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Pulitzer, Joseph

The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia

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American editor and journalist; born April 10, 1847, at Budapest. Hungary; educated privately. In 1863 he left his native town for the United States, which he reached in time to enlist in the Federal army as a private in a cavalry regiment. He took part in the fighting until the close of the war. On receiving his discharge and failing to obtain employment in the city of New York, Pulitzer went to St. Louis, where he joined the staff of the "Westliche Post," first as a reporter, later as managing editor and joint proprietor (1866-68). Gaining prominence in state politics, Pulitzer was elected to the legislature of Missouri in 1869, and in 1872 was appointed delegate to the National Liberal Republican Convention at Cincinnati which nominated Horace Greeley for the presidency. In 1874 he was elected delegate to the Missouri State Constitutional Convention. During the fall and winter of 1876 and 1877 he acted as correspondent of the New York "Sun" in Washington, D. C., and in the following year purchased the St. Louis "Dispatch" and "Post," and, amalgamating them, published the "Post-Dispatch," which quickly sprang into prominence (1878).

In 1880 Pulitzer was again active in politics, and was elected delegate to the National Democratic Convention and took; part in the drafting of the platform. Three years later he purchased the New York "World," which he raised from an insignificant sheet to an influential daily newspaper. He was elected as a Democrat from the Ninth District of New York a member of Congress for the term 1885-87, but resigned after having served a few months. Nevertheless he continued to take an active interest in politics and advocated the National Democratic ticket, favoring the gold standard, in 1896.

In Aug., 1903, Pulitzer donated $1,000,000 to Columbia University for the purpose of founding a school of journalism, the opening of which is to be postponed until after his death.