John D. Ewing
Encyclopedia
John Dunbrack Ewing, Sr. (February 13, 1892 - May 18, 1952), was a Louisiana
journalist
who served as editor
and publisher of both the Shreveport Times and the Monroe News-Star-World (since the Monroe News Star
) from 1931 until his death. He was also affiliated with radio
station KWKH
in Shreveport
, the seat of Caddo Parish in northwestern Louisiana. KWKH was founded in 1922 and named in 1925 for its founder, W. K. Henderson
.
Ewing was born in New Orleans to Robert W. Ewing, I
, and the former May Dunbrack, originally from Nova Scotia
, Canada
. Ewing's mother died in 1906, when he was fourteen. He was educated at Virginia Military Institute
in Lexington
, from which he obtained his bachelor's degree
in 1913. He was a captain in the 32nd Division (Red Arrow) in France
during World War I
. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre with Star and the Purple Heart
.
After two years as the circulation manager of the former New Orleans Daily States, he moved to Shreveport in 1915 to become associate publisher of the Shreveport Times. When his father died in 1931, Ewing became publisher of both The Times and the two Monroe
newspapers. The three newspapers were known for their conservative
editorials. Ewing was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
in 1940, which met in Chicago to nominate U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt
for a third term.
From 1938-1939, Ewing was president of the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association. He headed the International Broadcasting Corp., the owners and operators of KWKH. He was a director of the Kansas City Southern and the Louisiana and Arkansas railroads.
Ewing married the former Helen Hamilton Gray on December 27, 1919. They had two children, John D. Ewing, Jr., and Helen May Ewing Clay.
One of Ewing's nephew
s, Robert Ewing, III
(1935–2007), was a nature photographer and a board member of the Monroe News-Star, formerly owned by the Ewing family.
Another relative was Edmund Graves Brown
, an executive at the Monroe News-Star from 1952 until the paper was sold in 1977 to the Gannett Company
.
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
who served as editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
and publisher of both the Shreveport Times and the Monroe News-Star-World (since the Monroe News Star
Monroe News Star
The News-Star is the principal newspaper of Monroe and northeastern Louisiana. Its circulation area ranges over some dozen parishes from Ruston, the seat of Lincoln Parish, on the west, to Tallulah in Madison Parish on the east, to the Arkansas state line on the north, and to Ferriday in Concordia...
) from 1931 until his death. He was also affiliated with radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
station KWKH
KWKH
KWKH is a classic country music radio station serving Shreveport, Louisiana. The 50-kilowatt station broadcasts at 1130 kHz. Formerly owned by Clear Channel Communications and Gap Central Broadcasting, it is now owned by Townsquare Media....
in Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, the seat of Caddo Parish in northwestern Louisiana. KWKH was founded in 1922 and named in 1925 for its founder, W. K. Henderson
W. K. Henderson
William Kennon Henderson, Jr., usually known as W.K. Henderson , was a pioneer in the radio industry who in 1922 acquired WGAQ in Shreveport, Louisiana, expanded it, and renamed the call letters after himself as KWKH....
.
Ewing was born in New Orleans to Robert W. Ewing, I
Robert Ewing (newspaper publisher)
Robert Wilson Ewing, I, also known as Colonel Ewing , was a prominent newspaper journalist, editor, and publisher and political figure, primarily in Louisiana, in the last two decades of the 19th century and the first third of the 20th century.Ewing was born in Mobile, Alabama, to James Lindsay...
, and the former May Dunbrack, originally from Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Ewing's mother died in 1906, when he was fourteen. He was educated at Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
in Lexington
Lexington, Virginia
Lexington is an independent city within the confines of Rockbridge County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 7,042 in 2010. Lexington is about 55 minutes east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia. It was first settled in 1777.It is home to...
, from which he obtained his bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in 1913. He was a captain in the 32nd Division (Red Arrow) in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre with Star and the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
.
After two years as the circulation manager of the former New Orleans Daily States, he moved to Shreveport in 1915 to become associate publisher of the Shreveport Times. When his father died in 1931, Ewing became publisher of both The Times and the two Monroe
Monroe, Louisiana
Monroe is a city in and the parish seat of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 53,107, making it the eighth largest city in Louisiana. A July 1, 2007, United States Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 51,208, but 51,636...
newspapers. The three newspapers were known for their conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
editorials. Ewing was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
in 1940, which met in Chicago to nominate U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
for a third term.
From 1938-1939, Ewing was president of the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association. He headed the International Broadcasting Corp., the owners and operators of KWKH. He was a director of the Kansas City Southern and the Louisiana and Arkansas railroads.
Ewing married the former Helen Hamilton Gray on December 27, 1919. They had two children, John D. Ewing, Jr., and Helen May Ewing Clay.
One of Ewing's nephew
Nephew
Nephew is a son of one's sibling or sibling-in-law, and niece is a daughter of one's sibling or a sibling-in-law. Sons and daughters of siblings-in-law are also informally referred to as nephews and nieces respectively, even though there is no blood relation...
s, Robert Ewing, III
Robert Ewing, III
Robert Wilson Ewing III , was a sports and underwater photographer for the Monroe News Star in Monroe, Louisiana. According to his obituary, Ewing performed free-lance work for National Geographic and the naturalist Jacques Cousteau...
(1935–2007), was a nature photographer and a board member of the Monroe News-Star, formerly owned by the Ewing family.
Another relative was Edmund Graves Brown
Edmund Graves Brown
Edmund Graves Brown, Jr. was an American newspaper executive and a prominent member of the Ewing newspaper family of Louisiana. In 1952, after the deaths of two Ewing brothers, John D. Ewing and Wilson Ewing, Brown joined the management of the then family-owned Monroe News Star in Monroe, the seat...
, an executive at the Monroe News-Star from 1952 until the paper was sold in 1977 to the Gannett Company
Gannett Company
Gannett Company, Inc. is a publicly-traded media holding company headquartered in Tysons Corner, Virginia, United States, near McLean. It is the largest U.S. newspaper publisher as measured by total daily circulation. Its assets include the national newspaper USA Today and the weekly USA Weekend...
.