Alden Whitman

Alden Whitman (27 October 1913 - 4 September 1990) was an American journalist. He worked at "The New York Times" where he pioneered writing personalized obituaries. He is also known for his testimony before the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee. He was born in New Albany, Nova Scotia and he died on a visit to Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Work before the Times

Whitman worked as a copy editor at the "New York Herald Tribune" from 1943-1951.

Work at the New York Times

Whitman was hired as a copy editor by the "New York Times" in 1951. Eventually he pioneered the personalized obituary and became known for his obituary writing.

Whitman's Communist affiliations

Subpoenaed by the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee during its investigation of Communists in the media in Nov. 1955, Whitman testified before the Senate in January 1956. Whitman was implicated in Winston Burdett's testimony before the subcommittee in July 1955. Whitman staunchly refused to name other people as Communists and he was indicted in Dec. 1956 for contempt of Congress. Under tough questioning from subcommitte counsel J.G. Sourwine Whitman admitted his own involvement with the Communist Party from 1935-1948. He also told Sourwine he was a member of a cell with "perhaps a half-dozen members" at the "New York Herald Tribune" when he worked there.

Honors

1979: George Polk Awards (Career Award)

External links

* [http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reports/99-4_00-1NR/Whitman_Uphill.html Uphill All the Way] by Alden Whitman, Winter 1978

References

* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE6D7103BF933A25753C1A966958260 New York Times brief]

* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,861830-2,00.html Time Magazine article] , Jan. 16, 1956