John Jay Iselin (December 8, 1933 – May 6, 2008) was a magazine and television journalist, editor, and publisher. He served as president of WNET, president of the Cooper Union, and president of the Marconi Foundation at Columbia University.[1]

Early life

Iselin was born on December 8, 1933, in Greenville, South Carolina. He was a son of Fanny (née Humphreys) Iselin, and William Jay Iselin, a New York banker who moved his family South, where he owned cotton mills, during the Great Depression.[2] His father died in an airplane crash in Europe in April 1951.[3]

His paternal grandparents were Eleanor (née Jay) Iselin (a daughter of Col. William Jay)[4] and Arthur Iselin (grandson of Adrian Georg Iselin).[5] Through his father, his fourth great-grandfather was United States founding father John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, and through his mother, he was descended from Benjamin Franklin.[6] His maternal grandfather was Richard Duane Humphreys of Barnstable, Mount Kisco, New York.[7]

Iselin was a graduate of St. Mark's School, and Harvard University, where he served as Managing Editor[8] of the Crimson. In 1959, he was selected as a Marshall Scholar, and in 2001 became founding Chairman of the New York Marshall Committee.[9] After Harvard, he went to Cambridge University where he studied law and received a master's degree before returning to Harvard where he earned a Ph.D. in government in 1964.[2]

Career

In the early 1960s, Iselin went to work for Newsweek, covering the U.S. Department of Justice under Robert F. Kennedy before becoming national affairs editor. He then succeeded Cass Canfield Jr. as publisher of the trade division of Harper & Row,[10] before becoming general manager of WNET in 1971. He later became president of WNET in 1973 and served in that role until his resignation in October 1986, remaining at the helm until the board named his successor, Dr. William F. Baker.[2]

From 1988 to 2000, Iselin was appointed president of The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. During his years as president, "he completed a $50 million capital campaign, created endowed professorships in the schools of art, architecture and engineering and added new trustees and new deans for art and the humanities. In 2000 he became president of the Marconi Foundation, based at Columbia University, which supports innovations in telecommunications."[2] He was also an adjunct faculty member of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.[11]

Personal life

He was married to Josephine Lea Iselin, a partner in the New York law firm of Lankenau, Kovner & Kurtz. For over forty years, he spent his summers in Vinalhaven, Maine, and had a family farm in Ghent, New York.[12] Together, they were the parents of five children, including:

  • William Jay Iselin, who married Claudia Rose Thompson, in 1988.[13]
  • Josephine Lea Iselin, who married Kenneth Andrew Pearce in 1991.[14]
  • Fannie Humphreys Iselin, who married sculptor Christopher Manning Minot in 1991.[15]
  • Alison Jay Iselin, who married Daniel Jonathan Russell in 1995.[16]

Iselin died of pneumonia on May 6, 2008, in New York City.[17] At his death, he was survived by five children and thirteen grandchildren.[2]

Honors

Each year, Cooper Union presents the John Jay Iselin Memorial Lecture, which is focused on current events of moment and interest. Recent speakers have included Preet Bharara, Zephyr Teachout, Eric L. Adams, Pete Souza, and Nancy Pelosi.[18][19][20]

References

  1. ↑ Suzanne Trimel, Columbia University Record John Jay Iselin Named President of Marconi Foundation; Reception Honors Fellows (October 2, 2000) 26 (05)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Weber, Bruce (7 May 2008). "John Jay Iselin, Public TV Innovator, Dies at 74". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  3. ↑ "ISELIN, TEXTILE MAN, KILLED IN AIR CRASH". The New York Times. 11 April 1951. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  4. ↑ TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (6 November 1953). "MRS. ARTHUR ISELIN, IS DEAD IN KATONAH". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  5. ↑ "ARTHUR ISELIN DEAD; A TEXTILE EXECUTIVE". The New York Times. 7 May 1952. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  6. ↑ Fred Knubel, Columbia Celebrates 250th Birthday of John Jay, Class of 1764 Conference, Exhibits Mark Contributions of a Founder
  7. ↑ "W. J. ISELIN TO WED FANNIE HUMPHREYS; Troth of Mount Kisco Girl to Kin of John Jay, First Chief Justice, Is Announced". The New York Times. 10 December 1932. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  8. ↑ Pope, John (Spring 2008). "John Jay Iselin, Crimed". Television Quarterly. National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. 3: 82–84. John Jay Iselin, Crimed Archived 2010-04-15 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ↑ Raymond, Ray. "John Jay Iselin CBE Former Chairman of the New York Selection Committee". Archived from the original on 2008-10-11. Retrieved 2008-12-05. In 2001, Jay became the founding Chairman of the New York Marshall Committee. In that role, he was a steadfast beacon of civility, graciousness, fairness and wisdom.
  10. ↑ Raymont, Henry (25 February 1969). "Newsweek Editor Gets Harper Plum". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  11. ↑ John Jay Iselin Adjunct Faculty The Graduate School of Journalism Archived 2006-08-28 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ↑ John Iselin Obituary - New York, NY | New York Times Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  13. ↑ "MISS THOMPSON TO MARRY IN JUNE". The New York Times. 10 January 1988. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  14. ↑ "Ms. Iselin Weds Kenneth Pearce". The New York Times. 9 June 1991. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  15. ↑ "Christopher M. Minot, Sculptor, Weds Fannie H. Iselin, Law Clerk, in Maine". The New York Times. 1 September 1991. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  16. ↑ "WEDDINGS; Alison Iselin and Daniel Russell". The New York Times. 20 August 1995. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  17. ↑ "Obituary: John Jay Iselin". The Greenville News. Retrieved 2008-12-05. Memorial Service ... 11 a.m. on May 29, 2008, in the Great Hall of the Cooper Union
  18. ↑ "Podcast: Burt Neuborne's Constitution Lecture Series". The Cooper Union. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
  19. ↑ "Former Obama White House Photographer Pete Souza Gives the John Jay Iselin Memorial Lecture". The Cooper Union. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
  20. ↑ lincolnvillagesun (2022-04-17). "Adams, Bharara to talk future of New York City at Cooper Union Iselin Lecture". The Village Sun. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
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