Jacob Landau
Encyclopedia
Jacob Charles "Jack" Landau (April 10, 1934 – August 9, 2008) was an American
journalist
, attorney
, government official, and free-speech activist. He was the founding first Executive Director
of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
.
, but the family moved to New Rochelle, New York
, when he was 12 years old. Landau attended New Rochelle High School
, where he was a varsity swimmer and voted "most talkative boy." He then attended Harvard College
, where he majored in history. After graduating from Harvard, Landau lived briefly in San Francisco, working retail jobs and trying to write fiction.
Prior to the establishment of the Reporters Committee
, Landau worked as a journalist for several national news organizations including the Bergen Record, Associated Press
and The Washington Post
. His stories covered numerous topics, but his specialty was reporting on the American courts. Mr. Landau was a Harvard College
graduate and legally trained reporter in an era when this was an oddity, having received a law degree from New York University
. His reports of inequities in the American military justice system are credited with having prompted the reform of that system into its current modern shape. He also covered the Cuban Revolution
for the Associated Press
, stationed in Havana
(Landau spoke conversational Spanish
).
Landau also served as the press secretary
to United States Attorney General
John Mitchell
. John Mitchell served as Attorney General
under President Richard Nixon
. As the spokesman for Mitchell, Mr. Landau addressed the public concerning many of the difficult legal issues facing the U.S. Government during the late 1960s. During one incident, Mr. Landau addressed a hostile and abusive crowd of activists opposed to the Vietnam War
who were demanding an audience with the Attorney General during a large-scale protest. Their leader was American beat
poet Allen Ginsberg
, who purportedly dismissed Landau as a tool of the establishment.
Ironically, it was Landau’s organization, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
, that would rock the establishment by preventing Richard Nixon
from destroying his records in the wake of the Watergate scandal. Under Landau’s leadership, the Reporters Committee would become America’s foremost activist organization in furtherance of the rights of journalists and reporters. This work won Landau numerous awards and accolades. He had a falling-out with the Reporters Committee during the late 1980s, after which he left to write a popular column in the Newhouse News
syndicate of daily newspapers.
Landau was retired at the time of his death. He was divorced and had two children with former spouse, attorney Brooksley E. Born.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, government official, and free-speech activist. He was the founding first Executive Director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press is an American nonprofit organization, founded in 1970, that provides free legal assistance to and on behalf of journalists. A number of prominent journalists presently sit on the organization's steering committee, including Dan Rather, and Judy...
.
Biography
Jack Landau was born to Jacob and Florence Landau (formerly Florence Binaghi). He spent his elementary school years in Englewood, New JerseyEnglewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
, but the family moved to New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state.The town was settled by refugee Huguenots in 1688 who were fleeing persecution in France...
, when he was 12 years old. Landau attended New Rochelle High School
New Rochelle High School
New Rochelle High School is a public high school, comprising grades 9 through 12, in New Rochelle, New York, operated by the City School District of New Rochelle. NRHS serves over 3,300 students; offering more than 240 courses, including honors, research and advanced placement courses.NRHS...
, where he was a varsity swimmer and voted "most talkative boy." He then attended Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
, where he majored in history. After graduating from Harvard, Landau lived briefly in San Francisco, working retail jobs and trying to write fiction.
Prior to the establishment of the Reporters Committee
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press is an American nonprofit organization, founded in 1970, that provides free legal assistance to and on behalf of journalists. A number of prominent journalists presently sit on the organization's steering committee, including Dan Rather, and Judy...
, Landau worked as a journalist for several national news organizations including the Bergen Record, Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
and The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
. His stories covered numerous topics, but his specialty was reporting on the American courts. Mr. Landau was a Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
graduate and legally trained reporter in an era when this was an oddity, having received a law degree from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. His reports of inequities in the American military justice system are credited with having prompted the reform of that system into its current modern shape. He also covered the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
for the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, stationed in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
(Landau spoke conversational Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
).
Landau also served as the press secretary
Press secretary
A press secretary or press officer is a senior advisor who provides advice on how to deal with the news media and, using news management techniques, helps their employer to maintain a positive public image and avoid negative media coverage....
to United States Attorney General
United States Attorney General
The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. The attorney general is considered to be the chief lawyer of the U.S. government...
John Mitchell
John N. Mitchell
John Newton Mitchell was the Attorney General of the United States from 1969 to 1972 under President Richard Nixon...
. John Mitchell served as Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
under President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
. As the spokesman for Mitchell, Mr. Landau addressed the public concerning many of the difficult legal issues facing the U.S. Government during the late 1960s. During one incident, Mr. Landau addressed a hostile and abusive crowd of activists opposed to the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
who were demanding an audience with the Attorney General during a large-scale protest. Their leader was American beat
Beat generation
The Beat Generation refers to a group of American post-WWII writers who came to prominence in the 1950s, as well as the cultural phenomena that they both documented and inspired...
poet Allen Ginsberg
Allen Ginsberg
Irwin Allen Ginsberg was an American poet and one of the leading figures of the Beat Generation in the 1950s. He vigorously opposed militarism, materialism and sexual repression...
, who purportedly dismissed Landau as a tool of the establishment.
Ironically, it was Landau’s organization, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press is an American nonprofit organization, founded in 1970, that provides free legal assistance to and on behalf of journalists. A number of prominent journalists presently sit on the organization's steering committee, including Dan Rather, and Judy...
, that would rock the establishment by preventing Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
from destroying his records in the wake of the Watergate scandal. Under Landau’s leadership, the Reporters Committee would become America’s foremost activist organization in furtherance of the rights of journalists and reporters. This work won Landau numerous awards and accolades. He had a falling-out with the Reporters Committee during the late 1980s, after which he left to write a popular column in the Newhouse News
Advance Publications
Advance Publications, Inc., is an American media company owned by the descendants of S.I. Newhouse Sr., Donald Newhouse and S.I. Newhouse, Jr. It is named after the Staten Island Advance, the first newspaper owned by the Newhouse family...
syndicate of daily newspapers.
Landau was retired at the time of his death. He was divorced and had two children with former spouse, attorney Brooksley E. Born.
Honours and awards
- Nieman Fellow, Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
- Lovejoy Award, Colby CollegeColby CollegeColby College is a private liberal arts college located on Mayflower Hill in Waterville, Maine. Founded in 1813, it is the 12th-oldest independent liberal arts college in the United States...
- Honorary LLD, Colby CollegeColby CollegeColby College is a private liberal arts college located on Mayflower Hill in Waterville, Maine. Founded in 1813, it is the 12th-oldest independent liberal arts college in the United States...
- National Freedom of Information Act Hall of Fame (Charter Member), First Amendment CenterFirst Amendment CenterThe First Amendment Center is an advocacy group in the United States that works to preserve and protect First Amendment freedoms through information and education. The Center serves as a forum for the study and exploration of free-expression issues, including freedom of speech, of the press and of...
- Silver Gavel Award, American Bar AssociationAmerican Bar AssociationThe American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
- Fellows of the Society Award, Sigma Delta Chi Foundation, Society of Professional JournalistsSociety of Professional JournalistsThe Society of Professional Journalists , formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is one of the oldest organizations representing journalists in the United States. It was established in April 1909 at DePauw University, and its charter was designed by William Meharry Glenn. The ten founding members of...
External links
- Jacob Landau (November 16, 1978 at Colby College), Convocation Address: The State of the First Amendment.