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Iphigene Ochs Sulzberger

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Iphigene Ochs Sulzberger
A young white woman with dark hair and eyes, wearing a white lace-collared dress or blouse
Ochs in the 1914 yearbook ofBarnard College
Born
Iphigene Bertha Ochs

September 19, 1892
Chattanooga, Tennessee,U.S.
DiedFebruary 26, 1990 (age 97)
New York City,U.S.
Alma materBarnard College(Bachelor of Arts)
OccupationNewspaper executive
SpouseArthur Hays Sulzberger
ChildrenMarian Sulzberger Heiskell
Ruth Sulzberger Golden Holmberg
Judith Sulzberger Levinson
Arthur Ochs Sulzberger
Parent(s)Adolph Simon Ochs
Effie Wise
RelativesIsaac Mayer Wise(grandfather)
George Oakes(uncle)
John Bertram Oakes(cousin)
Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr.(grandson)
Arthur Golden(grandson)
A. G. Sulzberger(great-grandson)
Ben Dolnick(great-grandson)
Sam Dolnick(great-grandson)

Iphigene Bertha Ochs Sulzberger(September 19, 1892 – February 26, 1990) was an American heiress, socialite, newspaper executive, philanthropist and former owner ofThe New York Times.She was the daughter ofAdolph Ochs,wife ofArthur Hays Sulzberger,mother ofArthur Ochs Sulzberger,paternal grandmother ofArthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr.,and patrilineal great-grandmother ofA. G. Sulzberger,who all served as publishers of the paper.

Early life and education

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A white man with his daughter, about ten years old, seated on his lap; she is wearing a white dress with a wide collar and black striped embellisments; he is wearing a suit
Adolph Ochs,publisher ofThe New York Timesand his daughter, Iphigene

Iphigene Bertha Ochs was born on September 19, 1892, inChattanooga, Tennessee,the only child ofAdolph Simon Ochsand Iphigenia "Effie" (Wise) Ochs. Her father was then the publisher of theChattanooga Times,and her mother was a daughter of RabbiIsaac Mayer Wise,founder ofReform Judaism.[1]When Adolph purchasedThe New York Timesin 1896, she moved with her parents toNew York City.After being educated at private schools, including Sachs's School for Girls (that later became theDwight School),[2]she enteredBarnard Collegein 1910 and graduated in 1914 with majors in economics and American and European history.[3]

AtBarnard,she met briefly withArthur Hays Sulzberger,son of cotton merchantCyrus Leopold Sulzberger.After college, she was reintroduced to him by her cousin,Julius Ochs Adler,who trained with Sulzberger in the military inPlattsburgh, New York.[4]The two fell in love and were married on Nov. 17, 1917.[1]Her husband joinedThe New York Timesin 1918, while she spent the early years rearing her family. She gave birth toMarian Sulzberger Heiskellin 1918,Ruth Sulzberger Holmbergin 1921,Judith Sulzbergerin 1923, andArthur Ochs "Punch" Sulzbergerin 1926.

Career

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Following her father's death in 1935, she became a trustee ofThe New York Timesunder his will, as well as one of the three trustees of his estate that had a controlling stake in it.[5]However, she was deemed ineligible to inherit the newspaper because of her gender.[6]Her husband was electedpublisherthe same year. As the publisher's wife, her role in the operations of the newspaper was described as one that often remained offstage but nonetheless vital, because as the family matriarch and the only offspring of Adolph Ochs, she exerted herself to maintain the familial unity necessary to jointly run a business and avoid feuds.[5][7]Under her stewardship, the newspaper survived many challenges to the industry and remained one of the most prestigious and respected news organizations as well as a leading source of international news.[1][8]

She played a role in helping her husband manage the newspaper after he was enfeebled by a stroke in his later years.[1]Her son-in-law,Orvil Dryfoos,succeeded him from 1961 to 1963, until he died of heart failure at 50.[9]He was succeeded by his brother-in-law and Sulzberger's only son Punch, who served as publisher from 1963 to 1992.

Sulzberger served as a director ofThe New York Timesfrom 1917 to 1973, when she became director emeritus.[1]

Philanthropy

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Sulzberger was known for her philanthropic activities. She was the president of theNew York Park Associationfrom 1928 to 1950. She was also a founding member of theCentral Park Conservancyand helped to preserve and restoreCentral Park.[10]She also became a benefactor to theMetropolitan Museum of Art,of which her son served as trustee since 1968, and chairman from 1987 to 1998.[11][12]Sulzberger served on the board of trustees ofBarnard Collegefrom 1937 to 1968 and helped with fundraising of the women's college.[4][13]A dormitory building and a parlor inBarnard Collegeare named in her honor.[14][15]She was also a trustee of theHebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religionand theUniversity of Tennessee at Chattanooga.[4]

Family and personal life

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Sulzberger died in her sleep at age ninety-seven on February 26, 1990.[4]At the time of her death, she was survived by four children, 13 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren.[5]Her funeral atCongregation Emanu-El of New Yorkwas attended by well over a thousand people, including New York City mayorDavid Dinkinsand former mayorsEd KochandJohn Lindsay,U.S. senatorsDaniel Patrick MoynihanandAbraham Ribicoff,formerUnited States Secretary of StateCyrus Vance,District AttorneyRobert Morgenthau,Brown UniversitypresidentVartan Gregorian,Washington Post publisherKatharine Graham,and President of theMuseum of Modern ArtWilliam Luers.[16]

Her first daughter, Marian, a director of the newspaper, marriedAndrew Heiskell,chairman ofTime Inc.,after her first husbandOrvil Dryfoosdied.

Her second daughter, Ruth, was a publisher of theChattanooga Times(now theChattanooga Times Free Press). She was married twice: to Ben Hale Golden and then to Albert W. Holmberg, Jr. Ruth's son,Arthur Golden,is a novelist who wrote the bestselling novelMemoirs of a Geisha.Her other son,Michael Golden,is currently vice chairman ofThe New York Times Companyand former publisher of theInternational Herald Tribune.Ruth's son-in-lawEdward Dolnickis a novelist as is her grandson,Ben Dolnick.Her other grandson,Sam Dolnick,is an assistant managing editor ofThe New York Timesand was one of the candidates in 2018 to become the next publisher of theTimes.[17][18]

Her third daughter, Judith, became a physician. She married Matthew Rosenschein, Jr., then Richard N. Cohen, and finally Budd Levinson (twice).

Her only son, "Punch", served as publisher ofThe New York Timesfrom 1963 to 1992. His son,Arthur Ochs "Pinch" Sulzberger Jr.succeeded him as publisher and became chairman of The New York Times Company in 1997. Arthur Jr.'s sonA. G. Sulzbergerbecame the publisher on January 1, 2018, and became chairman of The New York Times Company on December 31, 2020.[19]Punch's other grandson, David Perpich, served as a senior vice president in the company and oversees its standalone products.[20][21]He was another one of the candidates to be the next publisher of theTimesafter Pinch Sulzberger, along with A. G. Sulzberger and Sam Dolnick.[18][22]

References

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  1. ^abcde"Iphigene Ochs Sulzberger Is Dead; Central Figure in Times's History".The New York Times.1990-02-27.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2020-05-22.
  2. ^"A Dwight History Lesson | Dwight School New York".www.dwight.edu.Retrieved2020-05-22.
  3. ^Strom, Stephanie (1991-01-15)."Gift to Barnard Honors Iphigene Sulzberger".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2020-05-22.
  4. ^abcd"Iphigene Ochs Sulzberger | Jewish Women's Archive".jwa.org.Retrieved2020-05-22.
  5. ^abc"Newspaper Heiress Iphigene Ochs Sulzberger Dead at 97".AP NEWS.Retrieved2020-05-22.
  6. ^Tifft, Susan E. (2000).The trust: the private and powerful family behind The New York Times.Little, Brown and Co.ISBN0-316-83631-1.OCLC45105720.
  7. ^Scelfo, Julie (2016).The women who made New York.Basic Books. pp. 121–123.ISBN978-1-58005-654-0.OCLC961344163.
  8. ^Dunlap, David W. (2016-10-20)."1935-1988 | How to Succeed in Business (At Least This One)".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2020-05-22.
  9. ^Dryfoos, Orvil E. (1963-05-26)."Orvil E. Dryfoos Dies at 50; New York Times Publisher; Orvil E. Dryfoos, President and Publisher of The New York Times, Is Dead at 50 HE JOINED STAFF OF PAPER IN 1942 Served as a Reporter for a Year--Succeeded Sulzberger in 1961".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2020-05-22.
  10. ^Teltsch, Kathleen (1987-09-22)."A Path in Central Park Ramble Is Dedicated".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2020-05-22.
  11. ^Glueck, Grace (1987-05-13)."Sulzberger Is Elected Chairman of Met".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2020-05-22.
  12. ^"In Memoriam: Arthur Ochs Sulzberger".The Metropolitan Museum of Art.Retrieved2020-05-22.
  13. ^"Barnard Board Elects Mrs. a. H. Sulzberger".The New York Times.1962-05-02.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2020-05-22.
  14. ^Teltsch, Kathleen (1991-10-18)."Barnard Dorm Is Dedicated To Iphigene Ochs Sulzberger".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2020-05-22.
  15. ^"On-Campus Spaces | Barnard College".barnard.edu.Retrieved2020-05-22.
  16. ^Carmody, Deirdre (1990-03-01)."Mourners Recall Iphigene Ochs Sulzberger's Ideals".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2020-05-22.
  17. ^Center, Loria; Street, Room 351 See map 190 York (2019-09-11)."Poynter Fellowship: Sam Dolnick".Office of Public Affairs & Communications.Retrieved2020-05-22.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ab"Inside the 3-Way Family Contest to Become the Next Publisher of the Times".Intelligencer.2015-08-24.Retrieved2020-05-22.
  19. ^Ember, Sydney (2017-12-14)."A.G. Sulzberger, 37, to Take Over as New York Times Publisher".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2020-05-22.
  20. ^"David Perpich".The New York Times Company.Retrieved2020-05-22.
  21. ^"David Perpich to Lead Standalone Products and Ventures".The New York Times Company.2020-01-30.Retrieved2020-05-22.
  22. ^Levitz, Eric."A.G. Sulzberger Vanquishes Cousins, Becomes Deputy Publisher of New York Times".Intelligencer.Retrieved2020-05-22.
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