Ackerman, Carl W. (Carl William), 1890-1970

Journalist, educator, and public relations consultant.

From the description of Carl W. Ackerman papers, 1833-1970 (bulk 1931-1956). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70979841

Biographical Note

• 1890, Jan. 16: Born, Richmond, Ind.
• 1911: A.B., Earlham College, Richmond, Ind.
• 1913: B.Litt., Columbia University, New York, N.Y.
• 1913 - 1914 : Correspondent, United Press Associations, Albany, N.Y., and Washington, D.C.
• 1914: Married Mabel L. VanderHoof
• 1915 - 1917 : Correspondent, United Press Associations, Berlin, Germany
• 1917: Special writer for New York Tribune Published Germany, the Next Republic? New York: G. H. Doran Co.
• 1917 - 1918 : Contributor to Saturday Evening Post; trips to Mexico, Spain, France, Switzerland
• 1918: Published Mexico's Dilemma. New York: G. H. Doran Co.
• 1918 - 1919 : Correspondent for New York Times in Siberia, China, and Japan
• 1919: Published Trailing the Bolsheviki. New York: C. Scribner's Sons Toured U.S. for Philadelphia Public Ledger, writing articles on industrial unrest
• 1920 - 1921 : Organized and served as chief of Philadelphia Public Ledger Foreign News Service, London, England
• 1922 - 1928 : Corporate public relations work as president of Carl W. Ackerman, Inc., Editorial Research Association, and ERA Publications
• 1924: Published Dawes-the Doer! New York: Era Publications
• 1927 - 1930 : Public relations work for the Eastman Kodak Co.
• 1930: Published George Eastman. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co.
• 1930 - 1931 : Assistant to the president, General Motors Corp.
• 1931 - 1956 : Dean, School of Journalism (1931-1935) and Graduate School of Journalism (1935-1956), Columbia University, New York, N.Y.
• 1932 - 1954 : Secretary, Pulitzer Prize Advisory Board, Columbia University, New York, N.Y.
• 1935 - 1936 : World trip
• 1937: Trip to Venezuela
• 1938: Organized Maria Moors Cabot Prizes for Latin American journalists
• 1943 - 1945 : Founder and administrator with others of Post-Graduate School of Journalism, Chungking, China
• 1945: Toured Europe and Asia as member of the American Society of Newspaper Editors World Free Press Mission
• 1947: Trip to Venezuela
• 1956: Retired from Columbia University, New York, N.Y.
• 1970, Oct. 9: Died, New York, N.Y.

From the guide to the Carl W. Ackerman Papers, 1833-1970, (bulk 1931-1956), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)

BIOGHIST REQUIRED Carl William Ackerman (1890-1970), Columbia University B. Litt. 1913, was Dean of the Columbia University School of Journalism from 1931 to 1956. He spent from 1960 to 1962 researching and writing a biography (unpublished) of Hokan Bjornstrom Steffanson, 1883-1962, the Swedish-American industrialist and financier.

BIOGHIST REQUIRED Ackerman was a champion of freedom of the press. His professional career was forged in both major World Wars. While working as a correspondent in World War I with the United Press, Ackerman came to attention when he published Germany, The Next Republic?, a book that discussed the possibility of a successful democracy in post-Kaiser Germany. When the book was printed in 1917, at the height of World War I, this sentiment was considered quite radical. The London Times Literary Supplement commented: "For the serious student of affairs the importance of the book lies in the large mass of information which it contains as to the struggle which was going on all the time in Germany between the two great parties, the Pan-Germans and the party of comparative moderation which centered round the Foreign Office."

BIOGHIST REQUIRED Mexico's Dilemma was considered "topical," "limited in scope and subject," and of "little relevance." Trailing the Bolsheviki was similarly received. As a biography, Dawes, the Doer was panned as "poorly handled," whereas Biography of George Eastman was called by the New York Tribune "objective in the sense that it holds strictly to the drama of events in justification of its hero. This makes it eminently readable, even exciting at times, purely as an epic of success achieved, a sort of `Pilgrim's Progress' of business."

BIOGHIST REQUIRED Mr. Ackerman was an outspoken advocate of a journalism foundation in the United States "dedicated to the study of the daily newspaper and government." He explained, "We need scientific studies of the press by the press, and for the press, which will contribute to the progress of journalism as the great educational foundations have advanced medicine."

BIOGHIST REQUIRED Ackerman married Mabel VanderHoof in 1914, and was the father of Robert VanderHoof Ackerman.

BIOGHIST REQUIRED Writings by Ackerman: Germany, the Next Republic?, Hodder & Stoughton, 1917.; Mexico's Dilemma, Doran 1918, Gordon Press, 1976; Trailing the Bolsheviki, Scribner, 1919; Dawes, the Doer (biography), Houghton, 1930; Biography of George Eastman, Houghton, 1930. Ackerman authored numerous articles, pamphlets, and reports on journalism and related affairs.

From the guide to the Carl W. Ackerman Papers, 1910-1962., (Columbia University Rare Book and Manuscript Library, )