The Saga of Emporia

William Allen White made a small western paper into an internationally respected publication.

William Allen White was born to be a newspaperman. Born in Emporia, Kansas in 1868, he first worked at a paper right out of high school. By 1895, he purchased his hometown publication The Gazette. And within a few years, his editorials and news coverage had gained attention throughout the country—including in Washington, D.C. He met and consulted with national legislators and presidents while maintaining the respect of both political parties. When he died in 1944, White—“The Sage of Emporia”—was still one of the best regarded journalists in America.