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Living Legend
Walter Cronkite
Awarded: April 2000
(b. Nov. 4, 1916)
Walter Cronkite was the longtime anchor of the CBS Evening News and one of the most influential newscasters in the history of television broadcasting. He started his career after college as a full-time newspaperman. After a brief stint in radio, he became a correspondent for the United Press International in 1939. He was one of the first accredited correspondents in World War II, covering the major battles in Europe and later reporting on the Nuremberg trials. After serving as the United Press bureau chief in Moscow, he returned to the U.S. and was hired by CBS to develop the news department for its television station in Washington, D.C. His reputation as a trusted, paternal figure was established during the Vietnam War years and has carried on through his daily 90-second accounts of historical events as host of “Walter Cronkite’s 20th Century.” Cronkite has won many awards, including five Emmys.
Related Library Resources
- The "American Women Research Guide" provides an overview of the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) Collection.
- Homepage of the Newspaper and Current Periodical Reading Room
Last Updated: 07/23/2007