A Message to Garcia, a short publication authored by Elbert Green Hubbard, remains among his most widely recognized contributions to American literature. Beyond his writing, Hubbard established the Roycroft artisan community in East Aurora, New York, effectively channeling the principles of the Arts and Crafts movement into a successful enterprise of printing, furniture production, and fine craftsmanship.
Early Business Ventures
Born in Bloomington, Illinois, in 1856, Hubbard relocated to Hudson with his family during his youth. He eventually entered the commercial sector, finding initial success as a traveling salesman representing the Larkin Soap Company. During his tenure there, he developed innovative retail strategies including the introduction of consumer premiums and a trial-based sales model, which eventually facilitated his transition to Buffalo, New York.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →The Roycroft Community
In 1895, Hubbard founded the Roycroft community in East Aurora, an organization that operated as a quasi-communal, neomedievalist hub for artisans. Inspired by William Morris and the Kelmscott Press, the Roycroft Shops specialized in hand-illumined books, hammered copper, modeled leather, and furniture. Hubbard served as the leader and primary voice for the organization, which also hosted conventions for reformers, suffragists, and freethinkers. The community published two prominent magazines, The Philistine and The FRA, which circulated his philosophical commentary.
Philosophy and Public Life
Hubbard’s intellectual output evolved from early interests in socialism toward a vocal defense of American free enterprise. This shift in ideology drew criticism from the Socialist press, though he maintained that his principles remained consistent. His literary portfolio included the fourteen-volume work Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great. In 1913, he faced legal challenges after being convicted of violating postal laws regarding the circulation of material deemed objectionable by the United States government.
Death at Sea
At the onset of the First World War, Hubbard sought to travel to Europe to report on the conflict and secure interviews with high-ranking figures. On May 7, 1915, he and his second wife, Alice Moore Hubbard, were aboard the RMS Lusitania when it was torpedoed by the German submarine SM U-20 off the coast of Ireland. The vessel sank, resulting in the deaths of both Hubbard and his wife.
Fast facts
- Born: 1856, Bloomington, Illinois
- Died: 1915, RMS Lusitania
- Occupations: Writer, journalist, publisher, philosopher
- Founder: Roycroft artisan community
- Spouse: Alice Moore Hubbard
- Nationality: United States
- Major work: A Message to Garcia
Questions readers ask
What was the Roycroft community?
It was an Arts and Crafts community in East Aurora, New York, focused on printing, furniture, and artisan goods.
How did Elbert Hubbard die?
He died on May 7, 1915, when the RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German submarine off the Irish coast.
.jpg)