Madison Reporter

Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post journalist and bestselling author David Maraniss will share insights from his career as this fall’s Sharon Dunwoody Journalist in Residence at UW–Madison.

During his residency from September 25-27, Maraniss will engage with faculty and staff, conduct classroom visits, and meet with students of history, journalism, and African American studies to share experiences from his career as a chronicler of America.

On September 25 from 7 to 8 p.m., Maraniss will share stories and expertise from his career as a journalist and biographer who captured the lives of political figures like Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, as well as sports figures such as Jim Thorpe and Roberto Clemente. He will also preview his forthcoming book about the first Black heavyweight champion, Jack Johnson. Anne Strainchamps from Wisconsin Public Radio’s “To the Best of Our Knowledge” will join him in conversation. The event is free and open to the public; registration is requested.

In 1992, while working for the Washington Post, Maraniss won a Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of then-presidential candidate Bill Clinton. He received another as part of the team that covered the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting. Maraniss has been nominated for the Pulitzer three times.

As an author, Maraniss has written 13 titles, including bestselling biographies of presidents Obama and Clinton. His works include “They Marched into Sunlight,” a nonfiction exploration of Vietnam and America in 1967; “Path Lit by Lightning,” a biography of athlete Jim Thorpe; and “When Pride Still Mattered,” a biography of football coach Vince Lombardi.

Maraniss’s visit is part of the Sharon Dunwoody Journalist in Residence program, which offers top journalists an opportunity to share their expertise, engage with the campus community, and collaborate with university scholars. The program is sponsored by the Office of Strategic Communication and campus partners including the La Follette School of Public Affairs, the Wisconsin School of Business, and the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, with support from the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association.