Elsie May and Gilbert H. Grosvenor, three-quarter length portrait, seated, facing front holding their son, Melville Bell.[1] Forms part of: Gilbert H. Grosvenor Collection of Photographs of the Alexander Graham Bell Family (Library of Congress). Date 1902Mavi Boncuk |
Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor (October 28, 1875 – February 4, 1966), the father of photojournalism, was the first full-time editor of National Geographic Magazine, serving from 1899 to 1954. Grosvenor is credited with having built the magazine into the iconic publication that it is today. As president of the National Geographic Society, he made it into one of the world's largest and best known science and learning organizations, aided by the bold chronicling in its magazine of ambitious natural and cultural explorations around the globe.
Grosvenor was born to Edwin A. and Lilian Waters Grosvenor[2] 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 [2] (1920–1954). Grosvenor married Elsie May Bell (1878–1964), the daughter of Alexander Graham Bell. Bell and his son-in-law, Grosvenor, devised the successful marketing notion of Society membership and the first major use of photographs to tell stories in magazines.
Grosvenor is buried in Rock Creek Cemetery alongside his wife and members of the Bell family.
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[1] Melville Bell Grosvenor (November 26, 1901-April 22, 1982) was the president of the National Geographic Society and editor of National Geographic Magazine from 1957 to 1969. His son, Gilbert Melville Grosvenor was editor of National Geographic Magazine from 1970 to 1980 before becoming president of the National Geographic Society, which he served until 1996 and as the current Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
Grosvenor was born to Edwin A. and Lilian Waters Grosvenor[2] 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 [2] (1920–1954). Grosvenor married Elsie May Bell (1878–1964), the daughter of Alexander Graham Bell. Bell and his son-in-law, Grosvenor, devised the successful marketing notion of Society membership and the first major use of photographs to tell stories in magazines.
Grosvenor is buried in Rock Creek Cemetery alongside his wife and members of the Bell family.
[1] Melville Bell Grosvenor (November 26, 1901-April 22, 1982) was the president of the National Geographic Society and editor of National Geographic Magazine from 1957 to 1969. His son, Gilbert Melville Grosvenor was editor of National Geographic Magazine from 1970 to 1980 before becoming president of the National Geographic Society, which he served until 1996 and as the current Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
[2] The National Geographic Society began as a club for an elite group of academics and wealthy patrons interested in travel. On January 13, 1888, 33 explorers and scientists gathered at the Cosmos Club, a private club then located on Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C., to organize "a society for the increase and diffusion of geographical knowledge." and the Society was incorporated two weeks later on January 27. Gardiner Greene Hubbard became its first president and his son-in-law, Alexander Graham Bell, eventually succeeded him in 1897 following his death. In 1899 Bell's son-in-law Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor was named the first full-time editor of National Geographic Magazine and served the organization for fifty-five years (1954), and members of the Grosvenor family have played important roles in the organization since.