Sam Smith (journalist) facts for kids

Sam Smith was born in 1937 and is an American journalist and political activist. He was one of the first people to create alternative media, which means news sources that are different from mainstream newspapers or TV channels. He also helped start the Green Party of 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. His family had roots in both the Episcopal and Quaker faiths. He grew up in Philadelphia, where he went to Quaker schools.

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

Sam Smith's Journalism Career

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.

Starting Alternative News

In 1964, Smith returned to Washington, D.C. He started an alternative monthly magazine called The Idler. At that time, there were only a few such magazines being published. This showed his early interest in different kinds of journalism.

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 because he wanted to focus on alternative journalism.

Community Activism and Reporting

The next year, in 1966, Smith took part in a protest. He joined a SNCC boycott of Washington D.C.'s transit buses. He helped people by giving them rides in his car during the boycott.

After his article about this event was published, a local SNCC leader visited him. This leader, Marion Barry, needed help with public relations. This meeting started a long friendship with Barry, who later became the mayor of Washington, D.C.

In 1966, Smith also started a community newspaper called the Capitol East Gazette. This paper served a mostly poor, Black neighborhood in Washington D.C. With a small grant from a local church, the Gazette covered important local issues. These included plans for new freeways, the fight against poverty, public education, and neighborhood concerns.

Smith also strongly supported the idea of Washington, D.C., becoming a state. In 1969, the paper changed its name to the DC Gazette. It became an alternative newspaper for the whole city. Over the years, many writers contributed to it. The publication also became a strong voice against the Vietnam War.

Expanding His Work

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 commentator on a 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. Smith wrote articles on many topics. These included the savings and loan scandal, problems in American cities, the first Gulf War, and issues related to the Bush family and the Clintons. His articles were often mentioned by others.

Helping Start the Green Party

In 1993, Sam Smith's book about Bill Clinton's first year as president was published. Because he disagreed with Clinton's policies, he was removed from his role as a vice president of a liberal group called Americans for Democratic Action.

After this, he focused his energy on helping to create a national Green Party. His home was sometimes a meeting place for Green organizers. The party was officially founded on November 17, 1996.

In the years that followed, Smith believed he was not allowed on the local NPR station. He also thought he was put on unofficial blacklists at C-SPAN and The Washington Post. He believed this happened because he was too strong in his reporting on the Clinton controversies.

In 1994, Smith began sending out email updates. The next year, he launched his website, prorev.com. This website grew to be very popular for people interested in progressive politics online.

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, Smith wrote a long article for Harper's Magazine about the Iraq War. This article used only direct quotes from officials in the Bush administration.

In 2004, Smith stopped printing the Progressive Review as a physical magazine. He continued to publish Undernews as an email newsletter. He also kept updating his website regularly. Today, Undernews shares interesting news clips from many sources. It also includes Sam Smith's own clever comments.