Oral History: Emily Cooper - South Carolina Press Association

Remembering eyewitnesses to history

Oral History of S.C. Newspapers

Emily Cooper

Journalist and Author
Columbia, SC

Former President of SCPA Women’s Division reflects on a long career at S.C. weekly and daily newspapers.

Video Interview

This video has been edited for length. If you’d like to listen to the full raw audio from our interview with Emily Cooper, contact SCPA.

Photo Gallery

Emily Cooper

New officers of the Women’s Division of the South Carolina Press Association are, from left, Emily Cooper of Edgefield, president; Polly Lowman of North Myrtle Beach, vice president; Clisby Williams of Anderson, secretary; and Cathy McConnell of Georgetown, board member.

New officers of the Women’s Division of the South Carolina Press Association are, from left, Emily Cooper of Edgefield, president; Polly Lowman of North Myrtle Beach, vice president; Clisby Williams of Anderson, secretary; and Cathy McConnell of Georgetown, board member.

Cooper’s book, “Queen of Lost,” depicts the life of Lucy Holcombe Pickens and her influence on Edgefield.

Cooper’s book, “Queen of The Lost,” depicts the life of Lucy Holcombe Pickens and her influence on Edgefield.

At the head table for the Women in Newspapers Seminar were, from left, Nancy Woodhull of Rochester, N.Y., Pat McNeely of USC School of Journalism, Mary Scott Derrick of Hilton Head island, Emily Cooper of Edgefield, Cyril Washer of Columbia, and Dottie Foster of Myrtle Beach.

At the head table for the Women in Newspapers Seminar were, from left, Nancy Woodhull of Rochester, N.Y., Pat McNeely of USC School of Journalism, Mary Scott Derrick of Hilton Head island, Emily Cooper of Edgefield, Cyril Washer of Columbia, and Dottie Foster of Myrtle Beach.

Cooper (left), her son Harcourt (middle) and Scott Hunter (right) enjoy the moonlight cruise on the Island Queen II.

Cooper (left), her son Harcourt (middle) and Scott Hunter (right) enjoy the moonlight cruise on the Island Queen II.

A special meeting called together by Emily Cooper, the SCPA President of the Women’s Division, met to discuss women’s role in the association. Front row are Annie Laurie Kenny of Bennettsville (left) and Emily Cooper of Edgefield (right). Standing are Clisby Williams of Anderson (left), Dottie Foster of Myrtle Beach (middle), and Don McKeown, President of the SCPA (right). Photo taken by Reid Montgomery.

A special meeting called together by Cooper, the SCPA President of the Women’s Division, met to discuss women’s role in the association. Front row are Annie Laurie Kenny of Bennettsville (left) and Emily Cooper of Edgefield (right). Standing are Clisby Williams of Anderson (left), Dottie Foster of Myrtle Beach (middle), and Don McKeown, President of the SCPA (right). Photo taken by Reid Montgomery.

Related Links

Biography

Born: October 24, 1939 in Atlanta, Georgia

Newspaper History:

Women’s editor, Aiken Standard
News editor, Aiken Standard, 1974-1975
Editor, Hilton Head Island Packet, 1975-1976
Founder, Publisher, Edgefield County Press, 1976-1981
General Manager and Executive Editor, The (Lexington) Dispatch-News, 1999-2001
Editor, S.C. United Methodist Advocate, 2007-2010

Honors and Awards:

South Carolina Press Association News Reporting
President of the South Carolina Press Association’s Women’s Division, 1979-1980
Annie King Newspaper Woman of the Year
S.C. Agricultural Council, outstanding S.C. news writer, 1979, 1980
Pickens-Salley Southern Woman of Distinction award at USC Aiken

Education:

University of Tennessee
University of South Carolina-Aiken
University of South Carolina

SCPA's oral history project is dedicated to preserving the heritage of our state's journalists and newspapers.

This program is funded by the South Carolina Humanities Council, whose mission is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. This program is co-sponsored by the University of South Carolina’s School of Journalism and Mass Communications.