Though largely unknown by name alone today, Elbert Hubbard profoundly shaped American art and design in the early 20th century. Born in 1856 in Illinois, he tried his hand in several fields, including door-to-door soap sales, mail-order merchandise, advertising, and writing, before founding the Roycroft Press in East Aurora, New York, in 1895. Over time, the printing press blossomed into a creative arts and crafts community. Roycroft represented a way of life, where artisans fostered a DIY ethos and made beautifully handcrafted books, furniture, and more.

Hubbard’s most famous work, the 1899 essay A Message to Garcia, captured his philosophy of hard work and initiative. It became something of an anthem for self-reliance, and inspired other American creatives and craftspeople to value quality over mass production. From the early 1900s until his death in 1915 at age 59, Hubbard was an in-demand lecturer and writer. Although Hubbard’s life was cut short, the Roycroft Campus still stands as a testament to his vision.