George D. Beveridge
| George Beveridge | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 5, 1922 Washington, D.C. |
| Died | February 14, 1987 (aged 65) Bethesda, Maryland |
| Cause of death | Leukemia |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Employer | Washington Star |
George D. Beveridge (January 5, 1922 - February 14, 1987) was an American Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist praised for his coverage of the Washington, DC politics, government, and regional development, and described by the Washington Post as "an expert on this city and a keen observer and critic of journalistic ethics and practices".[1]
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Youth [edit]
Born in Washington, DC, Beveridge's father worked as a machinist for the federal government during the Great Depression. Although he lived briefly in Arlington, VA and raised his family in Bethesda, MD, he regarded himself a lifelong resident of the District, where he graduated from Eastern High School.
Early career [edit]
After graduating from high school Beveridge began his journalism career as a copyboy at the "Evening Star". He enlisted in the US Army in 1942, where he wrote press releases before returning to the Star for what became a 41-year career there as reporter, editor, editorial writer, and ombudsman. He won the Star's first Pulitzer Prize for writing in 1958.
Evening Star, Washington Star [edit]
Beveridge joined the Evening Star in 1940 as a copyboy while attending George Washington University in Washington, D.C.. He worked his way up the ladder from general assignment reporter to local and then national news reporter.
In 1958 Beveridge wrote a series of articles about urban growth and development in Washington and its Maryland and Northern Virginia suburbs, delineating the concept of those municipalities acting together as a region. The series, titled "Metro, City of Tomorrow" earned him a Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting. The Pulitzer jury cited the series as "excellent and thought-provoking...describing in depth the urban problems of Washington, D.C., which stimulated widespread public consideration of these problems and encouraged further studies by both public and private agencies.[2]
In 1963, he began an 11-year stint as the Star's chief editorial writer on local affairs. After returning to the newsroom as assistant managing editor for local news, he became the Star's first ombudsman. When the Star folded in 1981, Beveridge coauthored the lead story for the last edition of the newspaper.
Death [edit]
George Beveridge died of leukemia at his home in Bethesda, Maryland on February 14, 1987, aged 65.
References [edit]
- ^ "George David Beveridge Jr. (Editorial)". The Washington Post. 1987-02-19.
- ^ ""Winners; Journalist; Local Reporting; No Edition Time (1958) George Beveridge of the Evening Star, Washington, D.C.". Columbia University. 2009-10-21.
