{{Short description|American journalist (1912–1984)}} {{Use American English|date=December 2024}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Peter Kihss | image = Peter Kihss winning Berger Award, 1963.png | caption = Kihss in 1963 | birth_name = Peter Frederick Kihss | birth_date = {{birth date|1912|8|25}} | birth_place = Brooklyn, New York, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and given age|1984|12|28|72}} | death_place = Jamaica Estates, Queens, New York, U.S. | alma_mater = | education = Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism | spouse = | children = 2 | occupation = {{hlist|Journalist|reporter|editor}} | years_active = 1933–1982 | employer = ''The New York Times'' (1952–1982) | awards = }} '''Peter Frederick Kihss''' (August 25, 1912 – December 28, 1984) was an American reporter for ''The New York Times'' and other news organizations for nearly half a century until his retirement in 1982.<ref name="death">{{cite web |last1=McFadden |first1=Robert |title=Peter Kihss, Reporter for 49 Years, Is Dead at 72 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/12/30/obituaries/peter-kihss-reporter-for-49-years-is-dead-at-72.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=November 12, 2024 |date=December 30, 1984}}</ref> Kihss was known for his reporting on a wide range of topics, including immigrants, state and city governments, crime, the weather and other subjects.
== Early life == Peter Frederick Kihss was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Latvian immigrants<ref name="death" /> on August 25, 1912.<ref name=":0">National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For New York City, October 16, 1940 - March 31, 1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147</ref> He was encouraged to become an engineer by his father, but chose to pursue journalism instead, saying "[it] was an opportunity to do good for somebody".<ref name="odessa">{{cite news |title=Vet reporter for Times retiring |work=Associated Press |agency=Odessa American |date=September 1, 1982 |page=8}}</ref> He graduated from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 1932.<ref>{{cite news |title=Peter Kihss dies; retired New York Times reporter |publisher=The Vindicator |date=December 30, 1984}}</ref>
== Career == Kihss's career in journalism began in 1933, working at ''The Associated Press'', ''The Washington Post'', ''New York World-Telegram'', ''New York Herald Tribune'', and for 30 years at ''The New York Times''.<ref name="death" /> While at ''The Associated Press'', he was an editor, a role he disliked.<ref name="odessa" /><ref name="delaware">{{cite news |title=Peter Kihss, 72, retired N.Y. Times reporter |work=Associated Press |agency=Delaware County Daily Times |date=December 30, 1984|page=20}}</ref> He quit shortly afterwards and he became a foreign correspondent in South America for ''The New York Times''.<ref name="odessa" /><ref name="delaware" /> On returning 10 months later, he worked at ''The Washington Post''. He moved back to New York in 1936, becoming a journalist at ''New York World-Telegram'' and ''New York Herald Tribune''.<ref name="odessa" /> He rejoined ''The New York Times'' on January 6, 1952.<ref name="Schwartz" /> He retired in 1982.<ref name="Schwartz">{{cite news |last1=Schwartz |first1=Jerry |title=Reporter for 49 years retires |agency=St. Joseph News-Press |publisher=Associated Press |date=September 2, 1982}}</ref> Two years after his retirement, a $5,000 journalism award was established in his honor by the Fund for the City of New York, for which he was the first recipient.<ref>{{cite news |title=Peter Kihss |work=Associated Press |agency=The Gettysburg Times |date=November 27, 1984 |page=8}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Award Established |publisher=The Victoria Advocate |date=November 27, 1984}}</ref>
== Death and legacy == Kihss died on December 28, 1984, of a heart attack at his house in Jamaica Estates, Queens, at the age of 72. Then mayor of New York City, Ed Koch, called Kihss "one of the most factual and thoughtful of reporters". He was often referred to as the "world's greatest reporter".<ref name="obituary">{{cite news |title=Peter Kihss, reporter for the New York Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/citizen-register-obituary-for-peter-kihs/160994154/ |access-date=December 16, 2024 |publisher=Associated Press |date=December 30, 1984}}</ref> Sydney Schanberg for ''The New York Times'' referred to Kihss as a "master craftsman", praising his mentoring of younger, inexperienced journalists.<ref name="schanberg">{{cite news |last1=Schanberg |first1=Sydney |title=Peter Kihss |work=The New York Times |agency=The Gallup Independent |date=January 5, 1985 |page=8}}</ref> Schanberg also called Kihss "one of the greats" of contemporary journalism.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Schanberg |first1=Sydney |title=Cuomo's chastening foray into journalism |work=The Gazette |date=July 10, 2018 |page=8}}</ref> He was survived by his wife, Alice, and two children.<ref name="obituary" /> The Society of Silurians established ''The Peter Kihss Award'' in his honor, an award given to journalists who mentor newer ones.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Peltz |first1=Jennifer |title=Jim Fitzgerald, longtime AP writer and editor, dies at 66 |work=Associated Press |agency=The Orange County Register |date=April 18, 2017 |page=15}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Silurian News |url=https://irp.cdn-website.com/d8c9e7bd/files/uploaded/SILURIANNEWS-MAY-2016.pdf |access-date=December 16, 2024 |publisher=The Society of the Silurians, Inc. |date=May 2016 |pages=1}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Peter Kihss Award |url=https://www.silurians.org/awards#PeterKihssAward |website=The Silurians Press Club |access-date=December 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523032812/https://silurians.org/awards/#PeterKihssAward |archive-date=May 23, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>
== Awards and nominations == In 1933, Kihss was awarded the Pulitzer Traveling Scholarship.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kihss Awarded Price In Place of Barber |work=Columbia Daily Spectator |volume=56 |issue=138 |date=May 16, 1933 |page=1}}</ref> In 1966, Kihss received a special mention by the Society of the Silurians for his work covering the northeast blackout of 1965.<ref>{{cite web |title=9 Journalists win Silurian Awards |url=https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP73-00475R000402400001-7.pdf |access-date=November 12, 2024 |date=April 4, 1966 |archive-date=November 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241112062629/https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP73-00475R000402400001-7.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1971, Kihss was honored by the Society of the Silurians, receiving a gold quill marking his "continued distinguished journalistic work" for more than 25 years.<ref>{{cite web |title=Peter Kihss of Times Honored by Silurians |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/10/19/archives/peter-kihss-of-times-honored-by-silurians.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=November 12, 2024 |date=October 19, 1971}}</ref> He also received the Silurians' Quarter-Century News Award.<ref>{{cite news |title=Newman Is Honored By Silurians |work=Biddeford-Saco Journal |date=November 19, 1973 |page=14}}</ref> In 1974, Kihss received Columbia's Journalism Alumni Award.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dr. Jandoli is given Columbia Alumni Award |work=Bradford Era |date=June 20, 1974 |page=24}}</ref> Kihss was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize four times,<ref name="death" /> but never won.<ref name="schanberg" />
== References == {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kihss, Peter}} Category:1912 births Category:1984 deaths Category:20th-century American newspaper editors Category:20th-century American male journalists Category:American people of Latvian descent Category:The New York Times journalists Category:The New York Times columnists Category:The New York Times people Category:Journalists from Brooklyn Category:Pulitzer Traveling Scholarship winners Category:Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism alumni