Remembering William Worthy

[Disir]

1957 Nieman Fellow defied government travel restrictions to report on revolutions in China and Cuba

William Worthy, who fought with the government over reporting trips to China, Cuba and Iran, died at a nursing home in Massachusetts on May 4. He was 92. It was during his Nieman Fellowship in 1956-1957 that Worthy, a reporter for the Baltimore Afro-American and correspondent for CBS News, first defied the State Department’s travel restrictions by flying to China during winter break to report for CBS. The government refused to renew Worthy’s passport after the trip, so in 1964 he went to Cuba without one. On his return he was convicted of entering the country illegally. He successfully appealed, and a federal court declared the law unconstitutional. His case inspired folk singer Phil Ochs to record “The Ballad of William Worthy” in 1964.

Worthy won the 2008 Lyons Award for Conscience and Integrity in Journalism

You can read some of his work and the rest of the above here:
Nieman Reports | Remembering William Worthy

Here is the song:
[ame=http://youtu.be/pmkZOHN9qvA]Phil Ochs - "Ballad of William Worthy" - YouTube[/ame]

 

[whitehall]

What's the point? Is it a resume enhancement to defy State Dept. regulations regarding travel? Little examples of his alleged reporting skills exists today even on the left. How good was he?

 

[Disir]

It was back then. You know, when journalism was......journalism. You trollin'?