Bill Baggs

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William Calhoun "Bill" Baggs was editor of The Miami News from 1957 until his death in 1969. Bill Baggs was one of a group of Southern editors who campaigned for civil rights for African-Americans in the 1950s and 1960s. Others in this group included Ralph McGill at the The Atlanta Constitution, Hodding Carter at the Greenville Delta Democrat-Times and Harry Ashmore at the Arkansas Gazette.^{[1] [2]} Baggs became an early opponent of the Vietnam War. In 1967 and 1968 Bill Baggs traveled to North Vietnam with Harry Ashmore on a private peace mission. While there, they interviewed Ho Chi Minh about what conditions would be necessary to end the war.^[3] Unknown at the time, Bill Baggs was also one of the journalists involved in the CIA's Operation Mockingbird.^[4] Bill Baggs died of a heart attack in 1969 at age 48.^[5]

[edit] See also

• Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park

[edit] References

1. ^ Roberts, Eugene L. Civil Rights Era Editors. American Society of Newspaper Editors [1] - URL retrieved June 25, 2006
2. ^ Ralph McGill (1898-1969), in The New Georgia Encyclopedia - URL retrieved June 25, 2006
3. ^ U.S. Department of State: Foreign Relations, 1964-1968, Volume V, Vietnam 1967, Marigold, Sunflower, and the Continuing Search for Peace, January-February, Document 20. Editorial Note[2] - URL retrieved June 25, 2006
4. ^ Operation Mockingbird - URL retrieved June 25, 2006
5. ^ Death of Bill Baggs - URL retrieved June 25, 2006 June 25, 2006

• Teel, Leonard Ray. 2003. Mott winner recounts research. Kappa Tau Alpha Newsletter, Vol. 20, No. 1, Winter 2003. [3] - accessed June 25, 2006
• 1958 Profile of Bill Baggs in Time magazine - accessed June 25, 2006