Sir Harold Evans
1928-2020

Newspaper editor whose 70-year career set the gold standard for investigative journalism

Jun 28, 1928: Born in Manchester, England. Takes his first job as
a journalist at the age of 16

1961: Appointed editor of Teesside-based daily The Northern Echo. Campaign on cervical cancer leads to national programme of cervical screening tests

1967-81: Editor of The Sunday Times. Evans’ Insight Team of investigative journalists exposes plight of British children who suffer birth defects from thalidomide. Campaign results in £3.25 million compensation for victims

1967: Reveals that UK diplomat Kim Philby had been Soviet double agent while serving in MI6 section of British intelligence

1981: Marries Tina Brown.
Editor of The Times after takeover by Rupert Murdoch. Resigns in 1982 citing differences over editorial independence

1984: Moves to United States, teaches at Duke University

1990: Named president and publisher of Random House. Publishes books by authors including Henry Kissinger, Maya Angelou and Colin Powell. Later serves as editorial director of U.S. News and World Report, New York Daily News, and Atlantic. Most recently, editor-at-large for Reuters

1993: Becomes U.S. citizen

1998: Publishes The American Century – first of two bestsellers on U.S. history

2002: Named greatest newspaper editor of all time in poll by Britain’s Press Gazette

2004: Knighted for services to journalism
         
2009: Publishes his memoir, My Paper Chase: True Stories of Vanished Times

2018: Publishes Do I Make Myself Clear? Why Writing Well Matters
       

Source: Graphic News, Reuters, Los Angeles Times 
Picture: Getty Images © GRAPHIC NEWS