William Allen White, born February 10th, 1868 in Emporia, Kansas, published the Emporia Gazette for nearly half a century. White was known as America's best known small town editor. In White's younger years, he learned political divides early, from his Democratic father, and Republican mother. White has said, "What seems black and white ( political issues) are generally gray."
After writing Republican editorials for many newspapers, including William Rockhill Nelson's Kansas City Star, White set off to buy his own newspaper. Upon purchasing the failing Emporia Gazette, White promised to publish a clean honest paper. White gained his national reputation upon the publication of his editorial, "What's the Matter with Kansas?" It caught the eye of Mark Hanna, chairman of the Republican National Committee, who distributed it nationally as a Republican campaign document. After meeting Theodore Roosevelt, however, White joined the progressive movement. From there, White became a prominent figure in the progressive movement, while the Emporia Gazette continued to publish small town values and virtues. White fought for improvement that would benefit Kansas, such as the building of railroads. Even after 1903, when Emporia Gazette started covering Associated Press stories, White always made sure to keep the hometown feel of the paper.
In 1940, White became the chairman of the Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies. White's committee sought to fight American isolationism, and give aid to the European nations allied against fascism. In White's later years, he published his autobiography entitled Autobiography of William Allen White. The book quickly became a nation wide best seller, and he won a Pulitzer Prize.
By: Alyssa D'Orazio
Sources:
http://www2.ku.edu/~jschool/school/waw/bio/waw/WAWhitebio.html
http://www.kshs.org/portal_william_allen_white
http://projects.vassar.edu/1896/white.html
American Journalists, by Donald A. Ritchie
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