Oral History: William Kinney - South Carolina Press Association

Remembering eyewitnesses to history

Oral History of S.C. Newspapers

William Kinney

Marlboro Herald-Advocate
Bennettsville, SC

Kinney has pride in the people Marlboro County and his family owned and operated newspaper.

Video Interview

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

Photo Gallery

William Kinney

Bill Kinney surveys the Bennettesville Printing Museum created by his grandson as an Eagle Scout project.

Bill Kinney surveys the Bennettesville Printing Museum created by his grandson as an Eagle Scout project.

Bill Kinney, center, is presented with the James O. Amos award by NNA President Chip Hutcheson, right, at the 2016 NNA Annual Convention in Franklin, Tenn. Kinney's wife Peggy is on the far left.

Bill Kinney, center, is presented with the James O. Amos award by NNA President Chip Hutcheson, right, at the 2016 NNA Annual Convention in Franklin, Tenn. Kinney's wife Peggy is on the far left.

Kinney attends a meeting with President Jimmy Carter.

Kinney attends a meeting with President Jimmy Carter.

Bill Kinney with Linotype machine in Bennettesville Printing Museum.

Bill Kinney with Linotype machine in Bennettesville Printing Museum.

Kinney with his vintage '54 Bentley with the Bennettesville newspaper office in the background.

Kinney with his vintage '54 Bentley with the Bennettesville newspaper office in the background.

William Kinney's parents in 1981.

William Kinney's parents in 1981.

Kinney still pastes up his editorial page.

Kinney still pastes up his editorial page.

Related Links

Biography

Born: October 26, 1933

Died: February 19, 2023

Newspaper History: 1972 to present, Marlboro Herald-Advocate

Honors and Awards:

President of the Marlboro Historical Society
Chairman of the Marlboro County Historic Preservation Commission
Founding member of the Marlboro County Development Board
Vice-chairman of the Bennettesville Downtown Development Association
1972-73 President of the South Carolina Press Association
1992-94 President of the S.C. Press Association Foundation
Harris Award for Editorial Writing, 1966
University of South Carolina College of Journalism’s Diamond Circle Award

Education:

BS from Wofford College
BA from the University of South Carolina

Military Service: U.S. Army

Family: Daughter, Elisabeth Kinney McNiel

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.