About James S. Copley
Lived 1916 – 1973 (aged 57). James S. Copley was an American journalist and collector, known for Copley Press.
James Strohn Copley (August 12, 1916 – October 6, 1973) was an American journalist and newspaper publisher. He published the San Diego Union and the San Diego Evening Tribune, both later merged into The San Diego Union-Tribune in 1992, from 1947 until his death in 1973, and was president of the Inter American Press Association (1969–1970). His politics was "unabashedly conservative, Republican and pro-American". Copley was adopted at age four by Col. Ira Clifton Copley, who later (in 1928) bought the San Diego Union and the San Diego Evening Tribune. Copley graduated from Yale University in 1939. At Yale, he served on the business staff of campus humor magazine The Yale Record with Roy D. Chapin Jr. and Walter J. Cummings Jr. After college, he went into journalism, becoming the CEO of the Union-Tribune group on Ira Copley's death in 1947. He remained CEO until his death in 1973, when his wife, Helen K. Copley, took over. The Union and the Tribune merged in 1992 to become The San Diego Union-Tribune. The Copley Press also published smaller papers in California and the Midwest, including the Torrance, California Daily Breeze, San Pedro, California News-Pilot, Aurora, Illinois Beacon-News, and the Burbank, California Daily Review.
According to Carl Bernstein, Copley, as CEO of Copley Press, cooperated with the Central Intelligence Agency, which had widespread contacts in the United States media.
The University of San Diego has a library named in honor of Copley and his wife (the Helen K. and James S. Copley Library). The Copley Library at Eaglebrook School, which Copley's son David attended, was a gift of James S. Copley. Copley resided in La Jolla, California, and often stayed at a second home in Borrego Springs, California.
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Important facts
Family & relationships
People in James S. Copley's life
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Frequently asked questions
Who was James S. Copley?
American journalist (1916–1973)
When was James S. Copley born?
James S. Copley was born on 12 August 1916 in St. Johnsville.
When did James S. Copley die?
James S. Copley died on 6 October 1973 in La Jolla.
What was James S. Copley's occupation?
James S. Copley was a journalist and collector.
What was James S. Copley known for?
James S. Copley was known for Copley Press.
What nationality was James S. Copley?
James S. Copley was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). James S. Copley. https://biography.guide/james-s-copley/
MLA: "James S. Copley." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/james-s-copley/.
Chicago: "James S. Copley." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/james-s-copley/.
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