Seymour Topping | |
|---|---|
 Topping at the Reynolds Journalism Institute (2008) | |
| Born | Seymour Topolsky (1921-12-11)December 11, 1921 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | November 8, 2020(2020-11-08) (aged 98) White Plains, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Journalist, author, and professor |
| Language | English |
| Alma mater | University of Missouri School of Journalism |
| Notable works | On the Front Lines of the Cold War Journey Between Two Chinas |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5 |
Seymour Topping (December 11, 1921 – November 8, 2020) was an American journalist best known for his work as a foreign correspondent covering wars inChina,Korea,Vietnam,Laos, andCambodia, and theCold War in Europe. From 1969 to 1986, he was the second senior-most editor atThe New York Times. At the time of his death,[1] he was the San Paolo Professor Emeritus of International Journalism atColumbia University, where he also served as administrator of thePulitzer Prizes from 1993 to 2002.
Topping was born as Seymour Topolsky on December 11, 1921, inHarlem. His father, Joseph, and mother, Anna (Seidman), wereRussian Jewish immigrants. He grew up inQueens andThe Bronx and graduated fromEvander Childs High School in the latter borough in 1939. He went on to receive his undergraduate degree in journalism from theUniversity of Missouri School of Journalism in 1943.[2]
Topping was a member of theReserve Officers' Training Corps and served as aUnited States Army infantry officer in thePhilippines duringWorld War II.[2] After this stint with the army, he joined theInternational News Service inManila, and was assigned to China to cover the civil war in that region. He went on to join theAssociated Press in 1948 as a foreign correspondent in China and Southeast Asia.[3] In 1949, while covering the civil war, he was taken a prisoner by the advancing communist forces inNanjing and was released when the nationalist forces surrendered.[2][4] In the 1950s, he reported on theKorean War, and also was the first U.S. correspondent in Vietnam sinceWorld War II, where he covered theFrench colonial war against the communist forces led byHo Chi Minh.[2]
He joinedThe New York Times in 1959. Over the next 34 years, he held a variety of positions, including metropolitan reporter,Moscow andSoutheast Asia bureau chief, foreign editor, assistant managing editor (1969–1976), deputy managing editor (1976), and managing editor (1977–1986). From 1969 onward, he was noted for being second only to executive editorA. M. Rosenthal.[4] His partnership with Rosenthal was credited with many innovations at the newspaper, including the introduction of feature sections and magazine supplements, facilitating unprecedented commercial success.[2] Following a reorganization of the company byArthur Ochs Sulzberger in 1985, Topping became director of editorial development forThe New York Times Company in 1987. In this position, his mandate was to focus on improving the journalistic quality of the then 32 regional associate newspapers owned by the Times Company.[4][5]
During Topping's time as the Moscow bureau chief, he covered theU-2 spy incident (1960), theSino-Soviet split (early 1960s), theSoviet space program (early 1960s), and theCuban Missile Crisis (1962).[2] Later, as Southeast Asian bureau chief from 1963 to 1966, he covered theVietnam War, theLaotian Civil War, and theCambodian Civil War.[2] Some of the key events that he covered therein include; theChinese Communist Revolution, theFirst Indochina War, and theCold War in Europe.[2]
In 1993, he leftThe New York Times to join thePulitzer Prize Board as its secretary and administrator. He held this position until his retirement in 2002.[5] He also taught at theColumbia University Graduate School of Journalism as the San Paolo Professor of International Journalism from 1994 to 2002.[6]
Topping served as the president of Emeritus Professors at Columbia,[7] president of theAmerican Society of Newspaper Editors (1992–1993), president of the International Advisory Board of the School of Journalism atTsinghua University,[8] and chairman of the ASNE's Committee on International Communication.[9] He was also a member of the National Committee on United States–China Relations,[10] theCouncil on Foreign Relations,[5] theAsia Society, and theCentury Association.[11][12]New York Times journalistRobert D. McFadden stated that Topping was "one of the most accomplished foreign correspondents of his generation and a newsroom leader under the renowned executive editor A. M. Rosenthal."[2]John Daniszewski of the Associated Press described Topping as "among the most accomplished foreign correspondents of his generation for the Associated Press andThe New York Times."[13]
He was married tophotojournalist,documentary filmmaker, andauthor Audrey Ronning Topping (the daughter of Canadian diplomatChester Ronning) on November 10, 1948; they had five children. From 1967 until his death, they lived inScarsdale, New York. One of their daughters, Susan, died of cancer in October 2015.[14][15]
Topping died on November 8, 2020, inWhite Plains, New York, at age 98, from astroke.[2]
Articles by Topping and his wife were included inThe New York Times Report from Red China (New York: Quadrangle Books, 1971).[20]
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