William Safire
1929 – 2009

William Safire

American journalist and presidential speechwriter (1929–2009)

opinion journalistjournalistcolumnistwriter
Born
1929-12-17, New York City
Died
2009-09-27
Birthplace state
New York

Biography

William Lewis Safire was an American author, columnist, journalist, and presidential speechwriter. He was a long-time syndicated political columnist for The New York Times and wrote the "On Language" column in The New York Times Magazine about popular etymology, new or unusual usages, and other language-related topics.

Occupation

William Safire is recorded as a opinion journalist, a journalist, a columnist and a writer, born in New York (1929–2009).

Connections to New York

William Safire was born in New York City, New York in 1929. 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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Overview
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The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
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
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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More notable figures from New York

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

Donald Trump
Donald Trump
American businessman and politician (born 1946), President of the United States (2017–2021; since 2025)
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
president of the United States from 1933 to 1945 (1882–1945)
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
26th President of the United States from 1901 to 1909 (1858–1919)
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick
American filmmaker (1928–1999)
Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman
American poet, essayist and journalist (1819–1892)
Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt
American diplomat and activist, First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945 (1884–1962)
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren
president of the United States from 1837 to 1841

Frequently asked about William Safire

Who was William Safire?
William Safire was American journalist and presidential speechwriter (1929–2009), born in New York (1929 – 2009).
When and where was William Safire born?
William Safire was born on 1929-12-17 in New York City.
When did William Safire die?
William died on 2009-09-27.
What was William Safire known for?
William Safire is recorded as a opinion journalist, a journalist, a columnist 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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