Alfred Friendly
Encyclopedia
Alfred Friendly was an American
journalist
, editor
and writer
for the Washington Post. He began his career as a reporter with the Post in 1939 and became Managing Editor in 1955. In 1967 he covered the Mideast War for the Post in a series of articles for which he won the Pulitzer Prize
for International Reporting in 1968. He is credited with bringing the Post from being a local paper to having a position of national prominence.
in 1933, he came to Washington, DC to look for work. A former professor who worked in the Commerce Department hired him, but his appointment to a high position at such a young age earned him criticism in the press and he resigned. For the next year he travelled the country in the middle of the Depression, eventually returning to become a reporter at the Washington Daily News
, writing a column for government employees. Less than two years later he was hired to write the same kind of column for the Post, where he was soon assigned to cover war mobilization efforts and anti-war strikes.
When World War II
broke out he entered the Army Air Force, rising to the rank of Major before leaving in 1945. While in the military he was involved in cryptography and intelligence operations, finally becoming the second in command at Bletchley Park
, and the highest ranking American officer there. After the war he remained in Europe as press aide to W. Averell Harriman
supervisor of the Marshall Plan
.
A year later he returned to Washington and to the Post, where he became assistant managing editor in 1952 and managing editor in 1955. In 1966 he became an associate editor and a foreign correspondent based out of London. Hearing rumors of war in 1967 he headed to the Middle East where he was present throughout the 1967 War and wrote his series of award winning articles. He retired from the Post in 1971, though he continued writing occasional editorials and book reviews.
During his retirement he wrote several books, and after his death the Alfred Friendly Foundation
was established. It administers the Alfred Friendly Press Fellowships to bring foreign journalists to the United States for internships at prominent newspapers. The Archives and Special Collections at Amherst College holds a collection of his papers.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
, editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
and writer
Writing
Writing is the representation of language in a textual medium through the use of a set of signs or symbols . It is distinguished from illustration, such as cave drawing and painting, and non-symbolic preservation of language via non-textual media, such as magnetic tape audio.Writing most likely...
for the Washington Post. He began his career as a reporter with the Post in 1939 and became Managing Editor in 1955. In 1967 he covered the Mideast War for the Post in a series of articles for which he won the Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
for International Reporting in 1968. He is credited with bringing the Post from being a local paper to having a position of national prominence.
Biography
Friendly was born in Salt Lake City. After graduating in from Amherst CollegeAmherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
in 1933, he came to Washington, DC to look for work. A former professor who worked in the Commerce Department hired him, but his appointment to a high position at such a young age earned him criticism in the press and he resigned. For the next year he travelled the country in the middle of the Depression, eventually returning to become a reporter at the Washington Daily News
Washington Daily News
The Washington Daily News is a daily newspaper serving Washington, North Carolina. It is the smallest daily newspaper to ever win a Pulitzer Prize gold medal....
, writing a column for government employees. Less than two years later he was hired to write the same kind of column for the Post, where he was soon assigned to cover war mobilization efforts and anti-war strikes.
When World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
broke out he entered the Army Air Force, rising to the rank of Major before leaving in 1945. While in the military he was involved in cryptography and intelligence operations, finally becoming the second in command at Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park is an estate located in the town of Bletchley, in Buckinghamshire, England, which currently houses the National Museum of Computing...
, and the highest ranking American officer there. After the war he remained in Europe as press aide to W. Averell Harriman
W. Averell Harriman
William Averell Harriman was an American Democratic Party politician, businessman, and diplomat. He was the son of railroad baron E. H. Harriman. He served as Secretary of Commerce under President Harry S. Truman and later as the 48th Governor of New York...
supervisor of the Marshall Plan
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was the large-scale American program to aid Europe where the United States gave monetary support to help rebuild European economies after the end of World War II in order to combat the spread of Soviet communism. The plan was in operation for four years beginning in April 1948...
.
A year later he returned to Washington and to the Post, where he became assistant managing editor in 1952 and managing editor in 1955. In 1966 he became an associate editor and a foreign correspondent based out of London. Hearing rumors of war in 1967 he headed to the Middle East where he was present throughout the 1967 War and wrote his series of award winning articles. He retired from the Post in 1971, though he continued writing occasional editorials and book reviews.
During his retirement he wrote several books, and after his death the Alfred Friendly Foundation
Alfred Friendly Foundation
The Alfred Friendly Press Fellowships is an American non-profit foundation that gives journalists from nations in the developing world which meet basic standards of a free press the opportunity to work as reporters in American newsrooms...
was established. It administers the Alfred Friendly Press Fellowships to bring foreign journalists to the United States for internships at prominent newspapers. The Archives and Special Collections at Amherst College holds a collection of his papers.