EOTO 1: Joseph Pulitzer

Joseph Pulitzer was a titan of the publishing world and established a legacy that went far beyond the newspapers of 19th century New York City.

Joseph Pulitzer was born April 10, 1847 in Mako Hungary. He was of Maygo and Jewish Origin, and suffered from poor health, which would plague him for the rest of his life. He was refused from the Austrian Army because of his health conditions and poor eyesight. This dismissal spurred him to travel to Boston as a draftee for the Union Army where he enlisted in the Lincoln Calvary for a year. In 1878, Pulitzer began his career in publishing and emerged as the owner of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. That same year, he married Kate Davis. 

This Hungarian immigrant, who had been made fun of for most of his life for being of Jewish origin, had transformed his life into being a respected American citizen.

In 1883, Pulitzer met with Jay Gould and negotiated the purchase of The New York World. In the next ten years, The World climbed to more than 600,000 editions and was the largest circulating newspaper in the country. However, Pulitzer lived in a time where newspaper giants were emerging all over New York City and between the years of 1896 and 1898, he was engaged in a circulation battle with William Randolph Hearst. The results from these two newspapers competing with each other coined the term of “yellow journalism,” which is the sensationalism and fabrication of news. 

In order to understand the importance of Joseph Pulitzer as a leading figure in the world of newspapers, it is crucial to understand the term of  “yellow journalism.” This is a type of newspaper reporting that preferred to use sensationalism instead of facts. “Yellow Journalism” was a direct result of the circulation battle between Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst as they both used sensationalism in order to increase their readers. As Seymour Topping described: “The New York World vs. The New York Journal meant no restraints on sensationalism or fabrication. 

In 1890, at the age of 43, Pulitzer, who was virtually blind and suffering from major health conditions, retired from the newsroom. He died October 29, 1911 and one year later, with the money that Pulitzer gifted to Columbia University, the Columbia school of journalism was founded. In 1917, the first Pulitzer prizes were awarded, which are still being awarded to this day. Some notable Pulitzer winners are Ernest Hemmingway, Toni Morrison, and John F. Kennedy. 

The New York World and The Spanish - American War 

The New York World began as a penny paper in 1860. In may 1883, Pulitzer purchased the New York World from Jay Gould which became the leading journalistic voice for the Democratic party in the United States. He introduced concepts such as comics, sports and women’s fashion in order to increase and attract a greater audience, allowing his newspaper to become a source of entertainment as well as information. In 1931, the New York World merged and began the New York World-Telegram. However, this newspaper closed down in 1967. 

Beginning in 1898, the Spanish American War resulted in Spain relinquishing its claims on Cuba, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines to the United States. The conditions of the war: shelter, lack of food and medical care were graphically depicted in The New York World and the New York Journal. Both Pulitzer and Hearst used the war as a way to increase the revenue and sales of the newspapers by using sensationalism instead of reporting the facts. 

Joseph Pulitzer, a Jewish immigrant with humble beginnings, transformed himself into a name that will never be forgotten. While the prestigious Pultizer Prize is how we remember him to this day, it is vital to never forget the contributions he made to journalism and the shaping of the modern American newspaper during the 19th century.

As Pulitzer once stated, "Our republic and its press will rise or fall together."