1901 – 1961

Whittaker Chambers

Defected Communist spy, writer, editor (1901–1961)

spyjournalisteditortranslatorwriter

Born

1901-04-01, Philadelphia

Died

1961-07-09

Birthplace state

Pennsylvania

Biography

Whittaker Chambers was an American author, journalist, and spy. After dropping out of Columbia University, Chambers joined the open Communist Party in 1925. He wrote and edited for the New Masses and the Daily Worker, before being ordered to go underground as a secret agent for the Soviet intelligence services. From 1932 to 1938 he was part of the clandestine "Ware Group", based in Washington, D.C. Disillusioned by Joseph Stalin's rule and by Communism more broadly, Chambers defected from the Soviet spy ring and eventually found employment at Time magazine, where he rose to become a senior editor.

Occupation

Whittaker Chambers is recorded as a spy, a journalist, a editor, a translator and a writer, born in Pennsylvania (1901–1961).

Connections to Pennsylvania

Whittaker Chambers was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1901. Explore other notable figures from Pennsylvania, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Conflict & War

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Native Heritage

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Settlement

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The Community

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Notable People

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Historical Maps

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Literature

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More notable figures from Pennsylvania

Other historical figures born in Pennsylvania, ranked by historical prominence.

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president of the United States from 1857 to 1861

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Frequently asked about Whittaker Chambers

Who was Whittaker Chambers?

Whittaker Chambers was Defected Communist spy, writer, editor (1901–1961), born in Pennsylvania (1901 – 1961).

When and where was Whittaker Chambers born?

Whittaker Chambers was born on 1901-04-01 in Philadelphia.

When did Whittaker Chambers die?

Whittaker died on 1961-07-09.

What was Whittaker Chambers known for?

Whittaker Chambers is recorded as a spy, a journalist, a editor, a translator 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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