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Trailblazing Journalist Myra MacPherson Passes at 91

2/6/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Myra MacPherson, longtime feature writer for The Washington Post, died February 2 at age 91 from congestive heart failure.
She began journalism in an era unfriendly to women and built a career at The Detroit News and The New York Times.
In 1968, she joined The Washington Post Style section and used New Journalism to cover Watergate, five presidential elections, and the Vietnam War's lasting impact on American society.

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Story summary

Myra MacPherson, longtime feature writer for The Washington Post, died February 2 at age 91 from congestive heart failure.
She began journalism in an era unfriendly to women and built a career at The Detroit News and The New York Times.
In 1968, she joined The Washington Post Style section and used New Journalism to cover Watergate, five presidential elections, and the Vietnam War's lasting impact on American society.