Aldo Beckman (December 24, 1934 – September 10, 1980) was an American journalist for the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...

'' from 1959 to his death, and the president of the

White House Correspondents' Association The White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) is an organization of journalists who cover the White House and the president of the United States. The WHCA was founded on February 25, 1914, by journalists in response to an unfounded rumor ...

in 1978–1979.

Life

Beckman was born in Lima, Illinois circa 1934. He attended

Bradley University Bradley University is a private university in Peoria, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1897, Bradley University enrolls 5,200 students who are pursuing degrees in more than 100 undergraduate programs and more than 30 graduate programs in fiv ...

, and he graduated from

Western Illinois University Western Illinois University (WIU) is a public university in Macomb, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. As the normal school grew, it became Western Illinois State Teachers College. Once West ...

. Beckman joined the ''Chicago Tribune'' as a court reporter in 1959. He joined their Washington, D.C. bureau in 1965 and eventually became the bureau chief. He won the Edward Scott Beck in 1966 and 1972, and he served as the president of the

in 1978–1979. Beckman married Marijo Walsh. They had a son and four daughters, and they resided in Arlington, Virginia. Beckman died of cancer on September 10, 1980, in Arlington, at age 45. Starting in 1981, the

Aldo Beckman Memorial Award The White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) is an organization of journalists who cover the White House and the president of the United States. The WHCA was founded on February 25, 1914, by journalists in response to an unfounded rumor ...

was named in his honor, given annually by the White House Correspondents' Association "to a Washington reporter 'who personifies the journalistic excellence as well as the personal qualities exemplified by Mr. Beckman'."

References

1930s births 1980 deaths People from Adams County, Illinois Journalists from Arlington County, Virginia Bradley University alumni Western Illinois University alumni Journalists from Illinois Chicago Tribune people Deaths from cancer in Virginia 20th-century American journalists American male journalists {{US-journalist-1930s-stub