Arthur Hays Sulzberger
He steered The New York Times through war and peace, transforming it into a financially robust and journalistically indispensable national institution.
1891–1968 (age 77)·Publisher of The New York Times from 1935 to 1961·Birthday: September 12·The Lost Generation
Biography
Arthur Hays Sulzberger took the helm of The New York Times as publisher in the shadow of the Great Depression and guided it for a quarter-century defined by global conflict and profound change. The son-in-law of the previous publisher, Adolph Ochs, Sulzberger was no mere caretaker. He aggressively expanded the paper's reach, investing in new printing plants and pioneering the national distribution that made the Times a daily must-read far beyond Manhattan. His tenure saw circulation nearly double, but his true test came in upholding the paper's integrity. He defended its reporters against pressure from politicians, most notably during the Red Scare, and navigated the complexities of covering World War II while his own correspondents faced danger. Sulzberger's stewardship was pragmatic and forward-looking; he understood that financial stability was the bedrock of editorial independence, and by the time he passed the reins to his son-in-law, he had secured both.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Arthur was born in 1891, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Arthur Was Born
The biggest hits of 1891
Arthur's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1891Born
President: Benjamin Harrison
1896Started school
First modern Olympic Games held in Athens
President: Grover Cleveland
1904Became a teenager
New York City opens its first subway line
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1907Could drive
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1909Could vote
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1912Turned 21
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1921Turned 30
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1931Turned 40
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1941Turned 50
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1951Turned 60
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1961Turned 70
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1968Died at 77
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
Key Achievements
- Oversaw the massive expansion of The New York Times' daily and Sunday circulation and advertising revenue during his 26-year tenure as publisher.
- Presided over the paper's coverage of World War II and the early Cold War, maintaining its commitment to thorough reporting.
- Successfully managed the transition of leadership within the Ochs-Sulzberger family, ensuring its continued control of the newspaper.
- Expanded the paper's physical infrastructure and national distribution network.
Did You Know?
He was an avid collector of rare books and manuscripts, with a particular interest in Lewis Carroll's 'Alice in Wonderland.'
During World War II, he served as a dollar-a-year man for the Department of the Treasury.
He was the first publisher of the Times who was not named Adolph Ochs, having married Ochs's daughter, Iphigene.
“I think we have to be very careful not to fall into the trap of thinking that because we are a great newspaper we can do no wrong.”
