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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsJohn Seigenthaler has passed. He is a person you should know about.
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As a reporter for The Tennessean, Mr. Seigenthaler once saved a suicidal man's life on a bridge over the Cumberland River a bridge eventually named after him. As the newspaper's longtime editor, he led coverage of the civil rights movement when most Southern newspapers, including the rival Nashville Banner, ignored the growing resistance to racial segregation in the South.
Mr. Seigenthaler also exposed corruption in the Teamsters union, grave deficiencies in the state's mental health system and illicit activities of the Ku Klux Klan in Tennessee. And he inspired several generations of journalists to greatness.
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Mr. Seigenthaler championed racial equality, both as a journalist and in his job in the Kennedy administration.
The Tennessean and its staff became crusaders for civil rights early on. A Texas liberal named Silliman Evans bought the newspaper out of receivership in the 1930s. His views formed the political core that would remain there until John Seigenthaler's retirement.
With a newsroom full of cocky young egos spoiling for a good story, secure finances and family owners willing to take chances, it became one of the only Southern newspapers to aggressively cover the fight to end segregation. That was not always popular with hometown readers, particularly the old Southern guard.
The Tennessean covered the downtown lunch counter sit-ins and other stories, when other newspapers wouldn't, as the civil rights movement swept through the South.
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Much more:
http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2014/07/11/john-seigenthaler-dies/12529753/
This is the kind of newspaper editor we so badly need.
RIP John Seigenthaler.
You fought the good fight!
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)Thank you!
Uncle Joe
(58,107 posts)Thanks for the thread, grits.
Octafish
(55,745 posts)A man of integrity, Mr. Seigenthaler stood for truth, justice and democracy.
MADem
(135,425 posts)Uncle Joe
(58,107 posts)http://onpolitics.usatoday.com/2014/07/11/john-seigenthaler-dies-al-gore-reaction/
Former vice president Al Gore on Friday hailed his friend and mentor John Seigenthaler, crediting the eminent journalist and champion of civil rights with changing the course of his life in a single phone call.
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Gore said Seigenthaler commanded respect from all who knew him because of his integrity and character and because he was always a force for good in everything he did.
Al Gore ✔ @algore
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Our state and our nation have lost a true giant. My thoughts on the passing of my friend John Seigenthaler: http://ow.ly/z3Tdz
defacto7
(13,485 posts)Rhiannon12866
(202,970 posts)C Moon
(12,188 posts)barbtries
(28,702 posts)to see what hate radio and fox news have done to journalism in this country. RIP
thanks for the thread. i didn't know his name til now.
Tanuki
(14,893 posts)It is an excellent resource. Please check it out if you are not already familiar with it.
Duppers
(28,094 posts)He was a great man.
conservaphobe
(1,284 posts)Go Vols
(5,902 posts)You will be missed.
redqueen
(115,096 posts)Thank you for this thread.
Lars39
(26,093 posts)The video in this article is outstanding:
http://news.vanderbilt.edu/2014/07/seigenthaler/?utm_source=myvupreview&utm_medium=myvu_email&utm_campaign=myvupreview-2014-07-14