Charles K. McClatchy was twenty-five when he inherited The Sacramento Bee from his father, and his ensuing career as the paper’s editor extended well beyond the newsroom. Until his death in 1936, McClatchy was a consistent advocate for Progressive politics, a crusader for urban reform, a staunch isolationist, and a voice for Northern California. This biography explores his career as the long-time editor of the Bee in a work that weaves the history of Northern California with that of American newspapers.

Steven M. Avella is a professor of American history at Marquette University. A Sacramento native, he is the author of several works on the city, including The Good Life: Sacramento’s Consumer Culture and Sacramento and the Catholic Church: Shaping a Capital City.