Full Name and Common Aliases


Katharine Meyer Graham was born on June 7, 1917, and commonly known as Kay Graham.

Birth and Death Dates


June 7, 1917 – March 17, 2001

Nationality and Profession(s)


American, Publisher, Philanthropist

Early Life and Background


Katharine Meyer was born in New York City to a wealthy family. Her father, Eugene Meyer, was a financier who later became the head of the Federal Reserve Bank. Growing up, Kay was surrounded by politics and business, with her grandfather, Simon Guggenheim, being a prominent figure in society. She attended the Madeira School in McLean, Virginia, before graduating from Vassar College in 1938.

Major Accomplishments


Kay's life took a significant turn when she married Philip Graham in 1940. The couple moved to Washington D.C., where Kay became involved in her husband's work as a journalist and politician. After Philip's death in 1963, Kay took over as the publisher of _The Washington Post_. Under her leadership, the paper flourished, and its investigative reporting exposed government scandals, including the Pentagon Papers. Kay was also instrumental in breaking the story on Watergate, which led to President Nixon's resignation.

Notable Works or Actions


Kay Graham was a trailblazer for women in publishing. She became one of the first female CEOs of a Fortune 500 company and paved the way for future generations of women leaders. In addition to her work at _The Washington Post_, Kay served on various corporate boards, including those of Coca-Cola and U.S. Steel.

Impact and Legacy


Kay Graham's impact extends far beyond her own accomplishments. She proved that women could lead major corporations and hold positions of power in a male-dominated industry. Her commitment to investigative journalism and transparency set a high standard for media outlets around the world. Today, _The Washington Post_ remains one of the most respected news organizations globally.

Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered


Kay Graham's leadership style and vision have made her an iconic figure in American history. She is widely quoted and remembered for her courage, integrity, and dedication to journalistic excellence. Her legacy continues to inspire women leaders and journalists around the world.

Quotes by Katharine Graham

The thing women must do to rise to power is to redefine their femininity. Once, power was considered a masculine attribute. In fact, power has no sex.
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The thing women must do to rise to power is to redefine their femininity. Once, power was considered a masculine attribute. In fact, power has no sex.
To love what you do and feel that it matters how could anything be more fun?
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To love what you do and feel that it matters how could anything be more fun?
When you’ve lived alone for a number of years I’m afraid that you begin to realize how hard it would be to accommodate to living with someone else. Adjusting to or even indulging his desires and his life. It was clear to me that I was married to my job. And that I loved it.
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When you’ve lived alone for a number of years I’m afraid that you begin to realize how hard it would be to accommodate to living with someone else. Adjusting to or even indulging his desires and his life. It was clear to me that I was married to my job. And that I loved it.
The editorial – written by a liberated man – suggested legal and social remedies but concluded that “perhaps we can begin with the ultra-radical notion that a woman is a human being.
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The editorial – written by a liberated man – suggested legal and social remedies but concluded that “perhaps we can begin with the ultra-radical notion that a woman is a human being.
What the president never accepted, or even clearly understood – as most people don’t understand – is the autonomy editors have, and must have, to produce a good newspaper. I used to describe it as liberty, not license.
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What the president never accepted, or even clearly understood – as most people don’t understand – is the autonomy editors have, and must have, to produce a good newspaper. I used to describe it as liberty, not license.
The more subtle inheritance of my strange childhood was the feeling, which we all shared to some extent, of believing we were never quite going about things correctly. Had I said the right thing? Had I worn the right clothes? Was I attractive? These questions were unsettling and self-absorbing, even overwhelming at times, and remained so throughout much of my adult life, until, at last, I grew impatient with dwelling on the past.
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The more subtle inheritance of my strange childhood was the feeling, which we all shared to some extent, of believing we were never quite going about things correctly. Had I said the right thing? Had I worn the right clothes? Was I attractive? These questions were unsettling and self-absorbing, even overwhelming at times, and remained so throughout much of my adult life, until, at last, I grew impatient with dwelling on the past.
But though he lacked the gift of intimacy, in many ways his supportive love still came through to me. He somehow conveyed his belief in me without ever articulating it, and that was the single most sustaining thing in my life.
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But though he lacked the gift of intimacy, in many ways his supportive love still came through to me. He somehow conveyed his belief in me without ever articulating it, and that was the single most sustaining thing in my life.
Who is going to influence whom in the new association? Warren may have entered the ocean in California, but I am sitting down in Virginia with Ben Graham’s beginner’s book and “How to Read a Financial Report” by someone called Merrill, Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Smith. I am told I have to finish Ben Graham very soon because Warren is unwilling to pay the small fine involved in having the book out of the Omaha public library too long.
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Who is going to influence whom in the new association? Warren may have entered the ocean in California, but I am sitting down in Virginia with Ben Graham’s beginner’s book and “How to Read a Financial Report” by someone called Merrill, Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Smith. I am told I have to finish Ben Graham very soon because Warren is unwilling to pay the small fine involved in having the book out of the Omaha public library too long.
I think heroes and heroines are both vulgar and boring and usually lead that kind of lives. But when you tell people you were just doing your own thing in an admittedly escalated situation, they say, Ah, yes, etc.
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I think heroes and heroines are both vulgar and boring and usually lead that kind of lives. But when you tell people you were just doing your own thing in an admittedly escalated situation, they say, Ah, yes, etc.
People react in such complicated ways to any death, but particularly to the death of a parent, because a lot of what one feels is about oneself and the sense that nothing now stands between that self and dying. You have now become the older generation. I believe that the closer and more loving the relationship is, the deeper but simpler the grief. Of my father’s children, my brother had the hardest time.
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People react in such complicated ways to any death, but particularly to the death of a parent, because a lot of what one feels is about oneself and the sense that nothing now stands between that self and dying. You have now become the older generation. I believe that the closer and more loving the relationship is, the deeper but simpler the grief. Of my father’s children, my brother had the hardest time.
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