EOTO #3

 EOTO #3

                                                                Katharine Graham 

Intro

Katharine Graham was born June 16th 1917 in New York. She was an American business executive who owned and published various news publications most famous was The Washington Post which she transformed into one of the top leading newspapers in the United States.  She especially known for supporting The Washington Post investigation into the Watergate Scandal. 

Early Life

Katharine attended Vassar College from 1934 to 1936 and then transferred to the University of Chicago, where she graduated in 1938. After college she became a reporter for the San Fransisco News. She joined the editorial staff of The Washington Post which her father had bought in 1933. She also worked in the editorial and circulation departments of the Sunday Post.

                              Mid Life

In 1940 she married Phillip Graham who was a law clerk. In 1946 Phillip became the publisher of the Post and in 1948 the couple bought the voting stock of the cooperation from her father. Katharine remained apart from active involvement in the business as The Washington Post company acquired the rival Times-Herald in 1954. Katharine's husband Phillip Graham who had bi polar disorder died by                                          suicide in 1963. After her husbands death Katharine took over presidency at the Post.

Late Life

Under Katharine Grahams leadership The Washington Post became known for its aggressive investigative reporting, led by Ben Bradlee, who Katharine names executive editor in 1968. With the publication of the Pentagon Papers in 1971 and the newspapers constant investigation of watergate in 1972-1974, the Post increased its circulation and became the most influential newspaper in the United States. In 1972 Katharine took over as Cheif Executive Officer of The Washington Post, where she became the first female CEO of a fortune 500 company. She held this position for 19 years and in 1998 she reviced the Pullizer Prize for her autobiography "Personal History". Katharine Graham died at 84 years old on July 17th 2001 in Idaho she fell and stuck her head.