James J. Kilpatrick Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles

James Jackson Kilpatrick (November 1, 1920 – August 15, 2010) was an influential American journalist, columnist, author, and television commentator. Widely known by his byline, James J. Kilpatrick, he was a notable conservative voice in American media for over six decades.

Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Kilpatrick studied at the University of Missouri, graduating in 1941 with a degree in journalism. His professional career began at 'The Richmond News Leader' in Virginia, where he worked in various roles, including as a reporter and editor. He became the paper's editor in 1951, a position he held until 1966.

During his time as editor, Kilpatrick gained national prominence for his strong support for states' rights and segregation in the South, a stance which he later disavowed. By the 1960s, he began to distance himself from his earlier views on racial segregation and focused more on critiquing the federal judiciary and advocating for conservative constitutional interpretations.

Kilpatrick was a prolific columnist. His syndicated column, "A Conservative View," was widely read across the United States and ran for 30 years, starting in the 1960s. He was also known for his work as a grammarian and language critic through another column titled "The Writer's Art," which aimed to uphold and champion the standards of the English language.

In addition to his print journalism, Kilpatrick achieved a high profile as a television commentator. From 1971 to 1977, he was a regular on the CBS program '60 Minutes' in a segment called "Point/Counterpoint," where he and Nicholas von Hoffman (and later, Shana Alexander) debated various issues of the day. Kilpatrick represented the conservative perspective, and his on-screen debates were a pioneering example of opinionated, confrontational journalism on television.

Kilpatrick was also a prolific author. Among his books are "The Southern Case for School Segregation" (1962), "The Foxes Union" (1977), and "Fine Print: Reflections on the Writing Art" (1993).

In his later years, he remained a vocal commentator on constitutional issues, and his work appeared in numerous newspapers and magazines throughout the country.