Ben Bradlee
Washington Post Editor
Died when: 93 years 56 days (1117 months)Star Sign: Virgo
Benjamin Crowninshield Bradlee (August 26, 1921 – October 21, 2014) was an American journalist who served as managing editor, then as executive editor of The Washington Post, from 1965 to 1991.
He became a public figure when the Post joined The New York Times in publishing the Pentagon Papers and gave the go-ahead for the paper's extensive coverage of the Watergate scandal.
He was also criticized for editorial lapses when the Post had to return a Pulitzer Prize in 1981 after it discovered its award-winning story was false.
After his retirement, Bradlee continued to be associated with the Post, holding the position of Vice President at-large until his death.
In retirement, Bradlee was an advocate for education and the study of history, including his role as a trustee on the boards of several major educational, historical, and archaeological research institutions.