McGraw-Hill Education is one of the few leaders of the information age whose origins go back to the industrial revolution. In 1899, James H. McGraw created “The McGraw Publishing Company,” incorporating his technical and trade publications. A few years later, in 1902, John A. Hill started his own firm, “The Hill Publishing Company.” By 1909, the pair’s mutual interest in science and technology led to an alliance, and the book departments of the two publishers merged to form the “McGraw-Hill Book Company.” Following Hill’s death in 1916, the remaining parts of the companies combined to form the McGraw-Hill Publishing Company.

Over the next few decades, McGraw-Hill steadily increased its textbook offerings for college-level students. By the mid-1930s, the company had developed specialties in business, management and the social sciences, adding to its core strengths in engineering and science. It was the baby boom, however, that prompted an educational publishing explosion at McGraw-Hill. Through expansion and acquisitions, McGraw-Hill established a major presence in the K–12 arena during the 1950s.

The company and its educational publishing unit continued to expand throughout the latter half of the 20th century and into the 21st century through internal growth and acquisitions. In addition to its focus on primary, secondary and higher education, McGraw-Hill also became a leader in the areas of early childhood development, vocational training, professional development, educational assessment and reporting, lifetime learning and continuing education.

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