James Foley (journalist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Foley
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Foley at San Diego State University in 2012
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| Born | October 18, 1973 Evanston, Illinois, U.S.
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| Died | c. August 19, 2014 (aged 40) |
| Alma mater | Marquette University (BA) University of Massachusetts Amherst (MFA) Northwestern University (MS) |
| Occupation | Journalist |
James Wright Foley (born October 18, 1973 – died around August 19, 2014) was an American journalist and video reporter. He bravely reported from dangerous places around the world.
James worked as a freelance war correspondent, which means he was a reporter who wasn't tied to one news company and covered conflicts. He reported from places like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya. In 2012, he was kidnapped in northwestern Syria while covering the Syrian Civil War. He was killed in August 2014. His death made him the first American citizen killed by the group known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Before becoming a journalist, James Foley was a teacher. He taught for a program called Teach For America.
Contents
Early Life and Education
James Foley was born in Evanston, Illinois. He was the oldest of five children. He grew up in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. James was raised as a Catholic.
He studied at Marquette University, graduating in 1996 with a degree in history and Spanish. Later, he earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2002. In 2008, he completed a Master of Science degree from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
James Foley's Career
James started his career as a teacher in Arizona. In 1999, he decided to study creative writing. After finishing his degree in 2003, he taught writing to young people in Chicago. In 2007, he went back to school to study journalism.
Starting in 2008, James worked on development projects in Baghdad, Iraq. He helped organize events to rebuild Iraq's government services. He also became an "embedded journalist" in Iraq. This means he traveled and lived with U.S. military units to report on their activities.
In 2009, he was an embedded journalist in Afghanistan. He worked with U.S. troops there. In 2010, he became a freelance journalist, continuing to report from conflict zones.
In January 2011, James joined Stars and Stripes, a newspaper for the U.S. military. He reported from Afghanistan. Later that year, he went to Libya to cover the uprising against Muammar Gaddafi. He joined rebel fighters to report on the conflict.
Captured in Libya
On April 5, 2011, James Foley and other journalists were captured near Brega, Libya. They were taken by forces loyal to Gaddafi. Another journalist, Anton Hammerl, was killed during the attack. James and his colleagues were beaten and taken as prisoners.
James was held for 44 days. He was released on May 18, 2011. After his release, he returned home to Milwaukee. He thanked his community for their prayers. In an interview, he said that reporting from dangerous places was important. He believed it helped the world understand difficult situations. James also wrote about how his rosary prayers helped him through his time in captivity.
Being captured did not stop him. He quickly returned to Libya. He was there when Muammar Gaddafi was captured on October 20, 2011.
Kidnapped in Syria
During the Syrian civil war, James continued working as a freelance journalist. He reported for GlobalPost and Agence France-Presse. On November 22, 2012, James was kidnapped in northwestern Syria. He was with British journalist John Cantlie. They were on their way to the Turkish border.
People close to James's family believed he was taken by a group loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. He was later held in a prison in Damascus.
Efforts to Free James
From November to December 2013, James's captors demanded a large amount of money for his release. They asked for about US$132 million from his family, his employer GlobalPost, and the U.S. government. GlobalPost spent millions trying to bring James home. They hired a security company that found James's location in September 2013. He was moved many times during his captivity.
In June 2014, another hostage, Daniel Rye Ottosen, was released. He called James's family and shared a message from James. In this message, James wrote to his family. He described being held in a cell with seventeen other hostages. They played games and gave lectures to pass the time. His family shared this letter on their Facebook page after his death.
In July 2014, U.S. President Barack Obama approved a rescue mission. U.S. intelligence believed the hostages were in a specific place in Syria. However, the mission failed because the hostages had been moved. U.S. special forces landed in Raqqa, Syria, but the hostages were not there. This operation was kept secret until after James's death.
On August 12, 2014, ISIS sent James's parents an email. They said the U.S. government would not pay ransoms or exchange prisoners. They threatened to kill James. Even after this email, James's family hoped he could still be released.
James Foley's Death
James Foley's family confirmed his death on August 19, 2014. His mother, Diane Foley, posted on the Free James Foley Facebook page. She wrote, "We have never been prouder of our son Jim, he gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the Syrian people."
The person who killed James Foley was identified as Mohammed Emwazi. He was killed in a drone strike in Raqqa in November 2015.
James Foley's Legacy
James Foley's bravery and dedication left a lasting impact.
Since 2014, the James Foley Medill Medal for Courage in Journalism is awarded. It comes from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. This award honors journalists who show great courage in their reporting.
After James's death, Agence France-Presse (AFP) announced a new policy. They would no longer accept work from freelance journalists who travel to very dangerous places.
Former students and colleagues from a school where James taught started a scholarship in his name. There is also the James Foley Scholarship at Marquette University.
In 2014, an Indian sand artist named Sudarsan Pattnaik created a sand sculpture of James's face. It had a message saying, "Don't kill innocents!"
In 2014, Pope Francis called James's family to offer his condolences.
James's family started the James W. Foley Legacy Fund. This foundation helps families of American hostages. It also supports American journalists reporting from conflict zones. The foundation works to "advocate for the safe return of Americans taken hostage" and "educate student journalists about staying safe in dangerous situations."
In 2016, a documentary film called Jim: The James Foley Story was released. It tells James's story.
In November 2016, the singer Sting wrote a song about James called "The Empty Chair". It was nominated for an Academy Award.
In 2019, a Danish film called Daniel was released. It is about Daniel Rye Ottosen, another hostage who was with James. James Foley is also a character in the film.
In 2024, author Colum McCann and Diane Foley wrote a book called "American Mother." It shares James's story through his mother's eyes.
See also
- 2014 American Intervention in Syria
- Aafia Siddiqui
- Foreign hostages in Iraq
- List of solved missing person cases
Kidnapped journalists
- Nick Berg
- Kenneth Bigley
- John Cantlie
- Daniel Pearl
- Steven Sotloff
- Austin Tice
