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Donal Henahan

Donal Henahan (BSJ48) was inducted into the Medill Hall of Achievement in 2016.

While chief music critic for The New York Times, Henahan won the 1986 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. Henahan, who served as a fighter pilot during World War II, graduated from Medill in 1948. While enrolled at Northwestern, he began writing for the Chicago Daily News. In 1957, Henahan, who was an accomplished pianist and classical guitarist, became the chief music critic of the Daily News.

Henahan joined The New York Times in 1967, where he reviewed operas, concerts, and recitals and also authored long-form essays on a variety of cultural topics for The Times’ Sunday paper. He was named chief music critic at The Times in 1980. He retired in 1991 but continued freelance writing. Henahan also wrote for publications including the Saturday Review, Musical Quarterly, American Choral Review, Harper’s Bazaar, Saturday Evening Post and Esquire.

Henahan died in 2012.