When the New Masses launched in May 1926, Time called it as "a smoky vessel, ungainly but powerful, with daubs of red on her lunging bows and red marks here and there on her somewhat disorderly running gear." Focused equally on artistic quality and social progress, the editors included veterans from The Masses, who had been writing and publishing since before the United States entered WWI, and new voices from a generation of writers, poets, artists, and activists coming of age during the post-WWI period and asking one overarching question: Where is the world heading? About the editors:

Egmont Arens (1887-1966) was an editor and industrial designer who owned the Washington Square Book Shop and invented the Streamliner Meat Slicer. After a decade in the literary world, he turned to a distinguished career in design.

Joseph Freeman (1897-1965) was a writer, editor, and journalist. He was active in the Communist Party USA, became publicity director of the American Civil Liberties Union, and co-founded Partisan Review.

Michael Gold (1894-1967) was a writer, editor, and critic closely associated with the Communist Party USA. Born Itzok Isaac Granich, he became leading voice of proletarian literature, founding and editing New Masses during its first years.

James Rorty (1890-1970) was a writer, poet, and activist whose work dealth with social ills in the United States. With Moshe Decter, he co-wrote McCarthy and The Communists (1954).