William Raspberry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William James Raspberry
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| Born | October 12, 1935 Okolona, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | July 17, 2012 (aged 76) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Resting place | Rock Creek Cemetery Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Education | Indiana Central College, B.S. 1958 (History) |
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| Spouse | Sondra Patricia Raspberry (née Dodson) (m. 1966–2012) |
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| Relatives | James Lee Raspberry, teacher (father) Willie Mae Tucker Raspberry, teacher (b. ~1906) (mother) |
William Raspberry (born October 12, 1935 – died July 17, 2012) was an American journalist. He was well-known for writing newspaper columns that appeared in many different newspapers. He also taught about writing and news at Duke University. As an African American writer, he often wrote about important issues related to race and fairness.
In 1999, William Raspberry received the Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award. He also got a special award called an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Colby College.
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William Raspberry's Career Journey
After finishing college in 1958, William Raspberry earned a degree in history from the University of Indianapolis. He had already started working at a local newspaper called the Indianapolis Recorder in 1956. He quickly moved up and became a senior editor there.
From 1960 to 1962, he served in the U.S. Army. He worked as a public information officer, which meant he shared news and information from the army.
Working at The Washington Post
In 1962, William Raspberry joined Washington Post newspaper. He started as a teletypist, which was someone who typed messages for news. He worked hard and became a regular writer for the newspaper in 1966. His columns were very popular.
William Raspberry was recognized for his excellent writing. He was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 1982. This is a very important award for journalists. He then won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1994 for his thoughtful articles.
His Views and Retirement
William Raspberry often wrote about important social topics. He believed in fairness for all people. He retired from writing his regular column in December 2005. However, he still wrote a special article for the Washington Post in November 2008. In this article, he shared his thoughts on Barack Obama becoming president.
William Raspberry was also the president of a program called "Baby Steps." This program helps parents learn how to raise their children. It is based in Okolona, Mississippi, where he grew up. He also went to Okolona College.
He wrote a book called Looking Backward at Us. This book is a collection of his newspaper columns from the 1980s.
When William Raspberry Passed Away
William Raspberry passed away on July 17, 2012. He was 76 years old. He died from prostate cancer. He was buried at Rock Creek Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
