Isabella Carter
The Atlanta Constitution has had many noteworthy editors throughout its history. Founded in 1868 by Carey Wentworth Styles, the newspaper was first edited by Styles himself. After he left, James Anderson took over as editor and publisher. Notable editors in the 1880s included Henry Grady, who advocated for an industrialized New South, and Evan Howell, who owned the paper from 1902 to 1950. Ralph McGill, editor from 1942, established the paper's reputation during the Civil Rights era, and J. Reginald Murphy gained notoriety after being kidnapped in 1974.
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- Ralph McGill was editor in the 1940s and executive editor in 1938
- Carey Wentworth Styles was the first editor of the Atlanta Constitution
- Henry Grady was editor and co-owner of the newspaper
- J. Reginald Murphy was editor in 1974 and was kidnapped that year
- Evan P. Howell was editor-in-chief from 1876 to 1897
Ralph McGill was editor in the 1940s and executive editor in 1938
Ralph Emerson McGill was a leading voice for racial and ethnic tolerance in the South from the 1940s through the 1960s. He joined the staff of the Atlanta Constitution in 1929 as assistant sports editor and later became sports editor and columnist. In 1938, he became the executive editor of the paper. During this time, he also covered other subjects, such as stories on the Ku Klux Klan that he derived from personal interviews.
In 1938, McGill won a Rosenwald Fellowship, which allowed him to cover the Nazi takeover of Austria. These articles earned him a spot as executive editor of the Constitution, which he used to highlight the effects of segregation. As an influential daily columnist, McGill broke the code of silence on the subject of segregation, chastising a generation of demagogues, timid journalists, and ministers who feared change. He was also a lone voice in Atlanta journalism, breaking the white code of polite silence about social and educational segregation and political disfranchisement.
In 1942, McGill was promoted to editor-in-chief of the Constitution, and in 1960 to publisher. The Atlantic Monthly called the Constitution under his leadership "one of the most influential newspapers on the Atlantic seaboard." McGill built a reputation as a staunch advocate for civil rights, becoming known as the "conscience of the South." He received the Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award, an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from dozens of universities and colleges, including Harvard, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964.
McGill's role in the campaign against segregation is depicted in Michael Braz's opera, A Scholar Under Siege, composed for the centenary of Georgia Southern University and premiered in 2007. He is also mentioned by name in Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail as one of the "few enlightened white persons" to understand and sympathize with the civil rights movement at the time of the letter (April 1963).
Understanding Motor Cortices: Primary and Secondary Areas
You may want to see also
Carey Wentworth Styles was the first editor of the Atlanta Constitution
Styles editorialized against Radical Reconstruction and the Rufus Bullock administration in the pages of the Constitution. However, after six months, Styles was unable to finance his half of the newspaper, and his shares were transferred to Anderson, who sold them to William Arnold Hemphill, the paper's business manager and Anderson's son-in-law. Hemphill served as the principal owner and publisher of the Atlanta Constitution until 1901.
In 1876, Evan P. Howell bought an interest in the Constitution and became its editor-in-chief, a position he held until 1897. During his tenure, Howell hired the famous Henry W. Grady as a political writer and editor. Grady's advocacy for an industrialized "New South" made him one of the South's most prominent journalists, and he played a significant role in Atlanta's economic development. Grady's vision, however, was also one of white supremacy, and he worked to publicly minimize the South's hostile racial climate. Grady owned a quarter-share of the Constitution by 1880, and his fame helped the newspaper achieve the largest circulation in the South by the end of that decade.
After Grady's untimely death in 1889, Clark Howell, Evan P. Howell's son, became the managing editor and eventually succeeded his father as editor-in-chief in 1897. The Atlanta Constitution went on to have several other notable editors, including Ralph McGill, who became executive editor in 1938 and editor in 1942. Under McGill's leadership, the newspaper fought against McCarthyism in the early 1950s and racism in the following two decades.
Baldwin's Stance: Understanding His Constitutional Views
You may want to see also
Henry Grady was editor and co-owner of the newspaper
Henry Woodfin Grady was an American journalist and orator who served as the editor and co-owner of The Atlanta Constitution, a prominent daily newspaper in the southeastern United States during the late 19th century. Grady played a significant role in shaping the newspaper's editorial direction and contributing to its influence and reach.
Born in 1850 in Georgia, Grady had a strong interest in journalism from a young age. He began his career in journalism at the age of 17, working for the Daily Chronicle in Atlanta. He later joined the Atlanta Herald, where he quickly rose through the ranks and became city editor. In 1880, at the age of 30, Grady purchased a one-third interest in The Atlanta Constitution and became its editor.
As editor and co-owner, Grady had a profound impact on the newspaper's content and reputation. He was known for his captivating writing style and his ability to engage readers with his eloquent and persuasive language. Grady used the platform to promote his vision for the South's economic revival after the Civil War, advocating for industrialization and reconciliation between the North and the South. He also supported public education and women's rights, reflecting his progressive views on social issues.
One of Grady's most notable contributions to The Atlanta Constitution was his editorial campaign for the establishment of what became the Georgia School of Technology, now the Georgia Institute of Technology. Through his influential columns, Grady advocated for the creation of a technical school that would provide a much-needed boost to the South's post-war economy. His efforts were successful, and the school opened its doors in 1888.
In addition to his editorial work, Grady was a sought-after public speaker. He traveled throughout the country, delivering speeches that promoted the New South, a vision of a modernized and economically vibrant region. His oratory skills, combined with his influential position at the newspaper, solidified his reputation as a leading voice of the post-Civil War South.
Grady's tenure as editor and co-owner of The Atlanta Constitution ended with his untimely death in 1889 at the age of 39. However, his impact on the newspaper and the region endured. He left a lasting legacy not only on journalism but also on the economic and social development of the South. Grady's progressive vision and influential voice continue to inspire and shape the region to this day.
Supreme Court's Sway: Interpreting the Constitution
You may want to see also
Explore related products
J. Reginald Murphy was editor in 1974 and was kidnapped that year
J. Reginald Murphy, also known as "Reg", was the editor of The Atlanta Constitution in 1974. Murphy joined the newspaper in 1961 as a political editor. He left the paper in 1965, returning in 1968 to become the editor of the editorial page.
Murphy was abducted on February 19, 1974, by a lone right-wing gunman, later identified as William A.H. Williams, a drywall subcontractor. The kidnapper called Murphy's office, asking for advice on how to donate 300,000 gallons of heating oil to a worthy cause. When Murphy took the call, Williams displayed a .38-caliber gun and announced, "Mr. Murphy, you've been kidnapped." Williams identified himself as a colonel in the American Revolutionary Army and railed against the media and "Jews in the government".
Murphy's moderate racial views were noted by the New York Times, which contrasted them with those of his predecessor, Ralph McGill, who had won a Pulitzer Prize for his advocacy of racial justice. Murphy's friends and acquaintances described him as "amiable", "soft-spoken", "unpretentious", "hard-working", and even "bland". He had gained wide exposure through television, anchoring a television analysis series and hosting "Atlanta Week in Review" on local station WGTV.
Georgia's Constitution: Graduation Requirements Explained
You may want to see also
Evan P. Howell was editor-in-chief from 1876 to 1897
Evan P. Howell was editor-in-chief of The Atlanta Constitution from 1876 to 1897. He was also the paper's president. Howell bought the newspaper in mid-1876 from Edward Y. Clarke, who had co-managed the editorial department with N. P. T. Finch. Howell hired Henry W. Grady as a political writer and editor shortly after taking over. Grady's advocacy for industrial development in the South and his push for Atlanta's economic growth made him one of the region's most prominent journalists. Grady also owned a quarter-share of the Constitution by 1880, and his fame helped the paper achieve the largest circulation of any newspaper in the South by the end of that decade. Howell also employed several other notable Southern writers, including poet Frank Lebby Stanton, humorist Charles "Bill Arp" Smith, and Uncle Remus creator Joel Chandler Harris.
Howell's family would eventually own The Atlanta Constitution from 1902 to 1950. The paper was first published in 1868 by Carey Wentworth Styles and James H. Anderson, seeking to establish a strong, Democratic daily newspaper in Georgia's new capital. Styles editorialized against Radical Reconstruction and the Rufus Bullock administration, but he was unable to finance his half of the newspaper, so his shares were transferred to Anderson, who then sold them to William Arnold Hemphill, the paper's business manager and Anderson's son-in-law.
Ralph McGill, editor of the Constitution during the Civil Rights era, is credited with establishing the newspaper's reputation. McGill confronted the difficult issues of his time, inspiring the paper's commitment to investigative reporting and holding public officials accountable. Eugene Patterson, who served as editor after McGill, is described as "legendary."
Vital Elements of the Constitution
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Carey Wentworth Styles was the first editor of the Atlanta Constitution when it was founded in 1868.
Some other noteworthy editors include Ralph McGill, J. Reginald Murphy, Henry W. Grady, and Evan P. Howell.
J. Reginald Murphy, also known as "Reg" Murphy, was kidnapped in 1974 due to his anti-Vietnam War stance. He was released after 49 hours when the ransom money was delivered.
Ralph McGill was a famous editor of the Atlanta Constitution who established its reputation during the Civil Rights era. Under his editorship, the paper fought against McCarthyism in the 1950s and racism in the following decades.
