The Seduction of Journalism in Atlanta: William Randolph Hearst and the Atlanta Georgian

Authors

Andrew J. Bramlett, Kennesaw State UniversityFollow

Name of Faculty Sponsor

Dr. David Bennett

Faculty Sponsor Email

dbenne73@kennesaw.edu

Author Bio(s)

Andrew J. Bramlett is a history major and Kennesaw local. He is currently a student assistant at KSU's Department of Museums, Archives, Rare Books, and Libraries. He volunteers with the Kennesaw Historical Society, the Historic Preservation Commission for the City of Kennesaw, Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, the Cobb County Genealogical Society, the Save Acworth History Foundation, and the Friends of Kennesaw Mountain. In 2018, he received a Georgia Historical Records Advisory Council award for Local History Advocacy.

Publication Date

6-2025

Abstract

The Atlanta Georgian was founded in 1906, quickly becoming a rival of the already established Atlanta Constitution and Atlanta Journal. Its founding editor, John Temple Graves, was a devoted believer of the New South Movement and a prominent ally of newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst. In 1912, Hearst purchased the Georgian, expanding his influence into the South. The Georgian was a small piece of his grander plan to become President of the United States, and he quickly turned it into Atlanta’s most discussed newspaper. However, since the first edition of the Georgian was published in 1906, Hearst’s presence can be felt, implying he may have been more closely connected to the paper earlier than previously thought. This paper examines Hearst’s connections to the paper years before his official acquisition and his relationship with its editor, John Temple Graves.