Description
Collector's Note – Why This Issue Matters
George Magazine Vol. 6 No. 1, published in 2001, occupies a strange and poignant place in American magazine history. George was founded in 1995 by John F. Kennedy Jr. and political consultant Michael Berman as a glossy monthly that positioned politics as popular culture — a genuinely novel editorial idea at the time. Kennedy served as the magazine's public face, founding editor, and creative conscience until his death in a plane crash in July 1999. The January/February 2001 issue — Vol. 6 No. 1 — was published well after Kennedy's passing, during the magazine's difficult final chapter. George ceased publication with its final issue in early 2001, making any issue from this volume part of the magazine's closing run. Collectors researching the complete arc of George Magazine issues will find the Vol. 6 entries among the rarest and most historically weighted in the entire run.
The timing of this issue adds another layer of significance. The January/February 2001 period coincided with one of the more consequential political transitions in recent American history — the conclusion of the contested 2000 presidential election and the inauguration of George W. Bush. George Magazine, which had always covered the theater of American politics with a mix of irreverence and genuine curiosity, was publishing its final issues against that extraordinary backdrop. Without Kennedy at the helm, the magazine had struggled to sustain its identity and commercial footing, and the Vol. 6 run reflects a publication in its final months. For collectors building out their 2001 magazine archive, this issue represents not just a single title but the close of a specific and unrepeatable experiment in political media.
Kennedy's shadow over this issue — listed prominently as founding editor — is the defining context for any collector. His name on the masthead of a posthumously published issue gives it a memorial quality that earlier volumes simply do not carry in the same way. George was, in many respects, an extension of Kennedy's personality and his belief that young Americans could be made to care about politics if it was presented on their terms. That vision ended with him, and the 2001 issues are the final evidence of what remained.
About the Publication
George Magazine launched in September 1995, co-founded by John F. Kennedy Jr. and Michael Berman and published by Hachette Filipacchi Media. It positioned itself explicitly at the intersection of politics and popular culture, featuring celebrity cover subjects alongside serious political commentary, and attracting both mainstream readers and Washington insiders. At its peak it reached a circulation of around one million. The magazine's editorial format blended long-form political interviews, cultural criticism, fashion, and photo essays — a combination that was genuinely distinctive in the mid-to-late 1990s magazine landscape. Following Kennedy's death in July 1999, Hachette attempted to continue the title, but it folded in early 2001 after six volumes, leaving behind a run of roughly 53 issues that now constitute a complete and collectible set.
Key Highlights Inside
- Published during George Magazine's final volume, making it part of the closing run of a historically significant American political magazine.
- John F. Kennedy Jr. is credited as founding editor — a designation that, by this point in the magazine's history, served as both attribution and memorial.
- Released during the January/February 2001 period, coinciding with the aftermath of the 2000 presidential election and the Bush inauguration — one of the most politically charged transitions of the era.
- Described as containing articles and interviews reflecting the sociopolitical climate of early 2001, consistent with the magazine's long-standing editorial identity.
- Note: Specific article titles, interview subjects, and cover photography for this issue have not been independently confirmed beyond what the listing describes, and are not detailed here.
Condition & Rarity
This issue presents in Good condition, with minor wear and some creasing on the front cover and interior pages — entirely consistent with a magazine of this age that has had some handling. In collector grading terms, Good typically denotes a complete copy with readable content and intact pages, where surface wear and soft creases are present but no material is missing or severely damaged. The absence of a subscription label is a genuine plus: no-label copies preserve the full cover design without the defacement common to mailed subscriber copies. A protective plastic covering has been applied, which helps prevent further wear during storage and handling. For late-run George issues — particularly Vol. 6 — surviving copies in any presentable condition are not common, as the magazine's declining circulation in its final year means fewer copies were printed and distributed to begin with.
Looking for More Issues Like This?
Late-run George issues are genuinely difficult to track down, and Vol. 6 entries turn up less frequently than the magazine's earlier, higher-circulation years. The broader George Magazine collection at OriginalMagazines.com is the best place to explore what's currently available across the full run — from the Kennedy-era launch issues through the final 2001 volumes. For collectors working the era more widely, the 2001 magazine archive covers the cultural and political moment this issue documents across a range of other titles from that transitional year.