William J. Raspberry

1993

William J. Raspberry is an urban affairs columnist for The Washington Post. His twice-weekly column is nationally syndicated by The Washington Post Writers Group.

Of the columnist, Time Magazine has written: “Raspberry has emerged as the most respected black voice on any white U.S. newspaper. He considers the merits rather than the ideology of any issue. Not surprisingly, his judgment regularly nettles the Polyannas and the militants.”

Raspberry joined the Post in 1962 and held a variety of positions until he began his urban affairs column. From 1956 to 1960, he was a reporter-photographer-editor for the Indianapolis Recorder. He then served two years in the U.S. Army.

In 1965, Raspberry won the Capital Press Club’s “Journalist of the Year” award for his coverage of the Watts riots in Los Angeles. He has also received awards from Lincoln University of Jefferson City, Missouri, and The Baltimore/Washington Newspaper Guild.

Born in Okolona, Miss., Raspberry was graduated from Indiana Central College where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history.