361:(so called because it appeared "opposite the editorial page"; the belief that the phrase stands for "opinion"-"editorial" is incorrect) page on September 21, 1970, on which the op-ed page of other American newspapers is modeled. As he wrote in introducing the page, his basic motive was to provide a window on the ideas and opinions of non-journalists. The appearance of
215:), and as a result he served two years in Europe, capturing and "turning" enemy agents still in communication with the Nazis. In recognition of his service there he received the Bronze Star, the Croix de Guerre, the Medaille de Reconnaissance and the Order of the British Empire. He ended the war with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
365:
columnists on the new op-ed page (limited to one or two per day in the early years) reflected merely the need to create more space for "Letters to the Editor" on the editorial page—as he later wrote, "again in the interests of broadening the opportunity for expression of outside opinion in the
233:. While an editorial page writer, in 1951 he convinced the paper's editors to let him write a monthly column on the then relatively neglected subject of the environment - the first such column at a major national newspaper. He also wrote for other areas of the paper, such as the
252:
His career on the editorial board, first as a writer (1949–1961) and then as editorial page editor (1961–1976) spanned the Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Ford administrations. As editorial page editor, he appointed the first woman in fifty years
31:
294:, Sulzberger judged Oakes' response to be too emotional and divisive. Oakes eventually had to content himself with an unprecedented one-sentence dissent, which appeared as a "Letter to the Editor"—essentially a letter to himself—on the
302:, I must express disagreement with the endorsement in today's editorial columns of Mr. Moynihan over four other candidates in the New York State Democratic primary contest for the United States Senate." According to the
617:
881:
321:
On his retirement from the editorial page, he became a contributing columnist to the op-ed page, writing primarily on domestic politics, foreign affairs, human rights, civil liberties, and the environment.
334:. But his principal areas of concern were human rights and civil liberties, manifested by anti-McCarthyism and consistent support of the civil rights movement; strong and early criticism of the
469:
Oakes, John B (23 June 1940). "Congress Votes Relief, Arms
Billions And Recesses: 10,500 Millions Provided in Crisis; 'School's Out' Air Marks Final Hours Congress Recesses For Convention".
851:
451:
811:
816:
389:
today as a great newspaper and a liberal one, it’s largely an illusion, but Oakes believed in it and tried to make it true." Oakes died on April 5, 2001, in
Manhattan.
354:
for bringing to the editorial page "a brilliance, an intensity and a perceptiveness" that made it "the most vital and influential journalistic voice in
America."
846:
806:
826:
801:
520:
421:
310:
was credited with giving
Moynihan his one percent margin of victory." Shortly afterward, Sulzberger replaced Oakes as editorial page editor with
556:
836:
684:
876:
861:
841:
486:
Oakes, John B (24 November 1939). "John Dewey May
Testify in Dies Inquiry: Philosopher Asked to Appear at Hearings Which Reopen Monday".
856:
796:
821:
357:
He was nothing if not persistent. After pushing the idea for ten years with a succession of publishers, he initiated the first modern
272:
in 1963, two years after Oakes' appointment to run the editorial page. Their most noteworthy confrontation occurred in 1976, when the
831:
718:
417:
151:
398:
234:
276:
had to decide who it would endorse as New York's junior senator in the upcoming
Democratic party primary. Sulzberger wanted
167:
78:
871:
113:
212:
129:
238:
196:. In Washington, he covered the U.S. Congress, the Dies Un-American Activities Committee and F.D.R.'s 1940 campaign.
761:
125:
44:
397:
In 1976, Oakes received the
National Audubon Society's highest honor, the Audubon Medal. He was elected to the
737:
702:
The
Kingdom and the Power: Behind the Scenes at The New York Times: The Institution That Influences the World
528:
503:
Oakes, John B (29 October 1940). "As 25,000 Cheer: G.O.P. 'Playing
Politics' With Defense, Roosevelt Says".
277:
330:
In 1961, the year Oakes was appointed editor of the editorial page, Harper and
Brothers published his book
290:
350:
and others; and advocacy of conservation and protection of natural resources. In 1966, he was awarded the
298:
editorial page on September 11, 1976, and which in its entirety read: "As Editor of the Editorial Page of
265:
866:
183:
791:
786:
155:
112:
and influential U.S. journalist known for his early commitment to the environment, civil rights, and
74:
747:
505:
488:
471:
332:
The Edge of Freedom: A Report on Neutralism and New Forces in Sub-saharan Africa and Eastern Europe
254:
192:
574:
416:
The John B. Oakes Award for Distinguished Environmental Journalism was established in 1994 by the
285:
342:
one of the few papers to take such a stand and leading to personal attacks on him by President
690:
680:
542:
405:
351:
343:
246:
225:
Immediately after his discharge in 1946, he joined the "family paper" as editor of the Sunday
675:
314:, who described his approach to politics, in contrast to Oakes', as "more fun." Journalist
284:. Sulzberger overruled Oakes but allowed him to write a printed rebuttal. But according to
592:
242:
230:
318:
said on Oakes' death in 2002 that after his departure, "the editorials never recovered."
163:
142:
780:
371:
258:
159:
315:
208:
204:
200:
766:
30:
670:
335:
311:
281:
147:
96:
732:
705:
245:("This Is the Real,the Lasting Damage," March 7, 1954) became the basis of an
203:
in 1941, Oakes entered the Army as a private in the infantry. His training at
109:
771:
767:
September 2002 obituary in Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society
347:
62:
190:, he moved to Washington in 1937, where he became a political reporter for
722:, Michael J. Socolow, Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 2010.
694:
452:"John B. Oakes, Impassioned Editorial Page Voice of The Times, Dies at 87"
719:
A Profitable Public Sphere: The Creation of the New York Times Op-Ed Page
187:
742:
641:
420:
as an annual prize for print journalists; it is now administered by the
738:
Columbia University Oral History Research Offices, John B. Oakes papers
755:
714:, Susan E. Tifft and Alex S. Jones, Little, Brown and Company, 1999.
712:
The Trust: The Private and Powerful Family behind The New York Times
229:"Review of the Week." Three years later, he became a member of the
358:
264:
Oakes was famously out of step with his more conservative cousin,
133:
758:, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library.
557:"Oakes Appointed by Syracuse U. As Newhouse Visiting Professor"
404:
Two weeks before Oakes’ death in 2001 he was awarded a second
743:
John B. Oakes Award, Columbia University School of Journalism
162:
of his class and graduated magna cum laude. He then became a
132:
and Bertie Gans. He is regarded as the creator of the modern
762:
John B. Oakes papers at Wisconsin State Historical Society
178:
On his return to the United States in 1936, he joined the
249:
newspaper column and was subsequently widely reprinted.
676:
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York
385:
Wrote Hess, in his obituary, "If people think of the
882:
Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France)
382:John B. Oakes died on April 5, 2001, in Manhattan.
92:
84:
70:
51:
37:
21:
124:John Bertram Oakes was born on April 23, 1913, in
211:allowed him to be recruited into the O.S.S. (the
140:editorial page from 1961 to 1976. His uncle was
733:Slate.com on Oakes' role in creating op-ed page
852:Members of the American Philosophical Society
521:"My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, March 10, 1954"
374:referred to the page as Oakes' "brainchild."
8:
306:article on Oakes' death (May 1, 2001), "the
445:
443:
441:
439:
437:
29:
18:
812:20th-century American non-fiction writers
422:Columbia University School of Journalism
108:(April 23, 1913 – April 5, 2001) was an
433:
575:"'New York Times' Op-Ed Page Turns 40"
817:Alumni of the Queen's College, Oxford
450:McFadden, Robert D. (April 6, 2001).
370:." In a 2010 interview, op-ed editor
7:
847:Jewish American non-fiction writers
408:, for his "lifetime achievements."
268:, who became the publisher for the
257:), and the first African American (
807:20th-century American male writers
14:
827:American male non-fiction writers
802:20th-century American journalists
593:"Previous Audubon Medal Awardees"
418:Natural Resources Defense Council
399:American Philosophical Society
199:When the United States joined
182:as a reporter. A supporter of
1:
114:opposition to the Vietnam War
837:George Polk Award recipients
751:article about death of Oakes
527:. 2010-05-19. Archived from
213:Office of Strategic Services
130:George Washington Ochs Oakes
877:United States Army officers
862:Princeton University alumni
842:Jewish American journalists
261:), to the editorial board.
241:. His memorable profile of
158:(A.B., 1934), where he was
136:page and was editor of the
79:The Queen's College, Oxford
898:
857:The New York Times editors
797:20th-century American Jews
772:George Polk Award citation
646:Columbia Journalism School
822:American male journalists
708:, World Publishing, 1969.
543:"Roger Wilkins biography"
126:Elkins Park, Pennsylvania
45:Elkins Park, Pennsylvania
28:
832:American Rhodes Scholars
278:Daniel Patrick Moynihan
280:, but Oakes preferred
266:Arthur Ochs Sulzberger
207:and connection to the
168:Queens College, Oxford
642:"John B. Oakes Award"
581:. September 21, 2010.
291:Without Fear or Favor
184:Franklin D. Roosevelt
150:. Oakes attended the
872:Sierra Club awardees
756:John B. Oakes papers
622:search.amphilsoc.org
618:"APS Member History"
156:Princeton University
128:, the second son of
75:Princeton University
679:. New York: Knopf.
506:The Washington Post
489:The Washington Post
472:The Washington Post
338:(1963), making the
255:Ada Louise Huxtable
239:the Sunday magazine
193:The Washington Post
16:American journalist
561:The New York Times
456:The New York Times
286:Harrison Salisbury
106:John Bertram Oakes
23:John Bertram Oakes
686:978-0-394-48076-3
406:George Polk Award
352:George Polk Award
344:Lyndon B. Johnson
247:Eleanor Roosevelt
152:Collegiate School
103:
102:
889:
698:
657:
656:
654:
653:
638:
632:
631:
629:
628:
614:
608:
607:
605:
604:
589:
583:
582:
571:
565:
564:
553:
547:
546:
539:
533:
532:
517:
511:
510:
500:
494:
493:
483:
477:
476:
466:
460:
459:
447:
58:
33:
19:
897:
896:
892:
891:
890:
888:
887:
886:
777:
776:
729:
687:
669:
666:
664:Further reading
661:
660:
651:
649:
640:
639:
635:
626:
624:
616:
615:
611:
602:
600:
591:
590:
586:
573:
572:
568:
563:. May 12, 1977.
555:
554:
550:
541:
540:
536:
531:on 19 May 2010.
519:
518:
514:
502:
501:
497:
485:
484:
480:
468:
467:
463:
449:
448:
435:
430:
414:
395:
380:
328:
243:Joseph McCarthy
231:editorial board
223:
176:
122:
77:
71:Alma mater
66:
60:
56:
47:
42:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
895:
893:
885:
884:
879:
874:
869:
864:
859:
854:
849:
844:
839:
834:
829:
824:
819:
814:
809:
804:
799:
794:
789:
779:
778:
775:
774:
769:
764:
759:
753:
745:
740:
735:
728:
727:External links
725:
724:
723:
715:
709:
699:
685:
665:
662:
659:
658:
633:
609:
584:
566:
548:
534:
512:
495:
478:
461:
432:
431:
429:
426:
413:
410:
394:
391:
379:
376:
327:
326:Areas of focus
324:
227:New York Times
222:
220:New York Times
217:
175:
172:
164:Rhodes Scholar
143:New York Times
138:New York Times
121:
118:
101:
100:
94:
90:
89:
86:
82:
81:
72:
68:
67:
61:
59:(aged 87)
53:
49:
48:
43:
41:April 23, 1913
39:
35:
34:
26:
25:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
894:
883:
880:
878:
875:
873:
870:
868:
865:
863:
860:
858:
855:
853:
850:
848:
845:
843:
840:
838:
835:
833:
830:
828:
825:
823:
820:
818:
815:
813:
810:
808:
805:
803:
800:
798:
795:
793:
790:
788:
785:
784:
782:
773:
770:
768:
765:
763:
760:
757:
754:
752:
750:
749:Village Voice
746:
744:
741:
739:
736:
734:
731:
730:
726:
721:
720:
716:
713:
710:
707:
703:
700:
696:
692:
688:
682:
678:
677:
672:
668:
667:
663:
647:
643:
637:
634:
623:
619:
613:
610:
598:
594:
588:
585:
580:
576:
570:
567:
562:
558:
552:
549:
544:
538:
535:
530:
526:
522:
516:
513:
508:
507:
499:
496:
492:. p. 28.
491:
490:
482:
479:
474:
473:
465:
462:
457:
453:
446:
444:
442:
440:
438:
434:
427:
425:
423:
419:
411:
409:
407:
402:
400:
392:
390:
388:
383:
377:
375:
373:
372:David Shipley
369:
364:
360:
355:
353:
349:
345:
341:
337:
333:
325:
323:
319:
317:
313:
309:
305:
304:Village Voice
301:
297:
293:
292:
288:, writing in
287:
283:
279:
275:
271:
267:
262:
260:
259:Roger Wilkins
256:
250:
248:
244:
240:
236:
232:
228:
221:
218:
216:
214:
210:
206:
202:
197:
195:
194:
189:
185:
181:
180:Trenton Times
173:
171:
169:
165:
161:
160:valedictorian
157:
153:
149:
145:
144:
139:
135:
131:
127:
119:
117:
115:
111:
107:
98:
95:
91:
87:
83:
80:
76:
73:
69:
64:
55:April 5, 2001
54:
50:
46:
40:
36:
32:
27:
20:
867:Ritchie Boys
748:
717:
711:
701:
674:
671:Caro, Robert
650:. Retrieved
648:. 2022-03-15
645:
636:
625:. Retrieved
621:
612:
601:. Retrieved
599:. 2015-01-09
596:
587:
578:
569:
560:
551:
537:
529:the original
524:
515:
509:. p. 1.
504:
498:
487:
481:
475:. p. 1.
470:
464:
455:
415:
403:
396:
386:
384:
381:
367:
362:
356:
339:
331:
329:
320:
316:John L. Hess
307:
303:
299:
295:
289:
273:
269:
263:
251:
226:
224:
219:
209:Ritchie Boys
205:Camp Ritchie
201:World War II
198:
191:
179:
177:
141:
137:
123:
110:iconoclastic
105:
104:
57:(2001-04-05)
792:2001 deaths
787:1913 births
525:www.gwu.edu
336:Vietnam War
312:Max Frankel
282:Bella Abzug
235:book review
148:Adolph Ochs
97:Adolph Ochs
781:Categories
706:Gay Talese
652:2022-03-15
627:2022-05-10
603:2020-07-12
428:References
154:and later
146:publisher
120:Background
88:Journalist
85:Occupation
65:, New York
401:in 1986.
348:Dean Rusk
300:The Times
93:Relatives
63:Manhattan
673:(1974).
188:New Deal
597:Audubon
99:(uncle)
695:834874
693:
683:
412:Legacy
393:Awards
174:Career
704:, by
387:Times
378:Death
368:Times
363:Times
359:op-ed
340:Times
308:Times
296:Times
274:Times
270:Times
134:op-ed
691:OCLC
681:ISBN
237:and
52:Died
38:Born
579:NPR
186:'s
166:at
783::
689:.
644:.
620:.
595:.
577:.
559:.
523:.
454:.
436:^
424:.
346:,
170:.
116:.
697:.
655:.
630:.
606:.
545:.
458:.
253:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
