Although a Mississippi native,
George W. Healy, Jr., made a name for himself in New Orleans. He was a dedicated
journalist and served as the editor of the New Orleans Times-Picayune for
thirty-six years.
Born in Natchez, Mississippi, on
September 22, 1905, Mr. Healy's journalism career began when he was a student
editor for the University of Mississippi magazine, The Scream. While on
The Scream's staff, he edited some of fellow student William Faulkner's
submissions. Just a few years later, Mr. Healy's coverage of the 1927
Mississippi River flood put the young journalist in the national spotlight. He
later served as the honored president of the Society of Professional Journalists
from 1946-47.
Mr. Healy became a trusted friend
of many American presidents, including Herbert Hoover and Richard Nixon. He
directed Franklin D. Roosevelt's domestic branch of the Office of War
Information from 1943 until the end of the war, where he is famous for the
balance he set between milliary censorship and the public's right to know.
In this candid autobiography, Mr. Healy recalls
the people and events that, during his career, left an indelible imprint on the
history of the nation and the world. He offers a journalist's perspective of
American history and the zeitgeist of New Orleans and Washington politics.
Mr. Healy died on November 2, 1980. He is
remembered for his admirable journalism ethics and his insistence on running a
“responsible press.”