Evelyn Cunningham
Evelyn Cunningham | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 25, 1916 |
| Died | April 28, 2010 (aged 94)[1] Manhattan, New York, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Known for | Civil rights reporting |
Evelyn Cunningham (January 25, 1916 – April 28, 2010) was an American journalist and aide to Nelson Rockefeller.[2] Cunningham covered the early civil rights movement and was a reporter and editor for the Pittsburgh Courier. Cunningham and the paper's staff were awarded the George Polk Award in 1998 for their coverage.[2]
Pittsburgh Courier
The largest black newsweekly at the time,[1] the Pittsburgh Courier was an influential presence during and in the years preceding the civil rights movement. Cunningham joined the Courier in 1940[3] working from the Harlem office at 125th street. She earned the nickname the "lynching editor" due to her extensive coverage of lynchings in the deep south.[2] While at the Courier she attempted to interview Bull Connor, but he denied her with a racial epithet.[1][2]
She also met with a number of civil rights leaders, including Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. Cunningham wrote a 3 part series on the King family from those meetings.
Radio program on WLIB
After leaving the Courier, Cunningham began to host a radio show of her own on WLIB in New York.
Political aide and later career
Cunningham joined Nelson Rockefeller in 1965 as a special assistant to the then governor. She maintained this title in Washington during his vice presidency. She also served on Nixon's Task Force on Women's Rights and Responsibilities.[3]
In the 2000s, Cunningham was appointed to the New York City Commission on Women's Issues by Michael Bloomberg.
Personal life
Cunningham was married four times.[2]
References
- ^ a b c d http://www.answers.com/topic/evelyn-cunningham
- ^ a b c d e The Associated Press, "Evelyn Cunningham, Journalist and Aide, Dies at 94", The New York Times, April 29, 2010, available online.
- ^ a b Clem Richardson, "Well-versed journalist Evelyn Cunningham writing piece on 'unknown black history'", New York Daily News, November 23rd 2009, [1]
External links
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