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Ed Bradley

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Ed Bradley was a highly influential American broadcast journalist and news anchor. He spent much of his distinguished career working for CBS News. He became a household name through his extensive work on the news magazine program 60 Minutes.

Ed Bradley and Mayor Raymond L. Flynn (9617959854)
Ed Bradley and Mayor Raymond L. Flynn (9617959854)

Bradley was known for his ability to uncover truth and bring important stories to the public. His reporting covered everything from international wars to social issues within the United States. He was a pioneer who changed how people viewed professional journalists.

Bradley's path to journalism began with a different profession. In 1964, he worked as a math teacher in Philadelphia. During this same time, he served as a part-time radio disc jockey at WDAS. His career shifted toward news after he covered the 1964 Philadelphia race riot. He also interviewed civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. during this period. These experiences inspired him to pursue journalism full-time. He eventually moved to New York City in 1967 to work for WCBS radio.

Ed Bradley and Mayor Raymond L. Flynn (9617959854)
Ed Bradley and Mayor Raymond L. Flynn (9617959854)

As his career progressed, Bradley took on increasingly complex and dangerous assignments. In 1971, he moved to Paris, France, to work as a stringer for CBS News. Because he was fluent in French, he was able to report on the Paris Peace Accords. In 1972, he transferred to Saigon to cover the Vietnam War and the Cambodian Civil War. While reporting in Cambodia, he was wounded by a mortar round. He was one of the last American journalists to be evacuated during the Fall of Saigon in 1975. This period of intense conflict earned him several prestigious honors, including the Alfred I. duPont and George Polk awards.

Bradley later transitioned to political reporting in Washington, D.C. He covered the first presidential campaign of Jimmy Carter.

Jimmy Carter and Ed Bradley 1978
Jimmy Carter and Ed Bradley 1978

In 1976, he made history by becoming CBS News' first African American White House correspondent. He held this important position until 1978. During this same era, he also anchored the Sunday night broadcasts of the CBS Evening News. In 1981, he joined the team at 60 Minutes, where he would remain for 25 years. He reported approximately 500 stories for the program during his long tenure.

His interviewing style was unique and highly effective. Colleagues described his manner as "calm, cool, and collected." Some compared his approach to the television detective Columbo because it was disarming and streetwise. He used his body language to encourage subjects to reveal information on camera. Bradley also became known for his personal style, which challenged traditional journalistic norms. He often wore bold patterns and a diamond stud earring in his left ear.

Ed Bradley and Mayor Raymond L. Flynn (9617959854)
Ed Bradley and Mayor Raymond L. Flynn (9617959854)

This earring, which he began wearing after an interview with singer Liza Minnelli, became an iconic part of his look.

Throughout his career, Bradley tackled a vast array of serious global and domestic topics. He reported on the rescue of Vietnamese refugees in his award-winning documentary "The Boat People." He also investigated segregation in the United States with the program "Blacks in America: With All Deliberate Speed?" His work extended to the AIDS epidemic in Africa, which helped convince drug companies to discount or donate life-saving medicines. He also covered the effects of nuclear weapons testing in Kazakhstan and the sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. Even when his reporting faced criticism, such as his report on pesticides on apples, he remained a central figure in American media.

Bradley's impact on the world of journalism was profound and lasting. He served as an inspiration for many Black journalists by proving they could succeed with great skill and panache. In 1994, a scholarship program was established in his name to support journalists of color. This program provides $10,000 annually to help new professionals enter the field. Bradley continued to work hard even as his health declined due to lymphocytic leukemia. He died on November 9, 2006, at the age of 65. His funeral was attended by thousands of people, including former President Bill Clinton and many leaders in journalism.

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