The Wall of Distinction

(C) 2008 Syracuse Press Club.

Richard Long
Herald-Journal / Herald American
Skaneateles Press


Richard Long's career has spanned the world and embraced such endeavors as reporter, columnist, author, playwright, documentary filmmaker, director and producer. His journalistic and writing abilities took him to Europe, Africa, India, Vietnam and South America. The television movie he wrote and produced, "Shenandoah Night Train," about Harpers Ferry before the Civil War, won an ACE, the highest award of cable television.

Long, a former Washington correspondent for the Syracuse Newspapers began his career as a reporter at the Herald-Journal in 1951 after graduating from LeMoyne College's first class. He covered all beats -- police, county government, politics and TV columnist.

In 1962, he received the opportunity to spend a year in Uganda on a Peace Corps-like assignment as administrative assistant to a Catholic Bishop whose Diocese bordered the Congo. During the year, Long wrote 90 feature stories for the Associated Press ranging from big game hunting to interviewing Milton Obote, the first Prime Minister of newly independent Uganda.

While in Africa, Long was commissioned to write a book about the Medical Mission Sisters, a worldwide order of 700 American women doctors and medical professionals. For the next two years, he traveled 40,000 miles to visit their 30 hospitals in such places as Pakistan, India, Africa, Vietnam and South America. The book, "Nowhere A Stranger," was published in 1968.

Upon his return to the Herald-Journal in 1965, he was soon named Washington Correspondent, where he covered the turbulent times of the Vietnam War, President Lyndon Johnson?s administration, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy?s and the Rev. Martin Luther King?s assassinations.

Later he became a public affairs officer for several government agencies, including the Office of Education and the Office of Economic Opportunity. During the mid 1970s he wrote plays that were produced on Washington DC stages. The Reston Repertory Television Theatre made his ?Shenandoah Night Train? into a movie.

During the 1980s Long was a television producer and director for the US Army's Materiel Command in Washington. He produced, wrote and directed more than 25 documentaries about Army history and technology. Several of them won national awards.

After his return to Central New York, Long continued to use his TV writing and technical skills to produce the ?Irish Connection? cable show. He also produced 11 half-hour documentaries for the Skaneateles Historical Society called "Skaneateles Scrapbook." The show won a state history award.

In 1994 he co-founded the Syracuse James Joyce Club. Long is currently a columnist for Eagle Newspapers, appearing regularly in the Skaneateles Press and other papers. He also reports for Eagle part of the year from Washington.

Long is one of the founding members of the Syracuse Press Club. He is also a member of the National Press Club in Washington D.C.