1931 – 2003

Neil Postman

American writer and academic (1931-2003)

communication scholarmedia criticessayistsociologistjournalist

Born

1931-03-08, New York City

Died

2003-10-05

Birthplace state

New York

Biography

Neil Postman was born in New York City in 1931 and worked as a communication scholar, media critic, essayist, sociologist, journalist, pedagogue, and writer. He authored approximately twenty books examining technology and education, including Amusing Ourselves to Death (1985) and Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology (1992). Postman rejected digital technology, including personal computers and mobile devices, and opposed the use of personal computers in schools. He died in 2003.

Occupation

Neil Postman is recorded as a communication scholar, a media critic, a essayist, a sociologist, a journalist, a university teacher, a pedagogue and a writer, born in New York (1931–2003).

Connections to New York

Neil Postman was born in New York City, New York in 1931. Explore other notable figures from New York, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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The Land

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Geology

The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.

LiDAR Terrain

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Conflict & War

The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.

The Civil War

The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.

The Soldiers

The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.

Native Heritage

The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.

Settlement

Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.

The Community

How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.

Rivers & Rail

The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.

Notable People

The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.

Historical Maps

Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.

Finds & Access

Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.

Literature

The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.

Spotlight

A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.

Points of Interest

The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.

Timeline

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More notable figures from New York

Other historical figures born in New York, ranked by historical prominence.

Donald Trump

American businessman and politician (born 1946), President of the United States (2017–2021; since 2025)

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

president of the United States from 1933 to 1945 (1882–1945)

Theodore Roosevelt

26th President of the United States from 1901 to 1909 (1858–1919)

Stanley Kubrick

American filmmaker (1928–1999)

Walt Whitman

American poet, essayist and journalist (1819–1892)

Eleanor Roosevelt

American diplomat and activist, First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945 (1884–1962)

Martin Van Buren

president of the United States from 1837 to 1841

Frequently asked about Neil Postman

Who was Neil Postman?

Neil Postman was American writer and academic (1931-2003), born in New York (1931 – 2003).

When and where was Neil Postman born?

Neil Postman was born on 1931-03-08 in New York City.

When did Neil Postman die?

Neil died on 2003-10-05.

What was Neil Postman known for?

Neil Postman is recorded as a communication scholar, a media critic, a essayist, a sociologist, a journalist, a university teacher, a pedagogue and a writer.

Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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