Henry Luce started LIFE with this prospectus in 1936. It is profoundly optimistic — reading it today, you would never guess that the country remained under the shadow of the Great Depression or that World War II was imminent.

LIFE was a title like no other. Harnessing the emerging power of photojournalism, LIFE photographers captured presidents, football stars, chain gangs, royal weddings, the front lines of the Spanish Civil War, a suburban family having a cookout, Frank Lloyd Wright's architectural plans, Hedy Lamarr swimming.

Across its pages, LIFE provided a shared experience for millions of Americans, a visual language that fed their curiosities and their souls. LIFE felt like a gathering place.

Today, our culture is awash in images and information. But the faster we scroll, the less we see; the algorithms pull us apart into private bubbles. The challenge now is finding shared understanding and context, and even knowing what is real.

As we enter yet another period of rapid change and turbulence, LIFE is embracing the same principles that animated its founding 90 years ago. In fractured times, LIFE seeks to provide common ground, connection, and the belief that we all have a shared stake in the future.

The theme of our first issue is “Where Are We Now?,” a 250-page oversized print edition put together by more than 120 people. It offers a window into an America searching for meaning: scientists and artists, entrepreneurs and athletes, children and octogenarians, coal miners and drone makers. There are some famous people in the mix; most are not. Our fascination comes from finding the ordinary in the extraordinary, and the extraordinary in the ordinary.

Print is the start. Each new issue will create the moment that we'll amplify with the latest in digital storytelling, documentaries, video, special edition prints and collectibles, and events where our members can gather and experience life together.

We hope LIFE will fire up your curiosity, inspire you, and help bring you closer to people whose lives may seem far from your own.

The Editors