On March 26, 1943, a legend was born. Seventy-five years would pass before this man would find his way to Oklahoma City Community College. Bob Woodward is a well-known and decorated American journalist. On April 26 OCCC will welcome Woodward onto its campus.

This prominent author is best known as the man who helped break the Watergate scandal which put an end to Richard Nixon’s presidency.

Fortunately for America, Woodward did not decide to follow in his father’s footsteps and choose a career in law. Instead, he caught an unpaid internship at the Washington Post. This marked the beginning of his successful career.

From Woodward’s internship, he moved on to a position at the Montgomery County Sentinel. Hardly a year had passed and Woodward’s journalism skills rapidly evolved to the point where the Washington Post was considering taking him back.

It would not take long for Woodward to make record breaking discoveries.

Woodward had only been covering the political beat for a short while before a call came in about a burglary at the Watergate Complex. Shortly after further looking into the accusations, Woodward and his partner Carl Bernstein uncovered the truth behind the burglary. The scandal pointed directly to president Nixon himself.

As the news of President Nixon’s scandal unfolded across the pages of the Washington Post in the early 1970’s, Bernstein and Woodward almost instantly became as famous as the scandal itself.  This would be the ball that spurred both men’s careers. Former New York Times editor, Gene Roberts, called Woodward and Bernstein’s Watergate scandal coverage “maybe the single greatest reporting effort of all times.”  

After the dust from the Nixon scandal had settled, Woodward continued to write. However, his writing style began to evolve into books and novels rather than newspaper articles and hard-hitting investigative journalism.

In 1974 Woodward and Bernstein’s book, “All the President’s Men,” topped the charts as a best seller. Not long after, movie rights to the book were sold and the story about how these two men uncovered a presidential scandal came to life on the big screen.

Now, Woodward is an associate editor at the Washington Post, the same place he first began his journalism career. He is also spilling his secrets about what it takes to be an outstanding journalist in a master class. Woodward designed the class to help other aspiring journalists learn how to uncover what he refers to as “the best obtainable version of the truth.”

Woodward often suggests that, “a reporter’s ability to keep the bond of confidentiality often enables him to learn the hidden or secret aspects of government.”

Woodward has authored or co-authored 18 bestselling books. Additionally, he has won two Pulitzer prizes. The first he won regarding his work uncovering the Nixon scandal, the second was for his outstanding work covering the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Now on April 26 OCCC students have the chance to join this accomplished journalist as he speaks about the journey his career has taken him.