William Peters (journalist)
Encyclopedia
William Ernest Peters Jr. (July 30, 1921 – May 20, 2007) was an award-winning American
journalist
and documentary film
maker who frequently covered race relations in the United States.
Born in San Francisco, California
, he earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Northwestern University
in 1947. He served as an Army Air Force pilot during World War II
.
Peters won Peabody Award
s for his 1963 documentary Storm Over the Supreme Court, his 1967 documentary Africa, 1970's Eye of the Storm
, and 1976 Suddenly an Eagle. His 1985 documentary A Class Divided, a sequel to Eye of the Storm, aired on PBS Frontline and won an Emmy Award
. He also wrote several books, including The Southern Temper in 1959 and a book about Medgar Evers
. In 1964, Peters began work on CBS Reports: The Homosexuals
with the approval of CBS News head Fred W. Friendly
, although the program was not completed and aired until 1967.
Peters lived in Louisville, Colorado
late in life and died of Alzheimer’s disease in Louisville, Colorado
.
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...
and documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
maker who frequently covered race relations in the United States.
Born in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, he earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in 1947. He served as an Army Air Force pilot during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Peters won Peabody Award
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
s for his 1963 documentary Storm Over the Supreme Court, his 1967 documentary Africa, 1970's Eye of the Storm
Eye of the Storm (1970 film)
Eye of the Storm is a 1970 American TV-documentary directed by William Peters.- Plot summary :William Peters follows Jane Elliott's experiment of dividing an otherwise homogenous group of school kids after their eye color.- Sequels :...
, and 1976 Suddenly an Eagle. His 1985 documentary A Class Divided, a sequel to Eye of the Storm, aired on PBS Frontline and won an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
. He also wrote several books, including The Southern Temper in 1959 and a book about Medgar Evers
Medgar Evers
Medgar Wiley Evers was an African American civil rights activist from Mississippi involved in efforts to overturn segregation at the University of Mississippi...
. In 1964, Peters began work on CBS Reports: The Homosexuals
CBS Reports: The Homosexuals
"The Homosexuals" is a 1967 episode of the documentary television series CBS Reports. The hour-long broadcast featured a discussion of a number of topics related to homosexuality and homosexuals. Mike Wallace anchored the episode, which aired on March 7, 1967...
with the approval of CBS News head Fred W. Friendly
Fred W. Friendly
Fred W. Friendly was a president of CBS News and the creator, along with Edward R. Murrow, of the documentary television program See It Now...
, although the program was not completed and aired until 1967.
Peters lived in Louisville, Colorado
Louisville, Colorado
Louisville is a Home Rule Municipality in Boulder County, Colorado, United States. The population was 18,937 at the 2000 census. Louisville began as a rough mining community in 1877, suffered through a period of extraordinary labor violence early in the 20th century, and then, when the mines...
late in life and died of Alzheimer’s disease in Louisville, Colorado
Louisville, Colorado
Louisville is a Home Rule Municipality in Boulder County, Colorado, United States. The population was 18,937 at the 2000 census. Louisville began as a rough mining community in 1877, suffered through a period of extraordinary labor violence early in the 20th century, and then, when the mines...
.