Scope and Content Note
The papers of Leonard Downie Jr. (1942-) span the years 1961-2020 and document Downie’s career of more than forty years with the Washington Post as a journalist and editor, along with his professional writings and materials that reflect the internal operations of the Washington Post. The papers are primarily in English. The collection is organized into six series: Correspondence, Personal File, Subject File, Washington Post, Writings, and Oversize.
Downie began working at the Washington Post in 1964, holding different reporting and editorial roles until ultimately replacing Benjamin C. Bradlee to serve as executive editor from 1991 until Downie’s retirement in 2008. Under Downie’s leadership, the Washington Post provided award-winning coverage of major national and regional news events, receiving twenty-five Pulitzer Prizes. Notable from Downie’s work as a reporter are several investigative series on crime, courts, housing, and urban affairs, some of which were later adapted into his nonfiction books. Downie’s dedication to ensuring “accountability journalism” in his work as a reporter and editor is well-documented in the collection, with files regarding the Washington Post’s coverage of major news events of the second half of the twentieth century and material regarding the editorial and internal decisions made by Downie and other staff on how to ethically present that coverage. The collection also reflects the internal operations of the Washington Post, with material documenting the running of the newsroom in the form of policies and guidelines, staff memos and correspondence, and planning and business proposals. Notable figures represented throughout the collection include Philip Bennett, Benjamin C. Bradlee, Steve Coll, Katharine Graham, Robert G. Kaiser, and Bob Woodward.
The collection’s series are listed and briefly described below. A fuller description of each series and a list of its contents can be accessed in the series descriptions within the container list.
The Correspondence series is comprised of personal and business letters and invitations both sent and received by Downie while employed at the Washington Post, including reader mail and invitations to various public and private events.
The Personal File contains biographical material, photographs, and press clippings and profiles of Downie in various publications and magazines, as well as tributes and retrospectives relating to Downie’s retirement from the Washington Post in 2008.
The Subject File contains clippings and articles, notes, printed matter, correspondence, and other material covering twentieth century news events, committees and groups Downie served on, and files relating to individual organizations or people.
The Washington Post series is comprised of correspondence, staff memos, policy documents, clippings, photographs, proposals and reports, and budget materials related to the internal operations of the Washington Post newspaper and newsroom.
The Writings series contains drafts, notes and research, press clippings, printed matter, reviews, and correspondence with publishers and editors.
The remaining series contains Oversize material.