Haynes Johnson
Encyclopedia
Haynes Bonner Johnson is a Pulitzer Prize
-winning journalist, best-selling author, and TV analyst. He has reported on most of the major news stories of the last half-century and is widely regarded as one of the nation's top political commentators.
He began his newspaper career in 1956 as a reporter for the Wilmington (Delaware) News-Journal. In 1957, Johnson joined the Washington Evening Star
where he worked for 12 years, variously as a reporter, copy editor, night city editor and national reporter. He joined The Washington Post
in 1969, serving first as a National correspondent, as a special assignment correspondent at home and abroad, then as the paper's Assistant Managing Editor and finally, as a national affairs columnist.
Johnson won a Pulitzer Prize for distinguished national reporting in 1966 for his coverage of the civil rights crisis in Selma, Alabama
. The award marked the first time in Pulitzer Prize history that a father and son both received awards for reporting; his father, Malcolm Johnson, won in 1949 for the New York Sun
series, "Crime on the Waterfront," which was the basis for the Academy Award-winning film, On the Waterfront
.
He is the author or editor of sixteen books, five of them best-sellers, including his most recent work, co-authored with Washington Post political reporter Dan Balz, The Battle for America: 2008.
Johnson was born in New York City. He earned his bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri
in 1952 and his Master's in American History from the University of Wisconsin in 1956. Johnson served in the U.S. Army as a first lieutenant in artillery during the Korean War
. He has held academic appointments at Duke, Princeton, Berkeley, the University of Pennsylvania and George Washington University and since 1998, has served as the Knight Chair in Journalism at the University of Maryland.
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...
-winning journalist, best-selling author, and TV analyst. He has reported on most of the major news stories of the last half-century and is widely regarded as one of the nation's top political commentators.
He began his newspaper career in 1956 as a reporter for the Wilmington (Delaware) News-Journal. In 1957, Johnson joined the Washington Evening Star
Washington Star
The Washington Star, previously known as the Washington Star-News and the Washington Evening Star, was a daily afternoon newspaper published in Washington, D.C. between 1852 and 1981. For most of that time, it was the city's newspaper of record, and the longtime home to columnist Mary McGrory and...
where he worked for 12 years, variously as a reporter, copy editor, night city editor and national reporter. He joined The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
in 1969, serving first as a National correspondent, as a special assignment correspondent at home and abroad, then as the paper's Assistant Managing Editor and finally, as a national affairs columnist.
Johnson won a Pulitzer Prize for distinguished national reporting in 1966 for his coverage of the civil rights crisis in Selma, Alabama
Selma, Alabama
Selma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Alabama, United States, located on the banks of the Alabama River. The population was 20,512 at the 2000 census....
. The award marked the first time in Pulitzer Prize history that a father and son both received awards for reporting; his father, Malcolm Johnson, won in 1949 for the New York Sun
New York Sun
The New York Sun was a weekday daily newspaper published in New York City from 2002 to 2008. When it debuted on April 16, 2002, adopting the name, motto, and masthead of an otherwise unrelated earlier New York paper, The Sun , it became the first general-interest broadsheet newspaper to be started...
series, "Crime on the Waterfront," which was the basis for the Academy Award-winning film, On the Waterfront
On the Waterfront
On the Waterfront is a 1954 American drama film about union violence and corruption among longshoremen. The film was directed by Elia Kazan and written by Budd Schulberg. It stars Marlon Brando, Rod Steiger, Eva Marie Saint, Lee J. Cobb and Karl Malden. The soundtrack score was composed by Leonard...
.
He is the author or editor of sixteen books, five of them best-sellers, including his most recent work, co-authored with Washington Post political reporter Dan Balz, The Battle for America: 2008.
Johnson was born in New York City. He earned his bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
in 1952 and his Master's in American History from the University of Wisconsin in 1956. Johnson served in the U.S. Army as a first lieutenant in artillery during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. He has held academic appointments at Duke, Princeton, Berkeley, the University of Pennsylvania and George Washington University and since 1998, has served as the Knight Chair in Journalism at the University of Maryland.