Russell Baker

Russell Baker (1925-2019) was an American author and journalist best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning autobiography Growing Up and his 36-year tenure writing the humorous "Observer" column for The New York Times. Born in Loudoun County, Virginia, he began his career at the Baltimore Sun, joined the Times in 1954 covering Washington politics, and later hosted Masterpiece Theatre on PBS from 1992 to 2004. He won Pulitzers for commentary in 1979 and biography in 1983, one of only six to win in both journalism and letters.