SEVENTEEN
18
G R . 6 0 4 N AT U R E O F I D E N T I T Y
OUR TIMELINE
1944: Founded by Helen Valentine,
1946: For its first few decades,
1957: Pivoting from the 50s
1971: Joyce Walker became the
Seventeen was first published in
“Seventeen” covers didn’t showcase
into the 60s, Seventeen grew
first black model to be featured on
more candid about sex.
the cover of Seventeen.
September 1944 by Walter Annen-
celebrities. It made sure to keep
berg’s Triangle Publications.
editorial virginal. Also, Annenberg wanted the magazine to be one that American parents actively wanted their teenaged daughters to read.
1940
1950
1960
1970
1950: Seventeen goes meta. Estelle Ellis, promotion director, designed a way to pitch to businessmen who might want to advertise their own products in its pages.
1945: Valentine wanted Seventeen
1965: In the mid 60s, Seventeen
to address the teenage girl as a
consistently included politically-
“whole human being” — o ne that wasn’t only interested in fashion and boys, but who had also a political and social conscience.
slanted pieces, such as these: “What You Can Do For Human Rights in Your Own Home Town.”
