The term muckraker is most properly applied to American reporters and writers from the early 1900s, but is also used to describe modern writers who follow in the tradition of the muckrakers. Although the term muckraking has negative connotations, the information so discovered can be valid and even justifiably important for the public to hear about.
President Theodore Roosevelt coined the term 'muckraker' during a speech in 1906 when he criticized the writings of some journalists as being excessive and irresponsible. He disliked the attitude and lack of optimism of muckraking's practitioners.
In his speech, Roosevelt likened the muckrakers to the Man with the Muckrake character in John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress (1678):
Well-known texts published include Unsafe at Any Speed and The Jungle, which, respectively, led to reforms in automotive manufacturing and meat packing in the United States. The most famous muckrakers were Ida Tarbell (The History of the Standard Oil Company), Lincoln Steffens, and Ray Stannard Baker. Popular muckraking magazines included McClure's, Munsey's Magazine, and American Magazine.
Famous Muckraker Literary Works