David Graham Phillips

David Graham Phillips (October 31, 1867 – January 24, 1911) was an American novelist and journalist of the muckraker tradition.

Early life

David Graham Phillips was born in Madison, Indiana, a small town located on the Ohio River, consisting of around ten thousand inhabitants. Born on October 31, 1867, Phillips was the fourth of five children to Davis Graham Phillips Sr. and Margaret Lee. Coming from a wealthy family, Phillips, called Graham by his family, was encouraged to read and pursue an education. Specifically, his father possessed a vast library, which he persistently encouraged his son to read, especially the books regarding United States history. Phillips’ education regarding the American democratic tradition was first received at home, but later continued once enrolled in Madison's public schools. Already possessing the ability to read the bible at age 4, Phillips was an advanced student and began his college education at the age of 14 years old.

Education

David Graham Phillips began his college career by following in his father's footsteps and attending Asbury College (now Depauw University) in Greencastle, Indiana. He went into college with no clear career aspirations, only a potential interest in banking. Three months later Phillips temporarily left Asbury to live with his sister in Cincinnati and studied at the University of Cincinnati. He later returned to Asbury. While studying at Asbury, Phillips roomed with Albert J. Beveridge. Beveridge and Phillips were good friends while in school and remained correspondents until Phillip's passing. His story “The Cost” reflects on his time at Asbury and includes stories of Beveridge. When Beveridge graduated in 1885, Phillips decided to transfer to Princeton for the last two years of his degree. At Princeton, Phillips took note of the caste system and the role it played in society, which inspired him to start writing. He was known to host many lively debates and discussions in his room at Princeton, and was given the nickname “La Bouche” (The Mouth) for his talkativeness and conversational abilities. David Graham Phillips graduated from Princeton in 1887.