In 1850, Harper & Brothers began publishing Harper's Monthly, an illustrated magazine, inspired by the success of similar periodicals in the United States and England. By 1857, the magazine had become Harper's Weekly, featuring national and international news, political commentary, literary contributions, and cartoons and woodcuts by artists like Thomas Nast and Winslow Homer. Its popularity and wide-spread circulation made Harper's Weekly particularly influential throughout the American Civil War. The publication was careful to take a moderate stance during the war, in an effort not to isolate its Southern readers.

Following the Civil War, the publication continued its interest in politics and social issues. Leading politicians contributed articles and Harper's Weekly continued to help win presidential campaigns. In May of 1916, it merged with The Independent, which in turn merged with several other periodicals. In 1974, Harper's Weekly re-emerged as a separate publication.