Joseph Pulitzer – Biography of Joseph Pulitzer

Joseph pulitzer He was the creator of a new conception of the profession of journalist, a conception that, in certain aspects, was considered controversial for his time. He was the inspirer and patron of the famous award for journalistic excellence that bears his name and that every year since 1917, New York’s “Columbia University” has awarded to American journalists and writers.

Joseph pulitzer He was born in Makó, a town near Csongrad (Hungary) on April 10, 1847. The son of a wealthy Jewish merchant; his mother, of German origin, was Catholic. Joseph received an excellent education and acquired a taste for reading and foreign languages. In 1864 he emigrated to the United States. He enlisted in the federal army and, when he obtained American citizenship in 1867, he laid down his arms to dedicate himself to journalism. His career began in 1868 in Saint Louis (Missouri) where. in his youth he worked as a reporter for the newspaper “Westliche Post“published in the German language, from which he would buy part of the property in 1871.

In these years in Saint Louis, Pulitzer makes his first contacts with politics, which would be his main field of interest for the rest of his life. In 1869 he ran for the state legislature, winning his seat in the ranks of the Republican Party. This was the first official step in his fight against public and private corruption, a search, however, carried out with unorthodox and highly criticized means, including even armed threats. Despite your political commitment, Joseph pulitzer He did not abandon journalism, a job he loved so much.

Increasingly, he became a mouthpiece for citizens and democracy, revealing the dense web of political corruption inherent in the government. He defended the workers and opposed the monopoly and consortia, fighting for the profession of journalist to become “an honest way to earn a living“.

At only 31 years old, he found himself the owner of a small fortune; After obtaining his law degree, in 1878, he invested money and effort to merge in Saint Louis the “Evening Post” and “St. Louis Afternoon Dispatch” newspapers: thus laining the “St. Louis Post-Dispatch“. The operation was a success. The ambitious editor-journalist aspired to an even wider audience and did not stop at the”periphery“.

Inco years later, in 1883, he moved to New York and with the support of financier Jay Gould, publishes the “New York World“, taking it to high levels of popularity and diffusion. The”World“was considered a” small fish “among the many newspapers that were published in the metropolis, but Pulitzer was able to transform in quality and style the small daily newspaper, which in a short time became one of the largest and most influential newspapers of its time, promoter of information free of any political or business interest, and aggressive in the search for the truth of the facts.

In 1903 Pulitzer donated one million dollars to Columbia University for the establishment of a journalism school.

Joseph pulitzer died in Charleston, South Carolina, on October 29, 1911.

Thanks to his last wishes, present in his will, after his death the “Columbia University School of Journalism” was founded and the famous award that bears his name was formed. His legacy, a total of $ 20 million, resulted in 12 awards that are awarded each year, beginning in 1917, for different categories (which also include “Humor Design” and “Photography”).

Before his death Joseph pulitzer He delegated the management of the awards to a committee with the broadest powers. Today the committee is known as the “Pulitzer Prize Board,” and it is made up of editors, journalists, professionals from other fields, and senior officials at Columbia University.