Fulton Lewis Jr.

Fulton Lewis Jr. was a radio personality in the 1930’s. He was a spokesman for conservative causes and was known for his controversial reports.

Lewis dropped out of both the University of Virginia after three years and the George Washington University School of Law. He got a job as a reporter for the Washington Herald and became the city editor after three years of working there. From the Herald, he was sought out for Hearst’s Universal News Service where he was the Washington correspondent. Later, Lewis wrote a column called The Washington Sideshow.

Lewis got his start in radio by substituting for a broadcaster. He took “on-the-spot” reporting to a new level, and really impressed and stood out to Mutual/WOL who gave him a series of radio talks. Within two months of doing these radio talks, Lewis went national.

Lewis was seen as being controversial due to his strong conservative stances and defending his beliefs on the radio. His downfall was his support of Wisconsin’s Senator Joe McCarthy, who was in charge of the committee investigating communists in the government. As McCarthy fell, Lewis fell with him, losing most of his audience and fans.

Lewis is remembered as a keen reporter who spoke with knowledge and authority. He gained much respect for journalists, especially in the Washington area. One of his major achievements is convincing Congress to allow radio coverage of Congressional activities.