On April 25, 1908, famed CBS broadcaster Edward R. Murrow was born in Greensboro.
Though their ties to the area were strong, the Murrow family moved to Washington state while Edward was still young. There Murrow enrolled at Washington State College, where he had the opportunity to go to Washington, D.C., as president of the National Student Federation.
In 1935, Murrow became “director of talks” for CBS Radio. With tensions mounting in Europe, he was dispatched to Europe two years later. Hitler’s annexation of Austria in 1938 began Murrow’s rise to fame. His broadcasts during the Battle of Britain, beginning each evening with “This is London,” are legendary.
His signature on that series was his sign-off: “Good night and good luck.” Perhaps the most noted episode of the program came in March 1954 when Murrow took on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy. The program is credited with significantly contributing to McCarthy’s downfall.
Other related resources:
- Democracy and the Media, an online exhibit from the State Archives
- Edward R. Murrow on NCpedia