Joseph Pulitzer (April 10, 1847---October 29, 1911) was a Hungarian-American publisher best known for establishing the Pulitzer Prizes after death.
Pulitzer was born in Mako, Hungary. At 17, Pulitzer attempted to join the Austrian army, but was turned down due to age, bad health and poor eyesight. Disappointed but still with hope, he traveled first to Paris and then to London, hoping to join the army there. And he was rejected for the same reasons. Finally, he moved to the United States in 1864 and served in the Lincoln Army when he was just 18 until the end of the American Civil War. After the war he settled in St. Louis, Missouri, where in 1868 he started working as a reporter for a German-language daily newspaper, the Westliche Post. He joined the Republican Party and was elected to the Missouri State Assembly in 1869.
In 1872. Pulitzer bought the Westliche Post for $3, 000. Then, in 1879, he bought the St. Louis Dispatch for $2, 700 and merged (合并) the two papers as the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which remained St. Louis’ daily newspaper. He bought the New York World in 1883, which turned out to be a successful decision, and which made Pulitzer wealthy. In 1885, he was elected to the US House of Representatives, but resigned after a few months’ service. In 1895 the New York World introduced the first newspaper comic printed with colour. Under Pulitzer’s leadership circulation (发行量) grew from 15, 000 to 600, 000, making it the largest newspaper in the country. But unfortunately from 1890, Pulitzer’s already failing health worsened rapidly and he withdrew from direct management of the newspaper, and simply gave some instructions from his vacation houses in Maine or in New York. At the age of forty, he was struck blind, but he still continued to run his press empire for twenty-two more years.
In 1892, Pulitzer offered Columbia University’s president money to set up the world’s first school of journalism. But the university turned down the offer. In 1902, Columbia’s new president willingly accepted the plan for a school and prizes, but it would not be until after Pulitzer’s death that this dream would come true. Pulitzer left the university $2 million in his will, which led to the creation in 1912 of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. And up till now, Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism still remains one of the most famous in the world.
Joseph Pulitzer died aboard his sailing boat in 1911. He was buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, New York. In 1917, the first Pulitzer Prizes were awarded, as Pulitzer wished to.
In 1989, in honor of his great achievements and contributions, Pulitzer was included in the St. Louis Walk of Fame.
Title：A biography of a famous person
Name
| Joseph Pulitzer
| Dates of birth and death
| April 10,1847—October 29,1911
| Birth place
| Mako, Hungary
| (71) place
| the Woodlawn Cemetery,
The Bronx, NY
| (72)
| Hungarian-
American
| Profession
| reporter, publisher
|
Life (73)
| Military career
★ at 17, made several(74) to join the army, but failed for his age, bad health and poor eyesight
★ at 18, eventually served in the Lincoln’s Army in the USA
| Newspaper career
★ in 1868, began working as a reporter for the Westliche Post, a daily newspaper
★ from 1872 to 1883, succeeded in (75) three newspapers
★ in 1 895, introduced the first newspaper comic printed with color
★ from 1890, managed the newspaper (76) for health reason
| (77) career
★ joined the Republican Party and in 1869 was elected to the Missouri State Assembly
★ in 1885,was elected to the US House of Representatives, but (78) for only a short time
| Achievements
&
contributions
| ★ made the New York World the largest newspaper in the country, with its circulation growing from 15,000 to 600,000
★ in 1912, helped to (79) the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, which remains one of the most famous in the world
★ established the Pulitzer Prizes through his will
| (80)
| ★ In 1989, he was included in the St. Louis Walk of Fame
| | | | | |
|