TheIndianapolis News was an eveningnewspaper published for 130 years, beginning December 7, 1869, and ending on October 1, 1999.
The "Great Hoosier Daily," as it was known, at one time held the largest circulation in the state ofIndiana. It was also the oldestIndianapolis newspaper until it closed and was housed in theIndianapolis News Building from 1910 to 1949.[1]: 3–5 AfterEugene C. Pulliam, the founder and president of Central Newspapers acquired theNews in 1948, he became its publisher, while his son,Eugene S. Pulliam, served as the newspaper's managing editor. Eugene S. Pulliam succeeded his father as publisher of theNews in 1975.[2]
TheIndianapolis News was an evening paper, and its decline matched a growing circulation of the morning newspaper, theIndianapolis Star. Prior to the closing, there had been a partial merging of the newspaper staff with theStar.
Grace Alexander (1872–1951) was a society editor for theIndianapolis News (1891–1903). She wrote all of the musical criticisms, as well as much of the dramatic comment. She also focused on the weekly women's section.[3] She also wrote a play, some novels, and co-authored children's textbooks with her sister.
Medford Stanton Evans (1934–2015) was an award-winning journalist, educator, and author who became the head editorial writer for theNews in 1959. He was promoted to editor of theNews in 1960, at the age twenty-six, and became the youngest editor of a metropolitan daily newspaper at that time. Because of his editorial at theNews, Evans was selected in 1960 to draft theSharon Statement, which outlined the founding principles for theYoung Americans for Freedom. The conservative writer remained as editor of theNews through 1974, when he left the city and became a nationallysyndicated columnist forThe Los Angeles Times. Evans also taught journalism asTroy University inTroy, Alabama, for more than thirty years. Among his many other activities, Evans lead theAmerican Conservative Union from 1971 to 1977, authored several books, and founded theNational Journalism Center in 1977 inWashington, D.C.[4]
Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868–1930) was a nationally knownAmericancartoonist,humorist, andjournalist whose most famous work was theAbe Martin cartoon series. Hubbard introduced his Abe Martin character toIndianapolis News readers on December 17, 1904, and it appeared six days a week on the back page of the newspaper for twenty-six years. Hubbard also originated and illustrated a once-a-week humor essay for the "Short Furrows" column in the Sunday edition. The Abe Martin cartoon series went into nationalprint syndication in 1910 and the "Short Furrows" column went into syndication the following year. For years after Hubbard's death in 1930, theNews and other newspapers continued to print his Abe Martin cartoon series.[5][6]
Eugene S. Pulliam (1914–1999) began working at theNews as its managing editor in 1948 and rose through the managerial ranks to become assistant publisher of the IndianapolisNews and theStar in 1962. He succeeded his father,Eugene C. Pulliam, as publisher of both newspapers in 1975. Known for his advocacy forFirst Amendment rights and freedom of the press, Eugene S. Pulliam remained the publisher of theNews and theStar until his death in 1999. He also became president of Central Newspapers in 1979 following the death of his stepmother,Nina Mason Pulliam.[2]
Juliet V. Strauss (1863–1918) was a well-known journalist, author, and public speaker fromRockville, Indiana, who wrote a regular weekly column for theNews using the pseudonym of "The Country Contributor" from November 1903 until her death in May 1918. Strauss also was a leader in efforts to generate public and state government support to establishTurkey Run State Park inParke County, Indiana, in 1916 asIndiana's second state park. She began her journalism career as a regular newspaper columnist at theRockville Tribune in 1893. In addition to her regular newspaper columns, Strauss authored "The Ideas of a Plain Country Woman," a monthly column for theLadies' Home Journal from 1905 until 1918. She was also a founder in 1913 of the Woman's Press Club of Indiana.[7]
^"Indianapolis Newspaper Women".The Indianapolis Woman an Illustrated Journal.1 (12). Indianapolis, Indiana: 10. January 25, 1896. RetrievedMay 4, 2024 – via digitalindy.org. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
^Hubbard initially began work for the IndianapolisNews in 1891, but left after three years to return to his hometown ofBellefontaine, Ohio. He rejoined theNews staff in 1901 and continued to work there until his death in 1930. See:Linda C. Gugin and James E. St. Clair, ed. (2015).Indiana's 200: The People Who Shaped the Hoosier State. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society Press. pp. 180–82.ISBN978-0-87195-387-2. See also:Fred C. Kelly (1952).The Life and Times of Kin Hubbard, Creator of Abe Martin. New York: Farrar, Staus and Young. pp. 81–83 and 86.
^"Juliet V. Strauss". Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame. January 29, 2001. Archived fromthe original on August 6, 2019. RetrievedNovember 8, 2019. See also:Ray E. Boomhower (Spring 1995)."The Country Contributor: Rockville's Juliet V. Strauss".Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History.7 (2). Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society:38–46. RetrievedNovember 11, 2019. Also:"Juliet V. Strauss". Indiana Historical Bureau. RetrievedNovember 8, 2019.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
