S.C. Journalism Hall of Fame
The S.C. Journalism Hall of Fame was established in 1973 to recognize and honor men and women who have excelled in their craft and made significant contributions to journalism and their communities. Roughly 75 newspaper journalists – from the 1700s to the present – have been chosen by their peers for recognition.
The S.C. Hall of Fame began in 1972 when SCPA President William L. Kinney Jr., of Bennettsville, acting on a suggestion from Secretary-Manager Reid H. Montgomery, set in motion activities that led to the establishment of a S.C. Press Association Hall of Fame. The first Hall of Fame inductees were presented at the SCPA Winter Meeting in 1973.
Meet our 2023
Hall of Fame Recipients
Hall of Fame Nominations
Eligibility Requirements
Requirements for admission specify that a nominee must have made his or her journalistic reputation in South Carolina. If the reputation reflects achievements outside the state, the nominee must have been a native of South Carolina. Nominees must have been deceased for four or more years.
Nominations may be made by anyone now or previously employed by or associated with a South Carolina newspaper. Nominations not elected are carried over from year to year and considered along with new nominees. Nominations are received and acted upon by a Hall of Fame Selections Committee, appointed by the president of the S.C. Press Association.
Applications should include:
- Nominee’s date of birth and death
- Principal newspaper positions held by nominee
- Major achievements and honors in journalism
- Published works and other honors outside journalism
Citation required:
Nominator should prepare a 300-500 word citation suitable for use if nominee is chosen for the S.C. Press Association Hall of Fame. A photo should be included.
If you’d like to nominate someone for the 2024 Hall of Fame, materials must be submitted to Jen Madden by Dec. 1, 2023.
Hall of Fame Members
1973: Elizabeth Timothy (-1757) South Carolina Gazette
1973: Francis W. Dawson (1840-1899) The Charleston Mercury; The Charleston News; The News and Courier, Charleston
1974: Narciso G. Gonzales (1858-1903) The State; The News and Courier; Charleston Journal of Commerce
1974: Bony Hampton Peace (1874-1934) Carolina Spartan, Spartanburg; The Greenville News; Greenville Piedmont
1974: Peter Timothy (1721 – 1782) South Carolina Gazette
1974: Aaron Smith Willington (1781-1862) The Charleston Courier
1975: William Watts Ball (1868-1952) The Evening Post; The Greenville News; Laurens Advertiser; The News and Courier; The State
1975: Arthur B. Jordan Sr. (1876-1956) The Dillon Herald
1975: James Rion McKissick (1884-1944)Times-Democrat, Richmond, Va.; The Greenville News; Greenville Piedmont
1976: Hubert Graham Osteen (1870-1955) Watchman and Southron, Sumter; Sumter Daily Item
1976: Edward Hope DeCamp (1865-1952) The Gaffney Ledger; The State, Columbia
1977: Arthur M. Manigault (1851-1924) The Evening Post, Charleston
1978: Harold C. Booker Sr. (1888-1960) Spartanburg Herald-Journal; Greenville Piedmont; The Sumter Daily Item; The Columbia Record
1978: Charles Oscar Hearon (1876-1959) The Spartanburg Herald; Herald, Bristol, Va.; Times, Richmond, Va.
1979: Robert Lathan (1881-1937) The News and Courier, Charleston; The State, Columbia; Asheville (NC) Citizen; 1924 Pulitzer Prize Winner
1980: Tom O’Connor (1902-1969) Hampton County Guardian; Allendale County Citizen
1980: Louis W. Cassels (1921-1974) United Press International
1981: Robert Craft Peace (1899-1968) The Greenville News
1981: George A. Buchanan (1898-1976) The Columbia Record; Dean of Journalism, USC
1982: Robert M. Hitt, Jr. (1914-1968) Bamberg Herald; Charleston Evening Post
1982: W.W. Smoak (1877-1947) Press & Standard, Walterboro
1983: Wood Davidson Grist (1865-1925) Yorkville Enquirer; Atlanta Constitution
1983: Hall Thomas McGee (1889-1963) Charleston Evening Post; The News and Courier, Charleston
1983: Edmund A. Ramsaur (1925-1976) The Greenville News; Greenville Piedmont
1983: James Loyal Sims (1914-1962) The Times and Democrat, Orangeburg
1984: James Edward Chaffin (1913-1977) The Index-Journal, Greenwood
1984: Ambrose E. Gonzales (1857-1926) The State, Columbia; The News and Courier, Charleston
1984: William E. Gonzales (1866-1937) The State, Columbia
1985: William R. Bradford Sr. (1874-1957) The Fort Mill Times; The State, Columbia
1985: Elbert Herman Aull (1857-1929) The Newberry Herald and News
1985: Ernest Allen Cutts (1912-1980) Charleston Evening Post
1986: Noah Graham Osteen (1843-1936) The Item, Sumter
1986: Phil Buchheit (1907-1978) Spartanburg Herald-Journal
1986: R. Frank Mundy (1915-1982) The Index-Journal, Greenwood
1986: Samuel L. Latimer Jr. (1891-1975) The State, Columbia
1986: Harry L. Watson (1876-1956) The Index-Journal, Greenwood
1987: Robert Melvin Hitt (1886-1963) Bamberg Herald
1987: John Kelly Sisk (1913-1980) Greenville News-Piedmont
1987: Wilson William Harris (1889-1955) The Clinton Chronicle
1987: William Light Kinney (1902-1983) Marlboro Herald-Advocate, Bennettsville
1988: Talbot Patrick (1897-1980) Chicago Evening Post; The Goldsboro (NC) News-Argus; The Herald, Rock Hill
1988: Frank Wilmore Sossamon (1887-1979) The Gaffney Ledger
1989: Paul S. League (1920-1978) The Lancaster News
1989: Edward Manigault (1896-1983) Charleston Evening Post
1990: Edd A. Burch (1907-1985) Greer Citizen
1993: Hubert Duvall Osteen (1904-1987) The Item, Sumter
1993: Miles Benjamin McSweeney (1855-1909) The Ninety-Six Guardian; Hampton County Guardian
1995: Thomas Pettigrew Davis (1926-1990) Georgetown Times
1995: James A. Rogers (1905-1990) Florence Morning News
1996: William D. Workman (1914-1990) The News and Courier, Charleston; The Greenville News; The State, Columbia
1998: Joseph F. Smoak (1936-1993) The News and Courier, Charleston; Charleston Evening Post
1998: Marcellus C. Garner (1920-1992) The Sun News, Myrtle Beach; The Myrtle Beach News; The Myrtle Beach Sun; The Field, Conway; The Horry Herald; The Loris Sentinel
1999: Reid H. Montgomery (1909-1993) The State, Columbia; The Item, Sumter; Winthrop College; University of South Carolina; South Carolina Press Association
2002: August Kohn (1868-1930) The News and Courier, Charleston
2002: Annie Laurie Mayer Kinney (1902–1999) Marlboro Herald-Advocate
2003: Annie Howell King (1893-1973) Aiken Standard
2005: William E. Rone (1926-1998) The State, Columbia
2005: Alfred B. Williams (1856-1930) News and Courier, Charleston
2007: Dr. Robert Wilson Gibbes (1809-1866) The South Carolinian
2008: Felix Gregory de Fontaine (1834-1896) Charleston Daily Courier, The South Carolinian; Daily South Carolinian; New York Herald
2009: Robert Quillen (1887-1948) Fountain Inn Tribune
2010: Henry Timrod (1829-1867) Charleston Mercury
2011: William Gilmore Simms (1806-1870) Charleston City Gazette, Daily South Carolinian, The Phoenix
2011: Charles H. Wickenberg Jr. (1923-2004) The State
2012: Peter Manigault (1927-2004) The News and Courier, Charleston
2012: Benjamin F. Perry (1805-1886) Greenville Mountaineer; Southern Patriot, Greenville
2012: Robert Ashe Pierce (1928-2007) The State, Columbia
2013: Col. Thomas Bissell Crews (1832-1911) The Laurensville Herald, Laurens
2014: John Miller (1744-1807) The South Carolina Gazette and Daily Advertiser
2015: Samuel A. Cothran (1915-2010) Aiken Standard and Review
2015: Wilton E. Hall (1901-1980) Anderson Independent
2016: Henry F. Cauthen Sr. (1901-1977) The State, The Columbia Record, The News & Courier
2018: Lewis Timothy (1699-1738) The South Carolina Gazette
2019: John C. Shurr (1947-2015) S.C. Associated Press Bureau Chief
2020: Ken Burger (1949-2015) The Post and Courier
2021: Dean B. Livingston (1933-2014) The Times and Democrat
2021: John Henry McCray (1910-1987) Lighthouse and Informer
2023: Scott B. Hunter (1949-2018) Aiken Standard
2023: Louis Cody Sossamon (1921-2019) The Gaffney Ledger