Robert R. McCormick was born on July
30, 1880 in Chicago Illinois to US ambassador Robert Sanderson McCormick and
Katherine Medill McCormick.
His grandfather, Joseph Medill was the founder
of the Chicago Tribune and former
Chicago mayor.
McCormick completed his undergraduate
education at Yale. He was a member of the secret society, Scroll and Key. After
graduating Yale, he attended the Northwestern University School of Law.
McCormick then went on to be one of the founding members of Shepard, McCormick
and Thomason law firm.
In 1904, McCormick began his lifelong
participation in civic affairs as he was elected to be the Alderman of the old
21st Ward in Chicago. During his term, he was appointed as the
President of the Sanity District Board.
In 1914, McCormick began to take active
leadership in the family business, the Chicago
Tribune. As editor and publisher, he made several impacts in spheres of
business, technology, journalism, press freedom, and politics. McCormick led
many press campaigns against political corruption and waste, as well as various
government policies such as: prohibition, the New Deal and America’s entry into
World War I.
He led the newspaper industry into a
technical innovation. During the 1920s, McCormick brought color to the
newspaper industry through his development and use of colortograuvre.
Additionally, he created a new system of shaping printing presses to increase
productivity.
Most importantly, McCormick laid the
groundwork of the concept of higher education in journalism. His goal was to
see journalism become a profession. As a result, he was the driving force
behind the founding of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern
University.
Robert R. McCormick’s impactful ideals
and reforms still thrive in modern society through the McCormick Foundation.
The foundation has contributed more than a billion dollars for journalism, early
childhood education, civic health, social and economic services.
"Colonel Robert R. McCormick
(1880-1955)." Who Is Robert R. McCormick? N.p., n.d.
Web. 21 Oct. 2013.
"Colonel Robert R. McCormick." First
Division Museum at Cantigny. N.p., n.d. Web. 21
Oct. 2013.
Ritchie, Donald A. American
Journalists: Getting the Story. New York: Oxford
UP, 1997. 239. Print.
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