beacon would go on to publish several other books by Blanshard critical of Catholicism over the next few decades.

Under director Gobin Stair (1962–75), new authors included James Baldwin, Kenneth Clark, André Gorz, Herbert Marcuse, Jürgen Habermas, Howard Zinn, Ben Bagdikian, Mary Daly, and Jean Baker Miller. Wendy Strothman became Beacon's director in 1983; she set up the organization's first advisory board, a group of scholars and publishing professionals who advised on book choices and direction. She turned a budget deficit into a surplus. In 1995, her last year at Beacon, Strothman summarized the Press's mission: "We at Beacon publish the books we choose because they share a moral vision and a sense that greater understanding can influence the course of events. They are books we believe in."Wilson, (2004), p. 209. Strothman was replaced by Helene Atwan in 1995.

In 1971, it published the "Senator Gravel edition" of The Pentagon Papers for the first time in book form, when no other publisher was willing to risk publishing such controversial material. Robert West, then-president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, approved the decision to publish The Pentagon Papers, which West claims resulted in two-and-a-half years of harassment and intimidation by the Nixon administration. In Gravel v. United States, the Supreme Court decided that the Constitution's "Speech or Debate Clause" protected Gravel and some acts of his aide, but not Beacon Press.

Beacon Press seeks to publish works that "affirm and promote" several principles:

Beacon Press is a member of the Association of University Presses.

Books and authors

Beacon Press publishes non-fiction, fiction, and poetry titles. Some of Beacon's best-known titles are listed below.

Title(s)Author(s)Year(s)American Freedom and Catholic Power Revised 2nd edition 1958.Paul Blanshard1948, 1958Blanshard, Paul. American freedom and Catholic power. Boston: Beacon Press. Second Edition, January 1, 1958SNCC: The New AbolitionistsHoward Zinn1964A Critique of Pure ToleranceWolff, Robert Paul; Barrington Moore Jr; Herbert Marcuse. A Critique of Pure Tolerance. Boston: Beacon Press. 1965. Robert Paul Wolff, Barrington Moore Jr, Herbert Marcuse1965Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?King Jr., Martin Luther. Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?. Beacon Press, Boston. 1967. Martin Luther King Jr.1967, 2010Albert Schweitzer: An AnthologyAlbert Schweitzer1982The Transsexual EmpireJanice Raymond1979Notes of a Native SonJames Baldwin1984Toward a New Psychology of WomenJean Baker Miller1987Gyn/EcologyMary Daly1990One-Dimensional ManHerbert Marcuse1964Fist, Stick, Knife, GunGeoffrey Canada1995The Power of Their IdeasDeborah Meier1995Race MattersCornel West2001New and Selected Poems: Volume One, ThirstMary Oliver2005, 2007Resurrecting EmpireRashid Khalidi2005Man's Search for MeaningViktor Frankl2006Without a MapMeredith Hall2007All Souls: A Family Story from SouthieMichael Patrick MacDonald2007The Court and the Cross Frederick Lane2008An African American and Latinx History of the United StatesPaul Ortiz2018White FragilityDiAngelo, Robin. Contrib Michael Eric Dyson. White Fragility. Beacon Press, Boston, 2018. Robin DiAngelo2018Superior: The Return of Race ScienceSaini, Angela. Superior. Beacon Press, Boston, 2019. Angela Saini2019Nice RacismRobin DiAngelo2021Chokepoint CapitalismRebecca Giblin, Cory Doctorow2022Love Never DiesCline, Emma. Love Never Dies. Beacon Press, Boston, 2026. Emma Cline2026

Book series The following is a list of some of the principal series; it is not comprehensive.

The King Legacy (series) In 2009, Beacon Press announced a new partnership with the Estate of Martin Luther King Jr. for a new book series publishing program, "The King Legacy." As part of the program, Beacon is printing new editions of previously published King titles and compiling Dr. King's writings, sermons, orations, lectures, and prayers into entirely new editions, including new introductions by leading scholars.

Beacon Broadside Beacon Press launched its blog, Beacon Broadside, in late September 2007.Philocrites: Beacon Press launches 'Beacon Broadside' blog

Awards In 1992, Beacon won a New England Book Award for publishing. In 1993, Beacon was voted "Trade Publisher of the Year" by the Literary Market Place.History and Mission

Beacon Press

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