Priscilla Buckley facts for kids

Priscilla Langford Buckley (born October 17, 1921 – died March 25, 2012) was an American journalist and writer. She was best known for her long career as the managing editor of a magazine called National Review. She worked there for over 40 years, helping to shape the magazine.

Early Life and Education

Priscilla Buckley was born in New York City on October 17, 1921. She was one of ten children born to William Frank Buckley Sr. and Aloise Josephine Antonia Steiner. Her family was quite large! Her nickname was "Pitts."

Priscilla went to Smith College, a well-known school. She graduated in 1943 with a degree in history. While she was there, one of her good friends was Betty Friedan, who later became a famous writer. Nancy Reagan, who would become the First Lady of the United States, was also in her graduating class.

Early Career

Before joining National Review, Priscilla Buckley worked in a few interesting places. From 1944 to 1948, she worked for United Press in New York City. This was a news agency that gathered and shared news stories.

Later, in the 1950s, she worked for the CIA. This is a government agency that collects information to protect the country. After that, she returned to United Press, working in Paris, France, from 1953 to 1956.

Working at National Review

Priscilla Buckley started working at National Review magazine in 1956. This magazine was started by her brother, William F. Buckley Jr., who was a well-known conservative writer.

In 1959, Priscilla became the managing editor of the magazine. This means she was in charge of the daily operations and making sure everything ran smoothly. A famous writer named Whittaker Chambers suggested her for the job.

Priscilla stayed as managing editor until 1985. She continued to work at National Review until 1999, which means she worked there for an amazing 43 years!

Her influence at the magazine was so big that some people jokingly called National Review "Miss Buckley’s Finishing School for Young Ladies and Gentlemen of Conservative Persuasion." This shows how much she helped new writers learn and grow. Some of the writers she helped train include Paul Gigot, Bill McGurn, Mona Charen, and Anthony R. Dolan.

Later Years

Priscilla Buckley passed away on March 25, 2012, when she was 90 years old. She died from kidney failure at her home in Sharon, Connecticut. This was the same house where she and her many siblings grew up.