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William Raspberry

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William James Raspberry
BornOctober 12, 1935(1935-10-12)
Okolona, Mississippi,U.S.
DiedJuly 17, 2012(2012-07-17)(aged 76)[1]
Washington, D.C.,U.S.
Resting placeRock Creek Cemetery
Washington, D.C., U.S.
OccupationJournalist
EducationIndiana Central College,B.S.1958 (History)
Notable awards
SpouseSondra Patricia Raspberry (née Dodson) (m. 1966–2012)
Children
  • Patricia D. Raspberry
  • Mark J. Raspberry
  • Angela Raspberry Jackson
  • foster son, Reginald Harrison
RelativesJames Lee Raspberry, teacher (father)
Willie Mae Tucker Raspberry, teacher (b. ~1906) (mother)

William Raspberry(October 12, 1935 – July 17, 2012) was an American syndicatedpublic affairscolumnist. He was also the Knight Professor of the Practice of Communications and Journalism at theSanford Institute of Public PolicyatDuke University.AnAfrican American,he frequently wrote on racial issues.

In 1999, Raspberry received theElijah Parish LovejoyAward as well as an honoraryDoctor of Lawsdegree fromColby College.

Career

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After earning a B.S. in history at theUniversity of Indianapolisin 1958, Raspberry continued to work at the local weeklyIndianapolis Recorderwhere he had begun in 1956, rising to associate managing editor. He wasdraftedand served as aU.S. Armypublic information officer from 1960–1962. TheWashington Posthired him as ateletypistin 1962.[2]Raspberry quickly rose in the ranks of the paper, becoming a columnist in 1966. Raspberry was a finalist for thePulitzer Prizein 1982, and won thePulitzer Prize for Commentaryin 1994.

Raspberry supportedgay rights,writing at least one column condemninggay-bashing.[3][4][5]He argued against certain torts and complaints from the disabled.[6]Ragged Edge,a disabled-rights publication, published complaints from letters to the editor that thePostdid not print.[5]

Raspberry retired in December 2005.[7]He provided theWashington Posta guest column on November 11, 2008, commenting on the election ofBarack Obamaas president of the United States.[8]

As of 2008, he was president of "Baby Steps", a parent training and empowerment program based inOkolona, Mississippi.[8]Raspberry was an alumnus ofOkolona College.[9]

He is the author ofLooking Backward at Us,a collection of his columns from the 1980s.

Death

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Raspberry died ofprostate canceron July 17, 2012,[2]aged 76. He was buried atRock Creek Cemetery.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ Hevesi, Dennis (July 17, 2012)."William Raspberry, Prizewinning Columnist, Dies at 76".New York Times.Retrieved2014-01-19.
  2. ^abSchudel, Matt (July 17, 2012)."William Raspberry dies: Washington Post columnist wrote about social issues including race, poverty".The Washington Post.Retrieved2012-07-17.
  3. ^Archive Search for "William Raspberry" gayArchived2017-07-07 at theWayback Machine,archival list of William Raspberry's columns on gay issues at the Washington Post 1993-2005.
  4. ^Raspberry, William(November 2, 1998)."What Are Gay-Bashers Afraid Of?".Washington Post.p. A.19. Archived fromthe original(fee)on 2012-10-20.Retrieved2014-01-20.
  5. ^ab"News Bites Gimps: Raspberry's target denied response in print".Ragged Edge.March–April 1999. Archived fromthe originalon 2015-09-24.Retrieved2014-01-20.
  6. ^Raspberry, William.Claims Against Common SenseArchived2012-10-20 at theWayback Machine.November 16, 1998,Washington Postvia archive accessed May 23, 2009.
  7. ^Raspberry, William.What I'll Do Next.December 26, 2005,Washington Post.Accessed May 23, 2009.
  8. ^abRaspberry, William.A Path Beyond Grievance.November 11, 2008,Washington Post.Accessed May 23, 2009.
  9. ^"African American educator and 1901 graduate Wallace A. Battle to be honored at Berea College Founders' Day Oct. 12 - Media Relations & News".berea.edu.
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