Celebrating 50 plus years of journalism and investigative reporting, Karl Grossman was recently honored at the General Meeting of the Suffolk County Legislature and is also celebrating the establishment of the Karl Grossman Research Archive.
The archive, now live at East Hampton Library, will include Grossman’s extensive body of writing and reporting of Long Island issues, government, and politics over the last 50 years. Library Director Dennis Fabiszak believes, “This digital research archive will be a great resource for both residents and political leaders.”
Discussing his now archived articles, Grossman wrote on his personal blog, “They chronicle the modern history of Long Island, which I’ve covered from 1962 to the present, for most of the years as an investigative reporter and columnist.”
Grossman’s roots to Fire Island go to the beginning of his journalism career. By penning articles that put the early 1960’s concept of constructing a highway down the middle of Fire Island in an unflattering light, he got himself fired from one of his first reporting jobs with Babylon Town Leader at the request of State Parks Commissioner Robert Moses. His career flourished regardless.
His weekly column appears in The Southampton Press, The East Hampton Press, The Sag Harbor Express, The Shelter Island Reporter, South Shore Press, Sound Observer, as well as this publication – the Fire Island News. Grossman’s great contributions to journalism have led him to receive the George Polk, Generoso Pope, James Aronson, Leo Goodman and John Peter Zenger awards.
Grossman’s work has also appeared in a broader range of publications including The New York Times, USA Today, The Boston Globe, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Christian Science Monitor, Newsday, The Baltimore Sun, Manhattan Jewish Sentinel, Long Island Jewish World, Jewish Tribune, The Ecologist, Earth Island Journal, E The Environmental Magazine, and more. He is the host of the nationally aired television program “Enviro Close-Up,” as well as the chief investigative reporter for Long Island-based WVVH-TV, where his documentaries have included, “Renewables are More Than Ready” and “Organic Farming: Can it Feed Us?”
He has also authored numerous books including: “Cover Up: What You Are Not Supposed to Know About Nuclear Power” (1980), “The Poison Conspiracy” (1982), “Nicaragua: America’s New Vietnam?” (1984), “Power Crazy: Is LILCO Turning Shoreham Into America’s Chernobyl?” (1986), “The Wrong Stuff: The Space Program’s Nuclear Threat to Our Planet” (1997) and “Weapons in Space” (2001).
Grossman is a journalism professor at the State University of New York Old Westbury, offering courses in investigative reporting. He is also the founding president of Press Club Long Island, the regional chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
“Karl Grossman is a shining example of journalism at its best,” said Legislator Bridget Fleming. “His insights have shed light on critical issues in our community and the world for decades. I congratulate East Hampton Library for compiling this important collection of Karl’s work, and I’m grateful that he continues to inform and enlighten us with his excellent reporting.”
East Hampton Library is still in the process of scanning the thousands of documents that will make up the archive. It is estimated to currently be about one-fifth complete. Through grant funding and donations, the library is hoping to complete the project by the end of the year.
To learn more or to support The Karl Grossman Research Archive, contact Dennis Fabiszak at dennis@easthamptonlibrary.org.
