The History behind the New York Post
New York is known for many things, the Statue of Liberty, New York
fashion week and among other things, HBO's Sex and the City. But before
we forget, oftentimes overshadowed by the immensely popular the New York
Times, there's another popular New York daily newspaper that has actually
been around as far back as in the 1800s.
The New York Evening Post or the New York Post, was actually founded by
Alexander Hamilton, who then chose William Coleman to be its first
editor-in-chief way back in the New York Post's humble beginnings. After
William Coleman's short reign as the New York Post's editor-in-chief, he
was then replaced by another William, a William Cullen Bryant, way back
in 1829. A fruitful 50 year reign as the New York Post's editor-in chief,
William Cullent Bryant was a staunch believer of defending the rights of
those who are being enslaved, William Cullent Bryant also showed strong
support for the emerging trade union back then. He even went as far as
defending the strike of the Society of Journeyman Tailors by trying to
link their strike with slavery back in June 1836.
The year 1881 had the New York Post welcoming Henry Villard at its helm.
Henry Villard was a German immigrant possessing strong political views,
had a profound influence on the New York Post. He then tapped Carl Schurz
who was another German radical thinker to be the new managing editor of
the New York Post. But Carl Schurz career with the New York Post was
short-lived, he was actually replaced by the former editor of the Nation
(another publication that was owned by Henry Villard), a man named Edwin
Godkin stepped up to manage the New York Post.Henry Villard's death back
in the 1900s brought the New York Post to the hands of Villard's son,
Oswald Garrison Villard, who, like his father, also had radical views and
opinions concerning politics, women's suffrage, reform in the trade union
and (like his father) fighting for equal rights African Americans.
A true advocate for human rights, Oswald Garrison Villard was one of the
founding members of the National Association for the Advancement of
Coloured People or NAACP as well as the American Civil Liberties Union or
ACTU. In spite of being headstrong with his advocacies, Oswald Garrison
Villard was also a popular pacifist, he highly opposed for the American's
participation in the first World War. But this proved to backfire on him
as his readers were strong supporters of patriotism so Oswald Garrison
Villard, due to the protests of his readers and the pulling out of his
advertisers, was forced to sell the New York Post in the year 1918.1939
saw the New York Post with Dorothy Schiff at its helm. Schiff then asked
Ted Thackrey as its new editor-in-chief, who actually turned the daily
into a streamlined tabloid. Still its politics driven format was still
being incorporated by the New York Post's new editor-in-chief, it highly
supported progressive politics and was actually the only newspaper in New
York City who openly supported the campaign of the democratic party's
presidential bet, Adlai Stevenson.
But Schiff's stay with the New York Post ended with Australian Rupert
Murdoch acquiring the newspaper back in 1977.