Journalist and investigative reporter Karl Grossman was honored by the Suffolk County Legislature at its June 20 meeting in Riverhead for his career of 50-plus years reporting on Long Island issues, government and politics.
The legislators also celebrated the establishment of the Karl Grossman Research Archive at the East Hampton Library earlier this year.
The archive will include Mr. Grossman’s extensive body of writing and reporting dating back to 1962 as well as documents related to his backup research.
According to East Hampton Library executive director Dennis Fabiszak, the library is in the process of scanning the thousands of documents that will make up the archive which he estimates is about one-fifth complete. The library hopes to obtain grant funding that will enable completion of the project by the end of the year.
“The East Hampton Library is very happy to be able to provide digital access to the extensive history of articles and research collected by Karl Grossman over the past half century,” Fabiszak said. “This digital research archive will be a great resource for both local residents and political leaders.”
In addition to his syndicated “Suffolk Closeup” weekly column which appears in several Long Island publications including RiverheadLOCAL and SoutholdLOCAL, the East Hampton Press and the Shelter Island Reporter, Grossman’s work has appeared in a broad range of publications including Newsday, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Christian Science Monitor, The Baltimore Sun, E: The Environmental Magazine, The Village Voice, Long Island Jewish World and the Columbia Journalism Review. He regularly writes for a number of websites including CounterPunch and The Huffington Post.
Grossman is the author of several books, including Power Crazy, an exposé about the development of the now-defunct Shoreham nuclear power plant; Cover Up: What You Are Not Supposed to Know About Nuclear Power; and The Wrong Stuff: The Space Program’s Nuclear Threat to Our Planet and Weapons in Space.
He is the host of “Enviro Close-Up” which can be viewed nationally on Free Speech TV. He has been recognized for his significant contributions to journalism and is the recipient of several prestigious awards including the George Polk Award and the James Aronson Award for Social Justice Journalism. He is a member of the Press Club of Long Island’s Journalism Hall of Fame.
Grossman is a professor of journalism at SUNY Old Westbury where he teaches a class in investigative journalism.
“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.”
Legislator Al Krupski agreed. “Karl has had an extraordinary career and his reporting greatly contributed to the betterment of our society,” Krupski said. “He often covered issues overlooked by others and he certainly raised awareness about the threats to our natural environment by educating and informing his readers. His reporting is just as relevant today as it has been in the past. The Karl Grossman Research Archive is such an important project because it will give future generations of writers and historians key insights to our time.”
Those interested in supporting The Karl Grossman Research Archive can do so by contacting the East Hampton Library.
