Manning, Robert, 1919-

Robert Manning, a career journalist, was Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs 1962-1964, and editor-in-chief of the Atlantic Monthly 1966-1980.

The journalist Robert Manning (1919- ) began his career on the Binghamton (N.Y.) Press ; then after military service was a correspondent for the United Press (1944-1949), and Time magazine (1948-1958). He was chief of the London bureau of Time, Life and Fortune from 1958 to 1960. He was then Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs from 1962 to 1964. He left this office to become Executive Editor of the Atlantic monthly in 1964, and succeeded Edward Weeks as Editor-in-Chief in 1966.

In 1980 Manning was dismissed by the new owner of the Atlantic Monthly Company. The sale of the company gave rise to a long-running lawsuit finally settled in court in 1987. By that time Manning had joined, and left, the Boston Publishing Company, which produced the series of books The Vietnam Experience .

Manning was active in a number of cultural and political organizations at various times, including such diverse ones as the Boston Ballet, Experiment in International Living, Massachusetts Democratic Advisory Council, the Public Broadcasting Service, and the Salk Institute; as well as several clubs in Boston and New York. He has been a prolific speaker and occasionally a broadcaster.

Robert Manning's autobiography is The swamp root chronicle (1992).