Jim Lehrer
Television journalist. Born 1934.
Lehrer lived in Wichita and Independence where his father ran a small bus line. Lehrer now collects bus memorabilia. The family moved to Texas. Jim earned a journalism degree at the University of Missouri. He worked his way up the ladder at a Dallas newspaper for 10 years. He then began writing and appearing part-time on a Dallas public television station.
Since 1975 he has been an anchorman on the PBS award-winning news broadcasts, the MacNeil-Lehrer News Hour and the News Hour with Jim Lehrer. Lehrer has moderated many televised U. S. Presidential debates and has written a number of books. One of his books, Viva Max, was made into a movie. His book, We Were Dreamers, was about his father’s bus line in Kansas.
Since the death of Walter Cronkite, some would say that Jim Lehrer is the most respected of America’s telejournalists. He was the Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas' Distinguished Kansan of the Year in 1990.
Entry: Lehrer, Jim
Author: G. Joseph Pierron
Author information: Judge Pierron serves on the Kansas Court of Appeals and has an interest in Kansas history.
Date Created: March 2012
Date Modified: August 2013
The author of this article is solely responsible for its content.
