Biography
Grosvenor was born to Edwin A. and Lilian Waters Grosvenor in Istanbul, Turkey (Constantinople), and educated at Worcester Academy and at Robert College. He attended Amherst College and graduated with the AB degree magna cum laude in 1897. Grosvenor became the President of the National Geographic Society (1920–1954). Grosvenor married Elsie May Bell (1878–1964), the daughter of Alexander Graham Bell.
Grosvenor advocated policies of neutrality and positive, upbeat journalism through two world wars, the Great Depression, and the beginning of the Cold War. However, this style (which had been innovative in the opening years of the 20th century) was deemed dated and ossified by the 1950s. Grosvenor and his staff (most of them close to his age) were criticized as being conservative, complacent, and unwilling to modernize, and the National Geographic's subscription base fell as a consequence. After 50 years at the helm, he stepped down in 1954 at the age of 78.
Grosvenor's health deteriorated following the death of his wife and he died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 90 on February 4, 1966.
He was also the:
- Father of National Geographic president Melville Bell Grosvenor (1901–1982), and of Dr. Mabel Harlakenden Grosvenor (1905–2006), plus five other children;
- grandfather of National Geographic president Gilbert Melville Grosvenor; and
- the 'true' father of photojournalism.
Read more about this topic: Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor
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