Laird & Lee
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1883 |
| Founder | Frederick C. Laird, William Henry Lee |
| Defunct | 1913 (after Lee's death and incorporation into Laidlaw Brothers) |
| Fate | Became subsidiary of Laidlaw Brothers under Albert Whitman & Company |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
| Products | Dime novels, dictionaries, Pinkerton Detective Series |
Laird & Lee was a publishing firm located in Chicago that focused on producing dime novels and dictionaries. Their paperback editions were primarily sold through railroad distribution channels and newsstands instead of traditional bookstores. Established in 1883 by Frederick C. Laird (born 1863) and William Henry Lee (1863–1913), the company saw Lee purchase Laird's share in 1894. Among its significant titles was the Pinkerton Detective Series, published between 1887 and 1901.
After Lee passed away in 1913, leaving an estate valued at $200,000 with no direct heirs, Laird & Lee was incorporated as a subsidiary of Laidlaw Brothers, which was itself under the umbrella of Albert Whitman & Company. There has been some debate about Lee's heritage; sources imply he may have been a light-skinned African American, potentially positioning him as one of the earliest black publishers in the United States.
The roster of writers associated with Laird & Lee included Opie Read and Ignatius L. Donnelly.