Leon Daniel
{{short description|American journalist}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2011}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Leon Daniel
| image =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1931|08|08}}{{cite web|title=National Gravesite Locater|url=http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/j2ee/servlet/NGL_v1|publisher=Department of Veteran Affairs|accessdate=July 20, 2011|archive-date=May 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517121033/http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/j2ee/servlet/NGL_v1|url-status=dead}}
| birth_place = Etowah, Tennessee, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2006|03|19|1931|08|08}}
| death_place = Glen Ellyn, Illinois, U.S.
| education = University of Tennessee
| occupation = National Correspondent, and Managing Editor for International News for UPI
| alias =
| title =
| family =
| spouse =
| domestic_partner = Judith Paterson
| relatives =
| nationality = American
| years_active= 1956–97
| credits =
| agent =
| website =
}}
Leon Daniel (August 8, 1931 – March 19, 2006) was a reporter, manager, and senior editor of United Press International (UPI).[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/22/AR2006032202369.html "Leon Daniel, 74; Covered Wars, Civil Rights Movement for UPI"], Washington Post, March 23, 2006.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9402E3DC1430F934A15750C0A9609C8B63 "Leon Daniel; U.P.I. Correspondent, 74"], The New York Times, March 27, 2006. He was considered to be the "gold standard" in wire service reporting.
Daniel is most well known for his reporting during the Vietnam War where he remained while many foreign correspondents fled the country, as well as for his coverage of the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960s. Daniel wrote one of his more notable pieces, published on June 12, 1977, on the escape from prison of James Earl Ray, the assassin of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Early career and UPI
At age 19, Daniel enlisted in the Marines and became a rifle squad leader during the Korean War.{{cite news|last=Lord|first=Lewis|title=Leon Daniel, UPI Reporter for 36 Years, Died Sunday at Age 74|url=http://www.allbusiness.com/services/business-services-miscellaneous-business/4691832-1.html|accessdate=July 17, 2011|newspaper=AllBusiness|date=March 22, 2006}} He was awarded the Purple Heart following shrapnel wounds to his ankle.{{cite web|title=Purple Heart Recipient|url=http://www.thepurpleheart.com/recipient/RecipientDetails.aspx?wid=82ec2997-6263-4da2-af3a-b6f64266b188|publisher=The National Purple Heart Recipient Hall of Honor|accessdate=July 17, 2011}}{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} After returning from service in the Korean War, Daniel attended the University of Tennessee, and shortly after, began his career in journalism by joining the Knoxville Journal.
In 1956, Daniel became a reporter for United Press International in their Nashville office and was promoted to manager in their Knoxville branch in 1959. He later was promoted to report at UPI's southern headquarters in Atlanta in 1960."Viet Cong Take Over Presidential Palace as Troops, Tanks Pour In", Los Angeles Times, April 30, 1975.[http://www.mishalov.com/Vietnam_finalescape.html "Thirty Years at 300 Millimeters"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171105001349/http://www.mishalov.com/Vietnam_finalescape.html |date=November 5, 2017 }}, New York Times, April 29, 2005.
Civil Rights Movement
Daniel began reporting on the civil rights movement between 1960 and 1966 during his placement in UPI's headquarters in Atlanta. Colleagues noted that his coverage of the civil rights movement was "the story he considered the most important he ever reported." His coverage included stories from Florida, Alabama and Mississippi, among others. Daniel was responsible for coverage of the events related to desegregation occurring in the southern U.S., such as "The Battle of Ole Miss" where riots broke out at the University of Mississippi in protest of the enrollment of the black student, James Meredith.{{cite book|last=Kuettner|first=Al|title=March to a promised land: the civil rights files of a white reporter, 1952–1968|year=2006|publisher=Capital Books|location=Herndon, VA|isbn=1-933102-28-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YoSkPOzgXm8C&q=%22Leon+Daniel%22+%2B+%22UPI%22}} He also covered the Selma to Montgomery marches led by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1965 in protest of the recent, violent incident known as "Bloody Sunday". Daniel did cover civil rights-related events in Philadelphia, Mississippi, however, where he reported on the murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner. He commented that the populace at the time was "a very dangerous town for any outsiders, not just civil rights workers."
One of Daniel's more notable pieces, published on June 12, 1977, reported the escape of James Earl Ray, the assassin of Martin Luther King, Jr., from Tennessee's Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary.{{cite news|last=Daniel|first=Leon|title=James Earl Ray escapes from Tennessee Prison|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0VJBAAAAIBAJ&pg=4901,2168277&dq=james-earl-ray+leon&hl=en|accessdate=July 17, 2011|newspaper=Harlan Daily Enterprise|date=June 12, 1977}}
Vietnam War
Daniel began reporting on the Vietnam War in 1966. He remained in Saigon as South Vietnam fell, being one of the few foreign correspondents to do so.[https://web.archive.org/web/20090302023538/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,917436,00.html "The Press: They Stayed"], Time Magazine, May 12, 1975. When asked about why he chose to stay, he jokingly said, "I had to. The AP correspondent was there."{{cite news|title=Leon Daniel, a top war journalist|url=http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=27069&no_cache=1|accessdate=22 July 2013|newspaper=The Namibian|date=March 3, 2006|agency=Namibia Press Agency/AP|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120531123620/http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=27069&no_cache=1|archivedate=May 31, 2012 }} He reported on the lack of military presence within South Vietnam during northern advances into the country,[https://archive.today/20130125020129/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=V3YfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mygEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7202,4048798&dq=leon+daniel&hl=en "US Bombs in North; Saigon Threatened"], Milwaukee Journal, April 6, 1972. on major battles occurring within South Vietnam with joint U.S. forces,[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DYAcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=q1EEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4981,2099427&dq=leon+daniel&hl=en "Major Battle Underway in S. Vietnam"], The Dispatch, February 4, 1971. and the threat of invading Laos."US Leaves Question of Laos Invasion Open", Boston Globe, February 5, 1971. He also reported directly to Vietnamese military officials, such as General Le Minh Dao regarding the threat of North Vietnamese forces occupying Xuan Loc.[http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0005/ch1.htm "White Christmas – The Fall of Saigon"], Dirck Halstead.
He is known for writing the UPI headline, "Saigon government surrenders," when the capital, Saigon, was occupied by Northern Vietnamese forces.[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-mar-23-me-passings23.3-story.html "Leon Daniel, 74; Reporter Covered Vietnam War for UPI"], Los Angeles Times, March 23, 2006[https://archive.org/details/55daysfallofsou00daws "55 days: the fall of South Vietnam"] He was known for taking part in UPI antics in Vietnam as he was accused of stealing a statue in a Saigon bar, having been referred to local Vietnamese civilian police for the offense.[https://books.google.com/books?id=d-VKzu_onfgC&dq=%22Leon+Daniel%22+saigon&pg=PA74 "Pen and Sword: American War Correspondents, 1898–1975"] He was expelled from Vietnam by the new Communist rulers, and was later expelled from Thailand and declared persona non grata for writing articles detrimental to the Thai government,[https://archive.today/20120712014655/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iIEyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=G7cFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1189,352637&dq=leon+daniel&hl=en "Press Protest"], Palm Beach Post, May 17, 1972.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bQ9XAAAAIBAJ&sjid=P0MNAAAAIBAJ&pg=6493,3989833&dq=leon+daniel&hl=en "Newsman ordered out"], Reading Eagle, May 15, 1972. possibly violating Thai military secrecy, although this was denied by both UPI and Daniel.[http://www.thebattleofkontum.com/stars/302.html "Protests Ouster Of UPI Man"], Stars and Stripes, May 18, 1972. UPI protested against the expulsion of Daniel from Vietnam, noting that "Daniel's accuracy and dedication to the journalistic profession is outstanding and we have every confidence in him as a representative of UPI."[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DDYeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3r4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7353,1611194&dq=leon+daniel&hl=en "Expulsion of Newsman Protested"], The Dispatch, May 17, 1972.
Later career
In 1980, after extensive press work in the U.S., Vietnam, and the Dominican Republic, Daniel moved to Washington, D.C., to become UPI's national correspondent and later, the managing editor for international news. He retired in 1997, but continued to write op-ed pieces, such as one about preemptive U.S. invasion of Iraq following the September 11 attacks.
Death and legacy
Daniel died from complications of angioplasty, and was survived by his partner Judith Paterson, his daughter author Rev. Dr. Lillian Daniel, and two grandchildren, Calvin Weeks and Ab Weeks.[https://archive.today/20120715090326/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/1007366131.html?dids=1007366131:1007366131&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+22,+2006&author=Associated+Press&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Leon+Daniel+;+Veteran+newsman;+UPI+foreign+correspondent+set+'gold+standard'+for+wire+services&pqatl=google "Leon Daniel ; Veteran newsman; UPI foreign correspondent set 'gold standard' for wire services"], Chicago Tribune, March 22, 2006. Daniel was referred to as a "veteran correspondent" and "the gold standard" among wire service reporters by colleagues{{cite book|last=Kuettner|first=Al|title=The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle, and the Awakening of a Nation|year=2006|publisher=Alfred A. Knopf|location=New York|isbn=978-0-679-73565-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YoSkPOzgXm8C}} and "a tough competitor ... and also was the most amiable of men, endearing him to colleagues and soldiers alike," by one reporter from rival news organization, Associated Press.
In 2006, the University of Maryland's College of Journalism created the Judith Paterson/Leon Daniel Journalism Scholarship as a tribute to "long-time companion Leon Daniel, a legendary journalist and war correspondent of his era, and former United Press International Bureau Chief in London."{{cite web|title=Judith Paterson/Leon Daniel Journalism Scholarship – Scholarship History|url=http://advancement.umd.edu/celebration/showScholarship.php?main_id=1080|publisher=University of Maryland|accessdate=July 20, 2011}}{{cite web|last=Whitehurst|first=Ken|title=Academic Scholarships Named For Downholders|url=http://thedownholdproject.centraldesktop.com/publicdownholdproject/doc/1508106/w-AcademicScholarshipsNamedForDownholders|publisher=The Downhold Project|accessdate=July 22, 2011}} Judith Paterson was Daniel's companion and has since retired from her position at the university as a journalism professor.{{cite web|title=UA Cason Award To Honor Albert Murray; Next Day Symposium To Host Renowned Writers, Pulitzer Winners |url=http://uanews.ua.edu/2001/02/ua-cason-award-to-honor-albert-murray-next-day-symposium-to-host-renowned-writers-pulitzer-winners/ |publisher=University of Alabama |accessdate=July 22, 2011 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140824111618/http://uanews.ua.edu/2001/02/ua-cason-award-to-honor-albert-murray-next-day-symposium-to-host-renowned-writers-pulitzer-winners/ |archivedate=August 24, 2014 }}
Leon Daniel's daughter is the Rev. Dr. Lillian Daniel, pastor of First Congregational Church in Dubuque, Iowa and author of four books including Tired of Apologizing for a Church I Don't Belong To (Faith Words, 2016){{Cite book|title=Tired of apologizing for a church I don't belong to : spirituality without stereotypes, religion without ranting|last=Lillian|first=Daniel|isbn=9781455595891|edition=First|location=New York|oclc=935196086|date = September 20, 2016}} and When Spiritual But Not Religious Is Not Enough (Jericho, 2013.){{Cite book|title=When "spiritual but not religious" is not enough : seeing God in surprising places, even the church|last=Lillian.|first=Daniel|isbn=9781455523085|edition=First|location=New York, NY|oclc=824545501|date = January 15, 2013}}
References
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Category:People from Etowah, Tennessee
Category:University of Tennessee alumni
Category:United States Marines
Category:American reporters and correspondents
Category:United States Marine Corps personnel of the Korean War