The Century Association was established as a club composed of authors, artists, and amateurs of the arts and letters; this last category, as defined by the Admissions Committee, includes individuals “of any occupation [whose] breadth of interest and qualities of mind and imagination [make] them sympathetic, stimulating and congenial companions in a society of authors and artists.” As a consequence of this broad definition, members of the Century have made distinguished contributions in a multitude of professional fields. The categories listed below display selected members of the Century elected prior to 1923 whose renown has proven enduring to the present day.
- Charles Francis Adams
- Henry Adams
- Adam Badeau
- George Bancroft
- Poultney Bigelow
- John Bigelow
- William Cullen Bryant
- Edward L. Burlingame
- John Jay Chapman
- Winston Churchill
- Royal Cortissoz
- George William Curtis
- Clarence Day
- Richard Watson Gilder
- Edward Everett Hale Jr.
- William Dean Howells
- Henry James Jr.
- Robert Underwood Johnson
- Rudyard Kipling
- Alfred Thayer Mahan
- Brander Matthews
- Theodore Roosevelt
- F. Hopkinson Smith
- Edmund C. Stedman
- Frank R. Stockton
- George Templeton Strong
- Mark Sullivan
- Bayard Taylor
- Carl Van Doren
- Gulian C. Verplanck
Select a Category
- Visual Arts
- Architecture
- Literature
- Publishing
- Journalism
- Law
- Public Service
- Military
- Commerce
- Philanthropy
- Religion
- Education
- Science/Technology/Engineering
- Medicine
- Performing Arts