Theodore Cross
Encyclopedia
Theodore Lamont Cross II (February 12, 1924 – February 28, 2010) was an American lawyer, civil rights
activist, publisher, investor, and bird photographer
.
of World War II
. After the Navy, he obtained an English degree from Amherst College
and a law degree from Harvard Law in 1950.
) for a reported $190 million, but was outbid by Rupert Murdoch
.
Theodore Cross acquired 53% of the Frost & Sullivan
stock in the mid-1980s.
Cross was the editor and publisher of The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education and founder of the Business and Society Review.
hotels and participated in the voting rights marches of 1965. Cross later served as an adviser to the Richard Nixon
and Lyndon B. Johnson
administrations.
Cross also founded Birders United, a group formed in 2004 to oppose President George W. Bush
's reelection on habitat destruction grounds, but who later expanded its role to a general political watchdog group for bird habitats.
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
activist, publisher, investor, and bird photographer
Nature photography
Nature photography refers to a wide range of photography taken outdoors and devoted to displaying natural elements such as landscapes, wildlife, plants, and close-ups of natural scenes and textures...
.
Early life
Cross served as a naval officer in the Pacific WarPacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
of 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...
. After the Navy, he obtained an English degree from Amherst College
Amherst 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...
and a law degree from Harvard Law in 1950.
Career
After working as an attorney, Cross became an entrepreneur, investing in publications. Cross worked professionally in the publishing industry. In 1983, he and partners bought Investment Dealer's Digest and sold it three years later for approximately 40 times the purchase price. He received widespread attention in 1987 for his attempt to acquire Harper & Row (now HarperCollinsHarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
) for a reported $190 million, but was outbid by Rupert Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
.
Theodore Cross acquired 53% of the Frost & Sullivan
Frost & Sullivan
Frost & Sullivan, Inc. is an American firm which provides market research & analysis, growth strategy consulting and corporate training services. Its headquarters are located in San Antonio, Texas, with offices in over 20 countries across the world....
stock in the mid-1980s.
Cross was the editor and publisher of The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education and founder of the Business and Society Review.
Civil rights activism
Cross took a leave of absence from his job working as general counsel for SheratonSheraton Hotels and Resorts
Sheraton Hotels and Resorts is Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide's largest and second oldest brand . Starwood's headquarters are in White Plains, New York.-Sheraton history:...
hotels and participated in the voting rights marches of 1965. Cross later served as an adviser to the Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
and Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
administrations.
Bird photography
Cross published two books of bird photography: Birds of the Sea, Shore, and Tundra (1989) and Waterbirds (2009). Waterbirds in particular received stellar reviews. E.O. Wilson commented that a photo in Waterbirds "is a candidate for the most beautiful illustration of birds in existence, photo or painting."Cross also founded Birders United, a group formed in 2004 to oppose President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's reelection on habitat destruction grounds, but who later expanded its role to a general political watchdog group for bird habitats.