History of Mark Twain in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: April 3, 2026

Mark Twain, the pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, was a celebrated American author and humorist considered by many to be the father of American literature. His most famous works include *The Adventures of Tom Sawyer* and *Adventures of Huckleberry Finn*, with the latter often lauded as the "Great American Novel". Twain also penned works such as *A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court* and co-authored *The Gilded Age*. His writing significantly influenced subsequent American literature, shaping its style and themes for generations to come.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

October 1900: Return to America

In October 1900, Mark Twain returned to America after earning enough money to pay off his debts.

October 16, 1900: Twain Describes His Transformation to Anti-Imperialism

On October 16, 1900, Mark Twain described his transformation and political awakening to anti-imperialism in the New York Herald, in the context of the Philippine–American War.

1900: Twain's preference for Joan of Arc

In 1900, Mark Twain stated, "I like Joan of Arc best of all my books, it is the best".

1900: Boxer Uprising

In 1900, the Boxer Uprising occurred, which led to the events that Twain later criticized.

January 1901: Vice-President of the Anti-Imperialist League of New York

In January 1901, Mark Twain began serving as vice-president of the Anti-Imperialist League of New York, becoming a prominent opponent of imperialism.

February 1901: To the Person Sitting in Darkness

In February 1901, Mark Twain's response to hearing of Ament's methods, "To the Person Sitting in Darkness," was published in the North American Review, dealing with examples of imperialism in China, South Africa, and the U.S. occupation of the Philippines.

April 1901: To My Missionary Critics

In April 1901, Mark Twain's article "To My Missionary Critics" was published in The North American Review, continuing his attack but shifting the focus from Ament to his missionary superiors, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.

1901: Vice President of the American Anti-Imperialist League

In 1901, Mark Twain became the vice president of the American Anti-Imperialist League. He strongly opposed the Philippine-American War and American colonialism.

1901: Twain became Vice-President of the American Anti-Imperialist League

In 1901, Mark Twain became the vice-president of the American Anti-Imperialist League shortly after his return from Europe, which opposed the annexation of the Philippines by the United States.

1901: Twain's Votes for Women speech

In 1901, Mark Twain showed his support for women's suffrage with his "Votes for Women" speech.

1901: Honorary Degree from Yale University

In 1901, Mark Twain was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) by Yale University.

1901: Invited to Speak at Princeton University

In 1901, Mark Twain was invited to speak at Princeton University's Cliosophic Literary Society, where he was made an honorary member.

1902: Doctor of Law from the University of Missouri

In 1902, the University of Missouri awarded Mark Twain a Doctor of Law.

1904: Wearing white suits after wife's death

After the death of his wife in 1904, Mark Twain began wearing white suits on the lecture circuit, eventually becoming his trademark.

1904: Death of Twain's wife

In 1904, Mark Twain's wife died while they were staying at the Villa di Quarto in Florence. She had been Twain's de facto editor and censor throughout their married life, and after her death, he published works that she had not approved of.

1904: Death of Olivia Langdon Clemens

Olivia Langdon Clemens, Mark Twain's wife, died in 1904 after 34 years of marriage. All of the Clemens family are buried in Elmira's Woodlawn Cemetery.

March 22, 1905: Rejection of The War Prayer

On March 22, 1905, Harper's Bazaar rejected Mark Twain's pacifist story titled The War Prayer, deeming it "not quite suited to a woman's magazine".

1905: Manuscripts written

Between 1897 and 1905, Mark Twain wrote three versions of The Mysterious Stranger: the Hannibal, Eseldorf, and Print Shop versions.

1905: Brooklyn Public Library banned Twain's books

In 1905, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer were banned from the children's department of the Brooklyn Public Library due to their language.

1905: Publication of "King Leopold's Soliloquy"

In 1905, Twain published a satirical pamphlet titled "King Leopold's Soliloquy". The pamphlet addressed Belgian atrocities in the Congo Free State.

April 1906: Aid to Ina Coolbrith after San Francisco Earthquake

In April 1906, Mark Twain offered autographed photographs to be sold to benefit his friend Ina Coolbrith, who lost most of her possessions in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. He later sat for a new portrait session to further aid her.

1906: Formation of the Angel Fish and Aquarium Club

In 1906, Mark Twain formed the Angel Fish and Aquarium Club for girls he considered surrogate granddaughters. The members ranged in age from 10 to 16.

1906: Testimony Before Congressional Committee

In 1906, Twain testified before a Congressional joint committee in favor of a bill extending copyright protection to the author's lifetime plus 50 years.

1907: Meeting Dorothy Quick

In 1907, Mark Twain met Dorothy Quick (age 11) on a transatlantic crossing. Their friendship lasted until his death.

1907: Doctorate of Law from Oxford University

In 1907, Oxford University awarded Mark Twain a Doctorate of Law.

1907: Party Insanity

In his 1907 book, Christian Science, Mark Twain proposed that Democrats and Republicans were insane.

1908: Twain's preference for Joan of Arc

In 1908, Mark Twain reiterated, "I like Joan of Arc best of all my books, it is the best".

1908: Twain's Chief Delight

In 1908, Mark Twain wrote that the Angel Fish and Aquarium Club was his "life's chief delight".

May 20, 1909: Death of Henry Rogers

On May 20, 1909, Twain's close friend Henry Rogers died suddenly, contributing to Twain's deep depression.

December 24, 1909: Death of Jean Clemens

On December 24, 1909, Twain's daughter Jean died, deepening Twain's gloom.

1909: Death of Ament

Dr. William Scott Ament, whom Twain criticized, died in 1909.

1909: Twain Predicts Death

In 1909, Mark Twain predicted that he would die when Halley's Comet returned, mirroring his birth. He expressed that he expected to 'go out with it'.

1909: Twain's Remark on Halley's Comet

In 1909, Mark Twain spoke about being born two weeks after Halley's Comet's closest approach.

1909: Filmed by Thomas Edison

In 1909, Thomas Edison filmed Mark Twain at his home in Redding, Connecticut. Part of the footage was used in the two-reel short film 'The Prince and the Pauper'. This is the only known existing film footage of Twain.

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April 21, 1910: Mark Twain's Death

Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens, died on April 21, 1910. He was an American writer, humorist, and essayist, widely regarded as one of the greatest humorists the United States has produced.

1910: Twain's Death

Mark Twain remained vice-president of the American Anti-Imperialist League until his death in 1910.

1916: Publication of N.C. Wyeth's illustrated edition

In 1916, N.C. Wyeth's celebrated illustrated edition of Mark Twain's work was published.

1916: Publication of The Mysterious Stranger

In 1916, The Mysterious Stranger, an anti-religious work by Mark Twain, was published after his death.

1916: Publication of The War Prayer

Mark Twain's short pacifist story, The War Prayer, remained unpublished until 1916 due to a contract with Harper & Brothers, and was later used as campaigning material by anti-war activists in the 1960s.

1924: Posthumous Publication of The Incident in the Philippines

In 1924, The Incident in the Philippines, written by Mark Twain, was posthumously published. The writing was in response to the Moro Crater Massacre.

1962: Death of Daughter Clara

Clara Clemens, Mark Twain's daughter, died in 1962. She was one of Twain's three daughters.

1962: Publication of Letters from the Earth

In 1962, Letters from the Earth, some of Mark Twain's suppressed works irreverent toward conventional religion, was published after his daughter Clara reversed her position in response to Soviet propaganda about the withholding.

1972: Publication of Little Bessie

In 1972, Little Bessie, a story ridiculing Christianity, was first published in the collection Mark Twain's Fables of Man.

1992: Publication of neglected anti-imperialism writings

In 1992, many of Mark Twain's neglected and previously uncollected writings on anti-imperialism appeared for the first time in book form.

1995: Crandall named Connecticut's official heroine

Thanks to Mark Twain's efforts, in 1995, the Connecticut legislature voted a pension for Prudence Crandall and named her Connecticut's official heroine for her work toward the education of young African-American women.

November 2010: Publication of Twain's autobiography

In November 2010, 100 years after his death, the University of California published the first volume of Mark Twain's autobiography, which had over 736 pages. It became an unexpected best-seller.

November 2010: Publication of Autobiography of Mark Twain

In November 2010, 100 years after his death, the publication of Autobiography of Mark Twain started, in which Twain's frankest views on religion appeared.