H. L. Mencken (1880-1956) was a brilliant journalist, essayist, and cultural critic whose sharp wit and fearless opinions made him one of America's most notable men of letters. Born and based in Baltimore, he began as a reporter and rose to fame at The Baltimore Sun newspaper. As co-editor of The Smart Set and founder of The American Mercury, Mencken championed literary modernism and published significant English, American, and African American writers. By the 1920s, he had become the dominant influence and inspiration on the literary and cultural scene.