Arthur Hays Sulzberger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arthur Hays Sulzberger
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | September 12, 1891 New York City, U.S.
|
| Died | December 11, 1968 (aged 77) New York City, U.S.
|
| Education | Columbia University (BA) |
| Known for | Publisher of The New York Times |
| Spouse(s) | Iphigene Bertha Ochs |
| Children | Marian Sulzberger Heiskell Ruth Sulzberger Golden Holmberg Judith Sulzberger Levinson Arthur Ochs Sulzberger |
| Parent(s) | Rachel Peixotto Hays Cyrus Leopold Sulzberger |
| Family | Adolph Ochs (father-in-law) Orvil Dryfoos (son-in-law) Arthur Golden (grandson) Ben Dolnick (great-grandson) Cyrus Leo Sulzberger II (nephew) |
Arthur Hays Sulzberger (born September 12, 1891 – died December 11, 1968) was an important American newspaper publisher. He led The New York Times newspaper for many years, from 1935 to 1961. During his time as publisher, the newspaper grew a lot. More people bought the daily paper, going from 465,000 to 713,000 copies. The Sunday paper also became very popular, increasing from 745,000 to 1.4 million copies. The number of people working at the Times more than doubled, reaching 5,200 staff members. The newspaper also earned much more money.
Contents
Early Life and School
Arthur Hays Sulzberger was born in New York City on September 12, 1891. His parents were Cyrus Leopold Sulzberger, who sold cotton goods, and Rachel Peixotto Hays. His family had a long history in the United States.
He went to Horace Mann School and finished there in 1909. Later, in 1913, he graduated from Columbia College.
His Career at the New York Times
Sulzberger started working at The New York Times in 1918. He became the publisher in 1935 after his father-in-law, Adolph Ochs, who was the previous publisher, passed away.
He was also involved with Columbia University. He helped create a Jewish Advisory Board there in 1929. He served as a trustee for the university from 1944 to 1959. A floor at the journalism school is named in his honor. He also served as a trustee for the Rockefeller Foundation for many years. In 1950, he was chosen as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He received several awards for his contributions, including the Gold Medal Award from The Hundred Year Association of New York in 1954. In 1956, he received the Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award.
In 1961, Sulzberger stepped down as publisher. His son-in-law, Orvil Dryfoos, took over. Two years later, in 1963, his son, Arthur Ochs "Punch" Sulzberger, became the publisher.
Under Sulzberger's leadership, the Times changed and grew. He added more background stories, pictures, and special articles. He also expanded the different sections of the newspaper. He helped develop new ways to send photos using fax technology. He also built the Times' radio station, WQXR, into a popular station for news and music. During his time, the Times even started printing editions in Paris and Los Angeles using special remote-control printing machines.
Sulzberger was known for some interesting quotes. In 1954, he said, "...I certainly do not advocate that the mind should be so open that the brains fall out." He also famously said, "We journalists tell the public which way the cat is jumping. The public will take care of the cat."
His Views and the Newspaper
Arthur Hays Sulzberger was a Reform Jew. He strongly supported the American Council for Judaism, which was formed in 1942. This group was against Zionism, which is the idea of creating a Jewish state in Israel. Sulzberger made sure his newspaper gave a lot of attention to this group.
He believed that focusing on creating a Jewish state made things harder for Jewish refugees during World War II. He thought that if there was less focus on statehood, more lives might have been saved. His strong views influenced how The New York Times reported on events related to Jewish people and the war. Some people have said that the newspaper did not always highlight the suffering of Jewish people during the Holocaust as much as it could have.
Family Life
In 1917, Arthur Hays Sulzberger married Iphigene Bertha Ochs. She was the daughter of Adolph Ochs, who was the previous publisher of the Times. Arthur and Iphigene had four children:
- Marian Sulzberger Heiskell (1918–2019)
- Ruth Sulzberger Holmberg (1921–2017)
- Judith Sulzberger (1923–2011)
- Arthur Ochs Sulzberger (1926–2012)
Death
Arthur Hays Sulzberger passed away on December 11, 1968, in New York City.
