Malcolm Johnson

Malcolm Johnson, Alpha Alpha (Mercer), was initiated into Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity on November 18, 1924. After graduating from Mercer University in 1926, he relocated to New York for a tour at The Sun and fell in love with the newspaper and the city. As his career at The Sun grew, he expanded his presence into other areas of New York media, co-founding the “Newspaper Guild” and writing a column centered on the city’s nightlife and culture, focusing on Broadway. His efforts extended beyond New York during World War II, covering the Pacific theater and becoming one of the first American journalists who toured Hiroshima after the nuclear bomb was detonated. Johnson was known for his impactful, groundbreaking and often controversial reporting throughout his career. His investigative journalism exposed corruption, racketeering and violence on the streets of New York City and had a lasting impact on labor laws and the way police forces handle crime. Johnson entered the Chapter Eternal on June 18, 1976.

Highlights

• Pulitzer Prize – Local Reporting for his 24-part series in the New York Sun, “Crime on the Waterfront” (1949)
• The inspiration for the 1954 Elia Kazan movie “On the Waterfront,” starring Marlon Brando
• Father of Washington Post reporter Haynes Johnson, who also won a Pulitzer Prize, making them the first ever father and son Pulitzer Prize-winning duo