Joseph Lelyveld, who gained the 1986 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction for his e-book, Transfer Your Shadow: South Africa, Black and White, and was a former govt editor and international correspondent for The New York Instances, died on Friday at his Manhattan residence.
He was 86 and succumbed to problems of Parkinson’s illness, in keeping with Janny Scott, his associate of 19 years and a former Instances reporter.
Lelyveld was reported from Washington, Congo, India, Hong Kong, Johannesburg and London throughout his lengthy profession.
He served because the Instances govt editor from 1994 to 2001, arguably probably the most highly effective publish in American journalism. He oversaw a newspaper transitioning to the digital age, ushering within the New York Instances web site and the start of 24-hour information protection.
Lelyveld retired every week earlier than the terrorist assaults of Sept. 11, 2001. Nevertheless, in June 2003, he returned to the highest publish within the wake of disclosures of journalistic fraud and plagiarism by a reporter, Jayson Blair. He served within the function for six weeks, Invoice Keller, a columnist and former Instances correspondent, was named the manager editor.
In a press release on Friday, former writer Arthur Sulzberger, now chairman emeritus of The New York Instances Firm, mentioned: “Everybody is aware of Joe as a large in journalism, however at the start he was a considerate, compassionate man who cared deeply about his colleagues. He was not solely an awesome govt editor who steered The Instances via some difficult moments on the introduction of the web, however he additionally returned to assist heal the newsroom at a really low level. He can be remembered by many for journalistic triumphs and his humanity. I’ll at all times keep in mind him as my pricey good friend.”
Along with Janny Scott, Lelyveld is survived by two daughters from his marriage, Amy and Nita Lelyveld, and a granddaughter.
