Sam Smith (journalist) facts for kids

Sam Smith (born in 1937) is an American journalist and a person who works to bring about political change. He was one of the first people to create what's called alternative media. This means he helped start news sources that were different from the main ones. He also helped create the Green Party in the United States. Today, Sam Smith still publishes an email newsletter called Undernews several times a week.

Early Life and Education

Sam Smith was born in Washington D.C. in 1937. He grew up in Philadelphia in a family that followed both the Episcopal and Quaker faiths. He went to Quaker schools for his education.

Later, he attended Harvard University. While there, he became the news director for the college radio station. He also played the drums in college bands. Sam Smith finished his studies and graduated from Harvard in 1959.

Sam Smith's Career in Journalism

After graduating from Harvard University, Sam Smith began working in radio news in Washington, D.C. In 1961, he joined the United States Coast Guard and served as an officer for three years.

In 1964, Sam Smith returned to Washington, D.C. He started a new kind of monthly newspaper called The Idler. At that time, there were only a few similar journals being published.

In 1965, Sam Smith was working in radio when he was offered a job with The New York Times. He was also offered a position at The Washington Post. However, he chose not to take these jobs. He wanted to focus on alternative journalism instead.

The next year, he joined a protest. He took part in a day-long boycott of Washington D.C.'s transit buses, organized by the SNCC. Sam Smith used his own car to give rides to people who were boycotting the buses. After he wrote an article about this event, a leader from SNCC visited him. This leader, Marion Barry, needed help with public relations. This meeting started a long friendship between Sam Smith and Marion Barry, who later became the mayor of Washington, D.C.

Starting Community Newspapers

Also in 1966, Sam Smith started a community newspaper called the Capitol East Gazette. This paper served a neighborhood in Washington D.C. that was mostly poor and Black. A local Lutheran church gave the Gazette a grant of $2,000 to help it start.

The Gazette covered important local issues. These included plans to build many freeways in the city, efforts to fight poverty, public education, neighborhood problems, and city planning. Sam Smith also strongly supported the idea of Washington, D.C. becoming a state.

In 1969, the newspaper changed its name to the DC Gazette. It became an alternative newspaper for the whole city. Over the years, many writers contributed to the paper, including James Ridgeway and Jim Hightower. The publication also became a strong voice against the Vietnam War.

Books and Other Media

In 1974, Sam Smith's first book was published. It was called Captive Capital: Colonial Life in Modern Washington. In 1980, he became a guest speaker on the local NPR radio station. He also became the Washington correspondent for the Illustrated London News.

In 1984, the Gazette changed its name again to Progressive Review. It became a magazine published every two months. Sam Smith wrote articles on many important topics. These included problems with savings and loans, issues in American cities, the first Gulf War, and the Bush family. His articles were often mentioned by others.

Helping Start the Green Party

In 1993, Sam Smith published another book. It was about Bill Clinton's first year as president. Because Sam Smith had different views from President Clinton, he was removed from his role as a vice president of an organization called Americans for Democratic Action.

After this, he focused his energy on helping to create a national Green Party. His home was sometimes used as a meeting place for Green Party organizers. The party was officially founded on November 17, 1996. In the years that followed, Sam Smith felt he was not allowed on the local NPR station. He also believed he was put on unofficial "blacklists" by C-SPAN and the Washington Post. He thought this happened because he was too critical of the Clinton administration.

In 1994, Sam Smith began sending out email updates to people. The next year, he launched his website, prorev.com. This website grew to become one of the most popular sites for progressive politics on the internet.

In 1997, his book Sam Smith's Great American Political Repair Manual was published. His fourth book, Why Bother? Getting a Life in Locked Down Land, came out in 2001. In 2003, Sam Smith wrote a long history of the Iraq War for Harper's Magazine. What made it special was that it was made entirely of exact statements from officials in the Bush administration.

In 2004, Sam Smith stopped printing the Progressive Review on paper. He continued to publish Undernews as an email newsletter and updated his website regularly. Today, Undernews shares interesting news clips from many different sources. Sam Smith also adds his own short, thoughtful comments to the news.