Eugene Collins Pulliam (May 3, 1889 – June 23, 1975) was an American newspaper publisher and businessman who was the founder and president of Central Newspapers Inc., a media
holding company
A holding company is a company whose primary business is holding a controlling interest in the securities of other companies. A holding company usually does not produce goods or services itself. Its purpose is to own shares of other companies ...
. During his sixty-three years as a newspaper publisher, Pulliam acquired forty-six newspapers across the United States. Major holdings of Central Newspapers, which he founded in 1934, included the ''
Indianapolis Star
Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
'', the ''
Indianapolis News
The ''Indianapolis News'' was an evening newspaper published for 130 years, beginning December 7, 1869, and ending on October 1, 1999. The "Great Hoosier Daily," as it was known, at one time held the largest circulation in the state of Indiana. ...
'', the ''
Arizona Republic
''The Arizona Republic'' is an American daily newspaper published in Phoenix. Circulated throughout Arizona, it is the state's largest newspaper. Since 2000, it has been owned by the Gannett newspaper chain. Copies are sold at $2 daily or at $3 ...
'', and the ''
Phoenix Gazette
The ''Phoenix Gazette'' was a newspaper published in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. It was founded in 1881, and was known in its early years as the ''Phoenix Evening Gazette''.
In 1889, it was purchased by Samuel F. Webb, who at the time was ...
'', as well as newspapers in smaller cities in
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
,
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
, and other states. Pulliam's early career included work as a reporter for the ''
Kansas City Star
''The Kansas City Star'' is a newspaper based in Kansas City, Missouri. Published since 1880, the paper is the recipient of eight Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Star'' is most notable for its influence on the career of President Harry S. Truman and as ...
'' and as editor and publisher of the ''Atchison (Kansas) Daily Champion''. Prior to 1960 Pulliam also operated radio stations WAOV and
WIRE
Overhead power cabling. The conductor consists of seven strands of steel (centre, high tensile strength), surrounded by four outer layers of aluminium (high conductivity). Sample diameter 40 mm
A wire is a flexible strand of metal.
Wire is c ...
in Indiana and
KTAR KTAR may refer to:
* KTAR (AM), a radio station (620 AM) licensed to Phoenix, Arizona.
* KTAR-FM
KTAR-FM (92.3 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Glendale, Arizona, and serving the Phoenix metropolitan area. It is owned by Sal ...
in Arizona. The
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
native, a graduate from
DePauw University
DePauw University is a private liberal arts university in Greencastle, Indiana. It has an enrollment of 1,972 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the G ...
in 1910, founded the ''DePauw Daily'', an independent student newspaper, and in 1909 was one of ten DePauw students who cofounded
Sigma Delta Chi
The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is the oldest organization representing journalists in the United States. It was established on April 17, 1909, at DePauw University,2009 SPJ Annual Report, letter ...
, a journalism
fraternity
A fraternity (from Latin language, Latin ''wiktionary:frater, frater'': "brother (Christian), brother"; whence, "wiktionary:brotherhood, brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club (organization), club or fraternal ...
that was later renamed the
Society of Professional Journalists
The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is the oldest organization representing journalists in the United States. It was established on April 17, 1909, at DePauw University,2009 SPJ Annual Report, letter ...
. In August 2000, the
Gannett Company
Gannett Co., Inc. () is an American mass media holding company headquartered in McLean, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.Republican national convention in 1952 that named General
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...
as the
Republican Party
Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party.
Republican Party may also refer to:
Africa
*Republican Party (Liberia)
* Republican Part ...
's presidential nominee. Pulliam was also an outspoken advocate of
freedom of the press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the fundamental principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic News media, media, especially publication, published materials, should be conside ...
. Pulliam wrote and published "Window on the Right," a syndicated domestic-affairs column during the 1960s; wrote ''The Unchanging Responsibility of the American Newspaper in a Changing Society'' (1970); ''The People and the Press: Partners for Freedom'' (1965), coauthored with Frederic S. Marquardt; and ''South America, Land of the Future, Jewel of the Past'' (1951), coauthored with his wife,
Nina Mason Pulliam
Nina Mason Pulliam (September 19, 1906 – March 26, 1997) was an American journalist, author, and newspaper executive in Arizona and Indiana, where she was also well known as a philanthropist and civic leader. Pulliam began her career as a journ ...
. Pulliam was the father of newspaper publisher Eugene Smith Pulliam; Martha Corinne (Pulliam) Quayle, the mother of
Dan Quayle
James Danforth Quayle (; born February 4, 1947) is an American politician who served as the 44th vice president of the United States from 1989 to 1993 under President George H. W. Bush. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republic ...
, the 44th Vice President of the United States; and Helen Suzanne (Pulliam) Murphy. He was a trustee of DePauw University, a three-term member the
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
's board of directors, and a member of
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected greater New York and Boston in the east with Chicago and St. Louis in the Midw ...
's board of directors, as well as a founder of the
Phoenix Zoo
The Phoenix Zoo opened in 1962 and is the largest privately owned, non-profit zoo in the United States. Located in Phoenix, Arizona, the zoo was founded by Robert Maytag, a member of the Maytag family, and operates on of land in the Papago Park ...
.
Early life and education
Pulliam was born on May 3, 1889, in a sod dugout house at
Ulysses
Ulysses is one form of the Roman name for Odysseus, a hero in ancient Greek literature.
Ulysses may also refer to:
People
* Ulysses (given name), including a list of people with this name
Places in the United States
* Ulysses, Kansas
* Ulysse ...
in
Grant County, Kansas
Grant County (county code GT) is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 7,352. Its county seat and only city is Ulysses. Both the county and its seat are named after Ulysses S. Grant, 18t ...
, to Martha Ellen (Collins) and Reverend Irvin Brown Pulliam, who was a
Methodist
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...
missionary
A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...
sent to establish church congregations in the
frontier
A frontier is the political and geographical area near or beyond a boundary. A frontier can also be referred to as a "front". The term came from French in the 15th century, with the meaning "borderland"—the region of a country that fronts o ...
towns of western
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
. The Pulliam family moved frequently and Eugene grew up in a variety of
prairie
Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...
towns. He got his first taste of the newspaper business as a six-year-old boy selling newspapers in
Chanute, Kansas
Chanute () is a city in Neosho County, Kansas, United States. Founded on January 1, 1873, it was named after railroad engineer and aviation pioneer Octave Chanute. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 8,722. Chanute is home ...
.
Pulliam entered
DePauw University
DePauw University is a private liberal arts university in Greencastle, Indiana. It has an enrollment of 1,972 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the G ...
in
Greencastle, Indiana
Greencastle is a city in Greencastle Township, Putnam County, Indiana, United States, and the county seat of Putnam County. It was founded in 1821 by Ephraim Dukes on a land grant. He named the settlement for his hometown of Greencastle, Pennsylv ...
, in 1906. While a student at DePauw, Pulliam was a campus correspondent for the ''
Indianapolis Star
Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
'', a member of the Psi Phi chapter of
Delta Kappa Epsilon
Delta Kappa Epsilon (), commonly known as ''DKE'' or ''Deke'', is one of the oldest fraternities in the United States, with fifty-six active chapters and five active colonies across North America. It was founded at Yale College in 1844 by fifteen ...
fraternity, and founder of the ''DePauw Daily'', an independent student newspaper. He was also a cofounder, in 1909, with nine other students at DePauw of
Sigma Delta Chi
The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is the oldest organization representing journalists in the United States. It was established on April 17, 1909, at DePauw University,2009 SPJ Annual Report, letter ...
, a journalism fraternity that was later renamed the
Society of Professional Journalists
The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is the oldest organization representing journalists in the United States. It was established on April 17, 1909, at DePauw University,2009 SPJ Annual Report, letter ...
. Pulliam graduated from DePauw in 1910. Later in life he served for thirty-two years as a member of DePauw's board of trustees and also chaired a committee that had a monument erected outside of DePauw's East College to commemorate the founding of Sigma Delta Chi.
Marriage and family
Eugene C. Pulliam married Myrta Smith, a former college classmate, in 1912. Their son,
Eugene S. Pulliam
Eugene Smith Pulliam (September 7, 1914 – January 20, 1999) was the publisher of the ''Indianapolis Star'' and the ''Indianapolis News'' from 1975 until his death. He was also a supporter of First Amendment rights, an advocate of press freedom ...
, was born on September 7, 1914, and joined the family business in 1935 as director of
WIRE
Overhead power cabling. The conductor consists of seven strands of steel (centre, high tensile strength), surrounded by four outer layers of aluminium (high conductivity). Sample diameter 40 mm
A wire is a flexible strand of metal.
Wire is c ...
, an Indianapolis radio station his father owned at that time.Gugin and St. Clair, eds., pp. 275–76. Myrta (Smith) Pulliam died in 1917. Eugene Smith Pulliam died on January 20, 1999.
Eugene C. Pulliam married Martha Ott (1891–1991) of
Franklin, Indiana
Franklin is a city in Johnson County, Indiana, United States. The population was 23,712 at the 2010 census. Located about south of Indianapolis, the city is the county seat of Johnson County. The site of Franklin College, the city attracts n ...
, in 1919; they divorced in 1941. Eugene and Martha Pulliam were the parents of two daughters, Martha Corinne Pulliam, who later married James Cline Quayle, and Helen Suzanne Pulliam, who later married William Murphy. Martha (Ott) Pulliam, a graduate of Franklin College, was publisher of the '' Lebanon'' (Indiana) ''Reporter'' from the early 1940s to December 1990. She died in 1991. James and Martha C. (Pulliam) Quayle were the parents of
Dan Quayle
James Danforth Quayle (; born February 4, 1947) is an American politician who served as the 44th vice president of the United States from 1989 to 1993 under President George H. W. Bush. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republic ...
(Eugene C. Pulliam's grandson), who served as the 44th Vice President of the United States from 1989 to 1993.
Following his divorce from Martha (Ott) Pulliam in 1941 Eugene C. Pulliam married Nina G. Mason (1906–1997). During their thirty-four-year marriage, which ended upon his death in 1975, Nina (Mason) Pulliam served as secretary-treasurer and a board member of Central Newspapers, Inc., the
holding company
A holding company is a company whose primary business is holding a controlling interest in the securities of other companies. A holding company usually does not produce goods or services itself. Its purpose is to own shares of other companies ...
that Eugene Pulliam founded in 1934.Lois McFarland, "Nina Mason Pulliam," in Eugene and Nina Pulliam also traveled extensively, including a twenty-two-nation tour in 1947.McFarland, p. 90. During their extended trips they filed reports of their experiences, which were published in the Pulliam newspapers. (New York edition) They also coauthored ''South America, Land of the Future, Jewel of the Past'' (1951). Nina (Mason) Pulliam died on March 26, 1997.
Career
Early career
After graduating from DePauw University in 1910, Pulliam moved to
Atchison, Kansas
Atchison is a city and county seat of Atchison County, Kansas, United States, along the Missouri River. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 10,885. The city is named in honor of US Senator David Rice Atchison from Missouri an ...
, where he began working at the ''Atchison Daily Champion''. A few months later, he received a job to become a reporter at the ''
Kansas City Star
''The Kansas City Star'' is a newspaper based in Kansas City, Missouri. Published since 1880, the paper is the recipient of eight Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Star'' is most notable for its influence on the career of President Harry S. Truman and as ...
'', at that time the largest newspaper in the lower Midwest, and moved to
Kansas City
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more ...
. In 1912, at the age of twenty-three, Pulliam returned to Atchison to become the editor and publisher of the ''Daily Champion''. He is believed to have been one of the youngest newspaper editors in the United States at that time. With financial backing from his first wife's family, Pulliam purchased the ''Daily Champion'', which was the first of forty-six newspapers he eventually owned. In 1915, Pulliam sold the ''Daily Champion'' and bought the ''Franklin'' (Indiana) ''Star''. In 1923, he sold the ''Franklin Star'' and purchased the '' Lebanon'' (Indiana) ''Reporter''.
Publisher
After moving to
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
in 1929, Pulliam bought six newspapers and established the Oklahoma Newspapers, Inc. During the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
, Pulliam operated twenty-three newspapers and in 1930 became president of Vincennes Newspapers, the predecessor to Central Newspapers, Inc., a
holding company
A holding company is a company whose primary business is holding a controlling interest in the securities of other companies. A holding company usually does not produce goods or services itself. Its purpose is to own shares of other companies ...
he formed in 1934. During his sixty-three years as a newspaper publisher, Pulliam operated forth-six newspapers. He subsequently expanded his holdings through acquisitions of newspapers in the eastern United States (in
Massachusetts
Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
,
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
, and
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
), in the southeast (in
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
,
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
, and Florida), and in the
Midwest
The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four Census Bureau Region, census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of ...
(in
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
and
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
). Central Newspapers holdings included newspaper outlets in several Indiana cities and in
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
. As president of Central Newspapers, Inc., Pulliam's publishing holdings came to include the ''Franklin'' (Indiana) ''Evening Star''; the '' Lebanon Reporter''; the ''
Indianapolis Star
Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
'', which he acquired in 1944; the '' Muncie Star''; the ''
Arizona Republic
''The Arizona Republic'' is an American daily newspaper published in Phoenix. Circulated throughout Arizona, it is the state's largest newspaper. Since 2000, it has been owned by the Gannett newspaper chain. Copies are sold at $2 daily or at $3 ...
'' and its one-time rival the ''
Phoenix Gazette
The ''Phoenix Gazette'' was a newspaper published in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. It was founded in 1881, and was known in its early years as the ''Phoenix Evening Gazette''.
In 1889, it was purchased by Samuel F. Webb, who at the time was ...
'', both of which were purchased in 1946; the ''
Indianapolis News
The ''Indianapolis News'' was an evening newspaper published for 130 years, beginning December 7, 1869, and ending on October 1, 1999. The "Great Hoosier Daily," as it was known, at one time held the largest circulation in the state of Indiana. ...
Prior to 1960, Pulliam was head of radio stations WAOV and
WIRE
Overhead power cabling. The conductor consists of seven strands of steel (centre, high tensile strength), surrounded by four outer layers of aluminium (high conductivity). Sample diameter 40 mm
A wire is a flexible strand of metal.
Wire is c ...
in
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
and
KTAR KTAR may refer to:
* KTAR (AM), a radio station (620 AM) licensed to Phoenix, Arizona.
* KTAR-FM
KTAR-FM (92.3 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Glendale, Arizona, and serving the Phoenix metropolitan area. It is owned by Sal ...
in
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
. He also served three successive terms as a member of the
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
’s board of directors, from 1961 to 1969, as well as a vice president of the organization. In addition, Pulliam was a major stockholder of the
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected greater New York and Boston in the east with Chicago and St. Louis in the Midw ...
, becoming a director of the railroad company in 1954.
Political supporter
Pulliam was an active supporter of General
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...
's bid for U.S. president and served as a delegate to the
1952 Republican National Convention
The 1952 Republican National Convention was held at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois from July 7 to 11, 1952, and nominated the popular general and war hero Dwight D. Eisenhower of New York, nicknamed "Ike," for president and ...
in Chicago, Illinois, where General Eisenhower was named the
Republican Party
Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party.
Republican Party may also refer to:
Africa
*Republican Party (Liberia)
* Republican Part ...
's presidential nominee. However, Pulliam was less willing to endorse
Barry Goldwater
Barry Morris Goldwater (January 2, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was an American politician and United States Air Force officer who was a five-term U.S. Senator from Arizona (1953–1965, 1969–1987) and the Republican Party nominee for presiden ...
's candidacy against President
Lyndon Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
in the 1964 presidential race. Well known as a political conservative, Pulliam also wrote and published a syndicated domestic-affairs column called "Window on the Right" during the 1960s. In addition, Pulliam was an outspoken advocate of
freedom of the press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the fundamental principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic News media, media, especially publication, published materials, should be conside ...
.
Death and legacy
Pulliam died after suffering a heart attack at his retirement home in
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...
, on June 23, 1975, at the age of eighty-six. His remains are interred at Oak Hill Cemetery in
Lebanon, Indiana
Lebanon (/ˈlɛbnən/) is a city in and the county seat of Boone County, Indiana, United States. The population was 15,792 at the 2010 census. Lebanon is located in central Indiana, approximately northwest of downtown Indianapolis and southe ...
.
Over a career that spanned six decades, Pulliam either owned or operated forty-six newspapers in the United States. At the time of his death, Pulliam was publisher of The ''Arizona Republic'', the ''Phoenix Gazette'', and owner of the ''Indianapolis Star'', the '' Indianapolis News'', the ''Muncie Star'', the '' Muncie Press'', and the ''Vincennes Sun Commercial''.
Nina (Mason) Pulliam, his widow, became president of Central Newspapers, retaining the office until 1979. She also served from 1975 to 1978 as the publisher of the ''Arizona Republic'' and the ''Phoenix Gazette''. She stepped down as publisher of the two Arizona newspapers in 1978 and retired from Central Newspapers in 1979 at the age of seventy-three. Eugene C. and Nina Mason Pulliam were also among the founders of the
Phoenix Zoo
The Phoenix Zoo opened in 1962 and is the largest privately owned, non-profit zoo in the United States. Located in Phoenix, Arizona, the zoo was founded by Robert Maytag, a member of the Maytag family, and operates on of land in the Papago Park ...
.
Pulliam's son, Eugene S. Pulliam, took over as publisher of the ''Indianapolis Star'' and the ''Indianapolis News'', the Central Newspapers company's two major newspapers in Indianapolis. In 1975, the ''Indianapolis Star'' won a
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...
for its series on police corruption, with Eugene C. Pulliam's granddaughter,
Myrta Pulliam
Myrta Jane Pulliam (born June 20, 1947) is an American journalist.
Biography
Pulliam was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. She is the granddaughter of Eugene C. Pulliam, the former publisher of ''The Indianapolis Star'', and the daughter of Eugene S ...
, as a contributor. In 1991 the '' Indianapolis Star'' won another Pulitzer Prize for its investigation of medical malpractice in Indiana.
On August 1, 2000, the
Gannett
Gannett Co., Inc. () is an American mass media holding company headquartered in McLean, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. As a condition of his will, Pulliam had ordered that the trust could not sell the corporation unless it was "seriously threatened" by a "substantially complete loss" of value. In a somewhat controversial move the trustees interpreted this clause loosely and declared that the merger would be the only way to prevent the corporation from suffering a long-term loss of value.
Honors and awards
* Received honorary degrees from
Wabash College
Wabash College is a private liberal arts men's college in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Founded in 1832 by several Dartmouth College graduates and Midwestern leaders, it enrolls nearly 900 students. The college offers an undergraduate liberal arts cur ...
,
Indiana University
Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Campuses
Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI.
*Indiana Universit ...
Vincennes University
Vincennes University (VU) is a public college with its main campus in Vincennes, Indiana. Founded in 1801 as Jefferson Academy, VU is the oldest public institution of higher learning in Indiana. VU was chartered in 1806 as the Indiana Territo ...
,
Arizona State University
Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...
,
Baker University
Baker University is a private university in Baldwin City, Kansas. Founded in 1858, it was the first four-year university in Kansas and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Baker University is made up of four schools. The College of Art ...
, and
Norwich University
Norwich University – The Military College of Vermont is a private senior military college in Northfield, Vermont. It is the oldest private and senior military college in the United States and offers bachelor's and master's degrees on-campus ...
.
* Elected an honorary president of the national Sigma Delta Chi journalism society in 1959; named a Sigma Delta Chi fellow in 1967; awarded the Wells Key, Sigma Delta Chi's highest honor for members, in 1969.
* Named an honorary member of the International Printing Pressmen and Assistants Union of North America in 1965.
* Named a trustee of
William Allen White
William Allen White (February 10, 1868 – January 29, 1944) was an American newspaper editor, politician, author, and leader of the Progressive movement. Between 1896 and his death, White became a spokesman for middle America.
At a 1937 ...
Foundation at the
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, and several satellite campuses, research and educational centers, medical centers, and classes across the state of Kansas. Tw ...
in 1966.
* Inducted into the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame in 1966.
* Received the
John Peter Zenger
John Peter Zenger (October 26, 1697 – July 28, 1746) was a German printer and journalist in New York City. Zenger printed '' The New York Weekly Journal''. He was accused of libel in 1734 by William Cosby, the royal governor of New York, but ...
Award for Press Freedom from the
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory.
T ...
in 1965.
* Received the Golden Plate Award of the
American Academy of Achievement
The American Academy of Achievement, colloquially known as the Academy of Achievement, is a non-profit educational organization that recognizes some of the highest achieving individuals in diverse fields and gives them the opportunity to meet o ...
in 1968.
* The Eugene C. Pulliam Fellowship for Editorial Writing, a program of the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation, was introduced in 1977 with funding from his widow, Nina Pulliam, to provide an annual cash award (US$75,000 in 2019) to editorial writers and columnists working at a news publication in the United States.
* Inducted into DePauw University's Media Hall of Fame in 1995, along with his son. See also:
Selected published works
* ''South America, Land of the Future, Jewel of the Past'' (1951).
* ''The People and the Press: Partners for Freedom'' (1965), coauthored with Frederic S. Marquardt
* ''The Unchanging Responsibility of the American Newspaper in a Changing Society'' (1970)
Indiana State Library
The Indiana State Library and Historical Bureau is a public library building, located in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the largest public library in the state of Indiana, housing over 60,000 manuscripts. Established in 1934, the library has gather ...