John Hockenberry
A pioneering journalist who transformed his perspective from a wheelchair into a powerful lens for reporting on global conflict and human rights.
Born 1956 (age 70)·American journalist and author·Birthday: June 4·Baby Boomers
Biography
John Hockenberry's voice in journalism is unmistakable, shaped by a car accident at 19 that left him using a wheelchair. He refused to let that define his boundaries, instead using it to forge a unique point of view. He cut his teeth in local radio before becoming a foreign correspondent for NPR, reporting from conflict zones in the Middle East and Central America with a focus on the human stories within the chaos. His career spanned prestigious roles at ABC News, NBC, and as a host for public radio's 'The Takeaway.' Hockenberry also authored the seminal memoir 'Moving Violations,' a candid and darkly humorous account of his life and work that challenged perceptions of disability. His career is a testament to relentless curiosity and the power of a distinct narrative voice.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
John was born in 1956, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When John Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
John's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
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
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Authored the bestselling and critically acclaimed memoir 'Moving Violations: War Zones, Wheelchairs, and Declarations of Independence.'
- Served as a correspondent for ABC News and a host for MSNBC, contributing to 'Dateline NBC.'
- Was a founding host of the public radio news program 'The Takeaway' from WNYC and PRI.
- Received four Emmy Awards and three Peabody Awards for his work in television and radio journalism.
Did You Know?
He began his journalism career as a desk assistant and rock music critic for NPR in Chicago.
He performed a one-man theatrical show, 'The Last Hotel,' based on his experiences in Beirut.
He taught at the MIT Media Lab and the University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.
He is a skilled weaver and has spoken about the meditative quality of the craft.
“The only way you can discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.”
