Nicholas Kristof facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nicholas Kristof
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Nicholas Donabet Kristof
April 27, 1959 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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| Years active | 1984–present |
| Political party | Democratic |
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| Children | 3 |
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Nicholas Donabet Kristof (born April 27, 1959) is an American journalist and writer. He has won two Pulitzer Prizes, which are very important awards for journalists. He often writes for The New York Times newspaper and appears on CNN.
Kristof was born in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up on a farm in Yamhill, Oregon. His parents were both professors at Portland State University. After studying at Harvard University, he started working for The New York Times in 1984. He describes himself as a progressive, meaning he supports social and political changes that improve society. Archbishop Desmond Tutu from South Africa called Kristof an "honorary African." This was because Kristof helped bring attention to forgotten problems in Africa.
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Early Life and School
Nicholas Kristof was born in Chicago, Illinois. He spent his childhood on a family farm in Yamhill, Oregon. The farm had sheep and cherry trees. His parents, Jane and Ladis Kristof, were professors at Portland State University. His father was born in a place that used to be part of Austria-Hungary. He came to the United States after World War II.
Kristof went to Yamhill Carlton High School. He was the student body president and edited the school newspaper. He then attended Harvard College, a famous university. There, he studied government and worked for the student newspaper, The Harvard Crimson. People at Harvard remembered him as a very smart student.
After Harvard, Kristof went to Magdalen College, Oxford in England. He studied law there as a Rhodes Scholar. This is a special scholarship for students to study at Oxford. He also studied Arabic in Egypt for a year. He has received many honorary degrees from different universities.
His Career as a Journalist
Nicholas Kristof joined The New York Times in 1984. At first, he wrote about economics. Later, he worked as a reporter in many places around the world. These included Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Tokyo. He even became an associate managing editor, helping to run the newspaper's Sunday editions.
Kristof's articles often focus on big global issues. He writes about health around the world, poverty, and problems women face in developing countries. Since 2004, he has written many articles about Darfur. This is a region in Sudan where there was a lot of conflict. He visited Darfur 11 times to report on what was happening.
Kristof has traveled to more than 150 countries for his work. A friend and fellow journalist, Jeffrey Toobin, once said Kristof was like the "Indiana Jones" of journalists. This means he goes to exciting and sometimes dangerous places to find stories. Many people see him as someone who helps bring important issues to the world's attention.
Joyce Barnathan, who leads the International Center for Journalists, called Kristof "the conscience of international journalism." This means he helps people think about what is right and wrong in the world.
In 2016, Kristof made news for a different reason. He chased and caught a thief who was trying to rob his hotel room in Philadelphia. He wrote about this experience in an article called "Why You Should Always Lock Your Hotel Room Door."
Oregon Governor Campaign
In 2021, Nicholas Kristof decided to run for governor of Oregon. He announced his campaign on October 27, 2021, as a Democrat.
However, on January 6, 2022, officials said he could not run. They said he did not meet the state's rules for how long someone must live in Oregon. Kristof challenged this decision in court. But on February 17, the Oregon Supreme Court agreed with the state officials. So, he was not able to run for governor.
On August 1, 2022, Kristof announced he would return to his job. He went back to being a columnist for The New York Times. His first new article was published on November 16, 2022.
Important Awards
In 1990, Nicholas Kristof and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, won a Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting. They won it for their articles about the student protests in Tiananmen Square in China. They were the first married couple to win a Pulitzer Prize for journalism. Kristof has also won other awards, like the George Polk Award. These awards recognize his work on human rights and environmental issues.
Kristof was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary several times. In 2006, he won his second Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. This award was for his powerful articles about the conflict in Darfur. He took personal risks to report on the suffering there. His writing helped give a voice to people who were not being heard. In total, he has been a Pulitzer finalist seven times.
In 2009, Kristof and WuDunn received the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. They also won the World of Children Lifetime Achievement Award. Many people have even suggested Kristof for the Nobel Peace Prize.
In 2011, Kristof was named one of seven "Top American Leaders" by Harvard University and The Washington Post. The Washington Post said his writing changed how opinion journalism is done. In 2013, he won the Goldsmith Award for Career Excellence in Journalism from Harvard. The director of a Harvard center said Kristof had done more than anyone else to change the world through his reporting.
In 2021, Kristof and The New York Times video team won an Emmy award. This was for their video called "Heartache in the Hot Zone: The Front Line Against Covid-19."
Books He Wrote
Nicholas Kristof has written all his books with his wife, Sheryl WuDunn. Some of their books include:
- China Wakes: The Struggle for the Soul of a Rising Power (1994)
- Thunder from the East: Portrait of a Rising Asia (1999)
- Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide (2009)
- A Path Appears: Transforming Lives, Creating Opportunity (2014)
- Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope (2020)
All these books became bestsellers.
Kristof explained that the idea for Half the Sky came from the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. After reporting on the protests, they learned that many Chinese girls died each year. This was because they did not get the same food and medical care as boys. Kristof and WuDunn realized these deaths were happening without much attention. So, they decided to explore issues of gender inequality more deeply.
Half the Sky became a No. 1 bestseller. Reviewers praised the book. One reviewer said it could "ignite a grass-roots revolution like the one that eliminated slavery."
His Views and Stances
Iraq War
Nicholas Kristof was against the Iraq War. He became even more against it as time went on. In an article from 2003, he wrote that it was a mistake to invade countries based on hopeful ideas. He felt it was wrong to risk soldiers' lives and money if it might make things worse.
Kristof was criticized for saying that Iraqis did not want an American invasion. But years later, some of his critics apologized to him. In 2002, he wrote that the main question was not if we wanted to remove Saddam Hussein. It was about the cost of doing so. He believed President Bush had convinced him that removing Saddam was a good idea. But Kristof still worried about what would happen after the invasion.
In September 2002, Kristof wrote about "The Day After." He warned that after Saddam was removed, there could be fighting and even civil war. He visited cities in Iraq and saw the tension. He felt it was important to plan for what would happen after the invasion.
After the war started, Kristof questioned if the information about Iraq's weapons was true. He wrote that some claims were based on fake documents. This reporting led to a big investigation and controversy in the government.
Anthrax Attacks Columns
In 2001, there were anthrax attacks in the United States. Letters containing anthrax were sent to different people. Times reporter Judith Miller was one of the victims.
In 2002, Kristof wrote articles that suggested a former U.S. Army researcher, Steven Hatfill, might be involved. Hatfill was named a "person of interest" by the FBI. However, Hatfill was never charged with any crime. Hatfill later sued The New York Times and Kristof for libel. He said Kristof's articles had harmed his reputation.
The court cases went on for several years. In 2007, a judge dismissed the lawsuit against the Times. The judge said Kristof's articles were "cautiously worded" and reminded readers to assume Hatfill was innocent. Kristof was happy with this decision. He said it protected important journalism. The case was appealed, but the dismissal was upheld.
Sudan and Darfur
Kristof is very well known for his reporting on Sudan. In 2004, he was one of the first reporters to visit Darfur. He described it as "the most vicious ethnic cleansing you've never heard of." He has made 11 trips to the region. Sometimes, he even snuck in illegally from Chad.
Many people have praised Kristof's reporting from Sudan. Robert DeVecchi, from the International Rescue Committee, said Kristof had a huge impact. He helped bring world attention to the crisis in Darfur. The Save Darfur Coalition said he was the most important person in making Americans aware of the issue. Actress Mia Farrow said Kristof was "the voice of our collective conscience." She said he demanded that people pay attention to the first genocide of the 21st century.
However, some people have criticized Kristof. They said he focused too much on attacks by Arab groups. They felt he did not pay enough attention to attacks by non-Arab groups. Some also said his reporting simplified a very complex conflict. The Sudanese government also complained that Kristof exaggerated the suffering. They said he ignored the details of tribal conflicts. In 2012, the government criticized him for entering Sudan without a visa to report on hunger there.
Israeli–Palestinian Conflict
Kristof believes that Israel and the U.S. should talk with Hamas. He thinks this could help solve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. He criticizes Israel for what he sees as punishing people in Gaza. He believes that not talking only makes extreme groups stronger. He also thinks that Israeli settlements in Hebron should be removed. He says they cost too much money and cause diplomatic problems. Kristof sees two sides of Israel: a tough security state in Palestinian areas, and a place of justice and peace through the work of human rights activists.
Win-a-Trip with Nick Kristof Contest
In 2006, The New York Times started a special contest. It was called "Win a Trip with Nick Kristof." College students could write essays explaining what they wanted to achieve on a reporting trip to Africa with Kristof. The winner would get to go with him.
Casey Parks was the first winner. In September 2006, Kristof and Parks traveled to Africa. They reported on AIDS, poverty, and problems with mothers giving birth. Kristof wrote his articles for The New York Times. Parks wrote about her experiences in her own blog.
The contest was very popular. So, The Times held it again in 2007. Leana Wen and Will Okun won that year. They traveled with Kristof to Rwanda, Burundi, and eastern Congo. A filmmaker joined them, and the movie Reporter was made about their trip. It showed how Kristof tries to teach others about world problems. He wants to inspire people to act.
The contest has continued over the years. In March 2018, Kristof traveled to the Central African Republic with Tyler Pager, that year's winner.
Personal Life
Nicholas Kristof married Sheryl WuDunn in 1988. She is a Chinese American. They have three children together.
In 2018, Kristof and his wife started changing his family's cherry farm in Yamhill, Oregon. They began growing cider apples and grapes for wine there.
In 2022, Kristof said he plans to live mostly on his farm in Yamhill. But he will spend about a week or two each month in New York City. This is for his work as a columnist for The New York Times.
See also
