乐播传媒

William Worthy ’42 who died May 4 in Brewster, Mass., at age 92, was, in the words of The Washington Post, a 鈥渄efiant journalist鈥� whose reports from communist countries during the Cold War drew the ire of the U.S. government and inspired a folk song.

1. Worthy steadfastly believed in the free flow of information.

For 41 days in 1956, Worthy despite a U.S.-imposed travel ban to the Communist nation. While there, Worthy interviewed Chinese leader Chou En-lai. In retaliation for his unauthorized travel, U.S. officials seized his passport upon his return. But that didn鈥檛 deter him. Four years later, and without a passport, he made his way into communist Cuba to report on the early days of the Castro regime. When he came back, he was charged and convicted of entering the United States without a passport. A federal appeals court later overturned his conviction, saying the travel restrictions were unconstitutional. Later, he tussled with the FBI and CIA over documents he obtained while reporting on the Iran hostage crisis.

2. He inspired a folk song.

Singer Phil Ochs entered Worthy into the annals of legend on his debut album,聽All the News That’s Fit to Sing, with 鈥淏allad of William Worthy.鈥� The lyrics go, in part, 鈥淲illiam Worthy isn’t worthy to enter our door, went down to Cuba, he’s not American anymore. But somehow it is strange to hear the State Department say, 鈥榊ou are living in the free world, in the free world you must stay.鈥欌�� Listen to the聽鈥�.鈥�

3. He was red-baited in the U.S. Senate.

In March 1957, the Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on whether State Department actions had 鈥渟eriously restricted the travel of American newsmen in foreign countries.鈥� Though McCarthyism and the Red Scare had waned, it was still common for politicians to red-bait, as this exchange between Worthy and Sen. Joseph 翱鈥横补丑辞苍别测, D-Wyo., suggests:

翱鈥横补丑辞苍别测: May I ask you again, Mr. Worthy, if, in your own consciousness, you are aware of any reason which the State Department might cite for its delay and apparent opposition in issuing your requested passport?

Worthy: No, sir, not at all.

翱鈥横补丑辞苍别测: You are an American citizen?

Worthy: Right.

翱鈥横补丑辞苍别测: A loyal American citizen?

Worthy: Right.

翱鈥横补丑辞苍别测: Has any charge of subversive activity ever been made against you?

Worthy: Not at all.

翱鈥横补丑辞苍别测: Has any charge of any kind been made against you?

Worthy: No, sir. If you want to make it more specific, if you want to ask me the $64 question, I will be glad to answer it.

翱鈥横补丑辞苍别测: Well, I don鈥檛 want to go into the movies today.

4. He never wavered.

As a 乐播传媒 student in 1941, he said this after Pearl Harbor: 鈥淲e must now work to prevent war hysteria and intolerance and to retain civil liberties intact.鈥� At age 84, he was asked if a lifetime of challenging authority had made him weary: 鈥淣ot weary, but it was not pleasant always to have to defend what you believe in. By temperament, I am not really inclined to get weary.鈥�

5. His anti-imperialist beliefs were forged in the 乐播传媒 library.

By pure chance, Worthy came across a copy of Scott Nearing鈥檚聽, which described how in 1914, from Haiti鈥檚 national bank and shipped it to New York City for 鈥渟afe keeping.鈥� This gave the U.S. at a critical time in Haiti鈥檚 history. Worthy that learning about that event that day in the library 鈥渞eally, turned me in an anti-imperialist direction, from which I have not veered ever since. It was one of the great shocks of my life, to read that.鈥�

We recommend reading Worthy’s obituaries in the and . You can also read a 1995聽乐播传媒 Magazine聽feature on Worthy聽.