This week in South Georgia history.
Adel-raised Eugene Patterson, died January 12, 2013.
Eugene Corbett Patterson, born October 15, 1923, in Valdosta, Georgia, died January 12, 2013. Raised in Adel, he began his journalism career as a teenager at the local Adel News. Patterson went on to become a Pulitzer Prize-winning editor, known for his work at The Washington Post and St. Petersburg Times. He played a key role in publishing the Pentagon Papers and was a strong advocate for civil rights. Patterson was also recognized for his ethics, famously placing himself on the front page after a personal DUI charge. He received numerous awards, including an honorary degree from Oglethorpe University and induction into the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame. Patterson’s legacy as a journalist and civil rights activist continues to be remembered. His remains are interred at Arlington National Cemetery.
