Harrison Smith
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I edit and write obits for @washpost, chronicling the lives of remarkable people. On leave through 1/3/27. Get in touch at harrison.smith@washpost.com
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Articles by Harrison Smith
Milton Coleman, a barrier-breaking editor at The Post, dies at 79
Milton Coleman, a barrier-breaking editor at The Post, dies at 79 (washingtonpost.com) Milton Coleman, a barrier-breaking editor at The Post, dies at 79 By Harrison Smith 2026110203300400 Milton Coleman, a former senior editor at The Washington Post who directed the paper's local coverage, mentored generations of younger journalists and championed diversity across the news industry, arguing that media outlets have a responsibility to credibly reflect the communities they serve, died Oct. 30.
Impact of Social Vulnerability on Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea
1 Introduction Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common respiratory sleep disorder associated with long-term sequelae, including cardiometabolic complications such as obesity and left ventricular hypertrophy [1-3]. Emerging evidence suggests social and environmental factors play a critical role in the management and health outcomes of pediatric patients with OSA [4].
Dolores Huerta, resolute champion of workers’ rights, dies at 96
Dolores Huerta, the labor leader, civil rights activist and co-founder of the National Farm Workers Association, is seen at the California Democratic Party's 2025 State Convention at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif., May 31, 2025.
Dolores Huerta, resolute champion of workers’ rights, dies at 96
Dolores Huerta, resolute champion of workers’ rights, dies at 96 (washingtonpost.com) Dolores Huerta, resolute champion of workers’ rights, dies at 96 By Harrison Smith; Patricia Sullivan 2026102817430700 Dolores Huerta had no lobbying experience when she went to Sacramento in the early 1960s, championing legislation that secured better conditions for California farmworkers who helped feed the nation, harvesting fruits and vegetables at low wages without regular access to toilets, clean water...
After her son came out, she helped propel South Carolina’s gay rights movement
After her son came out, she helped propel South Carolina’s gay rights movement (washingtonpost.com) After her son came out, she helped propel South Carolina’s gay rights movement By Harrison Smith 2026100310010600 Harriet Hancock, who has died at 89, was a leading force for the gay rights movement in South Carolina, where she spent more than four decades fighting on behalf of equality and dignity for LGBTQ+ people like her son, Greg, who came out to her in the early 1980s.
Judy Markey, whose trailblazing radio show caught ‘lightning in a bottle,’ dies at 82
They were star columnists for rival Chicago papers - stylish writers who were both independent, divorced and laugh-out-loud funny, with a fizzy chemistry that only seemed to benefit from their differences in upbringing. Judy Markey was Jewish and from Beverly Hills. kAmz2E9J ~’|2==6J H2D r2E9@=:4 2?5 C2:D65 @? 2 72C>]k^Am kAmp?5 @? $FA6C q@H= $F?52J :? `hgh[ H96? E96:C 3@DD6D 2E (v} #25:@ 564:565 E92E ?@ @?6 H@F=5 36 =:DE6?:?8 2?JH2J[ E96J 8@E 2 D9@E 2E 9@DE:?8 E96:C @H?
Judy Markey, whose trailblazing radio show caught ‘lightning in a bottle,’ dies at 82
Judy Markey, whose trailblazing radio show caught ‘lightning in a bottle,’ dies at 82 (washingtonpost.com) Judy Markey, whose trailblazing radio show caught ‘lightning in a bottle,’ dies at 82 By Harrison Smith 2026092610011800 They were star columnists for rival Chicago papers — stylish writers who were both independent, divorced and laugh-out-loud funny, with a fizzy chemistry that only seemed to benefit from their differences in upbringing. Judy Markey was Jewish and from Beverly Hills.
Hailed as Muhammad Ali’s toughest opponent, his biggest fight was outside the ring
Canada's George Chuvalo stands on the scales and Muhammad Ali keeps his eyes on indicators as the two heavyweights were weighed in for their 12-round bout in Vancouver Coliseum, May 1, 1972. Chuvalo was 221 and Ali, 217 1/2 pounds. (AP Photo) Boxer George Chuvalo was a gladiator of the ring, an unrelenting fighter with one of the toughest chins in the sport.
Hailed as Muhammad Ali’s toughest opponent, his biggest fight was outside the ring
Hailed as Muhammad Ali’s toughest opponent, his biggest fight was outside the ring (washingtonpost.com) Hailed as Muhammad Ali’s toughest opponent, his biggest fight was outside the ring By Harrison Smith 2026091910020500 Boxer George Chuvalo was a gladiator of the ring, an unrelenting fighter with one of the toughest chins in the sport.
Hailed as Muhammad Ali’s toughest opponent, his biggest fight was outside the ring
The Toronto Blue Jays lost Bo Bichette after seven seasons when the longtime franchise shortstop left in free agency and signed with the New York Mets. Less than a year later, his future in New York has become one of the biggest questions looming over the next offseason. Bichette signed a …
Jay Maisel, a cigar-chomping giant of photography, has died
Jay Maisel, a cigar-chomping giant of photography, has died (washingtonpost.com) Jay Maisel, a cigar-chomping giant of photography, has died By Harrison Smith 2026091210020600 Always bring your camera, photographer Jay Maisel insisted, advising novice photographers and chiding friends who neglected to carry their Leica or Nikon to lunch. Also: Be patient. And don't overthink it. "If it moves you, shoot it," he said. "If it's fun, shoot it.
‘Friday the 13th’ screenwriter Victor Miller, creator of Jason Voorhees, dies at 86
Victor Miller, who helped launch one of the most lucrative horror franchises in Hollywood history as the screenwriter behind “Friday the 13th,” died Monday at 86. His son Ian Miller announced the death in an Instagram post. “He was almost always the smartest, funniest person in whatever room he was in,” Ian wrote, adding that “for those who are interested, we will hold a celebration of life in November — on Friday the 13th, of course.”
Sliman Mansour has died. His art became a symbol of Palestinian resilience.
Sliman Mansour, who has died at the age of 79, was a giant of Palestinian art, a painter whose work was reproduced in prints and posters, distributed through refugee camps and hung in homes across the region. In works that were by turns personal and political — vividly realistic and unsettlingly surreal — he captured and uplifted Palestinian life and history, creating art that served as a form of preservation as well as resistance.
Sliman Mansour has died. His art became a symbol of Palestinian resilience. Original
Sliman Mansour has died. His art became a symbol of Palestinian resilience. (washingtonpost.com) Sliman Mansour has died. His art became a symbol of Palestinian resilience. By Harrison Smith 2026082910022200 Sliman Mansour, who has died at the age of 79, was a giant of Palestinian art, a painter whose work was reproduced in prints and posters, distributed through refugee camps, and hung in homes across the region.
She set aside the fiddle to raise nine children. At 99, she made her Opry debut.
Growing up, she watched as her father carved fiddles with a hatchet and knife, shaping pieces of maple or pine he gathered near their home in the Arkansas woods. He had made his first fiddle when he was 14, in 1888. And while he had no formal training, he had gotten so good that neighbors would trade him a wagon, a bed or a cow for one of his fiddles.
She set aside the fiddle to raise nine children. At 99, she made her Opry debut.
She set aside the fiddle to raise nine children. At 99, she made her Opry debut. (washingtonpost.com) She set aside the fiddle to raise nine children. At 99, she made her Opry debut. By Harrison Smith 2026082210020900 Growing up, she watched as her father carved fiddles with a hatchet and knife, shaping pieces of maple or pine he gathered near their home in the Arkansas woods. He had made his first fiddle when he was 14, in 1888.
She set aside the fiddle to raise nine children. At 99, she made her Opry debut.
Boston Symphony Orchestra 7 hours ago Union for Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians authorizes first strike in ensemble's 145-year history Associated Press • 7h LENOX, Mass. (AP) — The union for Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians authorized the first strike in the ensemble’s 145-year history on Saturday. The Boston Musicians’ Association issued a statement ahead of the expiration of the union’s three-year contract at 11:59 p.m. Sunday.
Martin Cohen, who helped guide The Post’s finances, dies at 94
Martin Cohen, who helped guide The Post’s finances, dies at 94 (washingtonpost.com) Martin Cohen, who helped guide The Post’s finances, dies at 94 By Harrison Smith 2026081820560100 Martin Cohen, a Washington Post Co. executive who helped guide the business in the 1970s and beyond, looking after the newspaper's finances while serving as a top lieutenant to publisher Katharine Graham, died Aug. 5 in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was 94. He had pneumonia, said his son George Young.
Bishop Rainey Cheeks, a taekwondo master who took on the AIDS crisis, dies at 74
Bishop Rainey Cheeks, a taekwondo master who took on the AIDS crisis, dies at 74 (washingtonpost.com) Bishop Rainey Cheeks, a taekwondo master who took on the AIDS crisis, dies at 74 By Harrison Smith 2026081510022300 Before he became a ninth-degree black belt and a grandmaster of taekwondo, Bishop Rainey Cheeks learned to adopt the principles of Bushido, the way of the warrior. It was a mindset and moral code that went far beyond martial arts.
Exploring queer themes and Chicano life, he became a bard of the U.S.-Mexico border
Ever since he was a boy, picking onions and working on roofs to help support his family, Benjamin Alire Sáenz had the uncanny feeling that he was living in two worlds, not one. Mr. Sáenz spent nearly his entire life on la frontera, or the borderlands.
Exploring queer themes and Chicano life, he became a bard of the U.S.-Mexico border
Exploring queer themes and Chicano life, he became a bard of the U.S.-Mexico border (washingtonpost.com) Exploring queer themes and Chicano life, he became a bard of the U.S.-Mexico border By Harrison Smith 2026080810020900 Ever since he was a boy, picking onions and working on roofs to help support his family, Benjamin Alire Sáenz had the uncanny feeling that he was living in two worlds, not one. Mr. Sáenz spent nearly his entire life on la frontera, or the borderlands.
Preserving and exposing the human form, he courted controversy with ‘Body Worlds’
Preserving and exposing the human form, he courted controversy with ‘Body Worlds’ (washingtonpost.com) Preserving and exposing the human form, he courted controversy with ‘Body Worlds’ By Harrison Smith 2026080110012300 When Gunther von Hagens's exhibition came to town, security guards worried less about theft than nausea.
‘Iran War Participation Trophy’ mocking Trump arrives in New York
NEW YORK — First D.C., then Manhattan. The satirical art group responsible for about a dozen public pieces mocking President Donald Trump in the nation’s capital over the past 20 months has now landed in New York. The anonymous artists who call themselves the Secret Handshake left their mark in Lower Manhattan on Wednesday morning, placing a 10-foot-tall trophy, spray-painted gold and emblazoned with a #1 on its side, in Foley Square.
‘Iran War Participation Trophy’ mocking Trump arrives in New York
NEW YORK - First D.C., then Manhattan. The satirical art group responsible for about a dozen public pieces mocking President Donald Trump in the nation’s capital over the past 20 months has now landed in New York. The anonymous artists who call themselves the Secret Handshake left their mark in Lower Manhattan on Wednesday morning, placing a 10-foot-tall trophy, spray-painted gold and emblazoned with a #1 on its side, in Foley Square.
‘Iran War Participation Trophy’ mocking Trump arrives in New York
‘Iran War Participation Trophy’ mocking Trump arrives in New York (washingtonpost.com) ‘Iran War Participation Trophy’ mocking Trump arrives in New York By Harrison Smith; Joe Heim 2026072917020300 NEW YORK — First D.C., then Manhattan. The satirical art group responsible for about a dozen public pieces mocking President Donald Trump in the nation's capital over the past 20 months has now landed in New York.
A literary outdoorsman, he helped popularize bodybuilding and co-created paintball
Like any good fisherman, Charles Gaines always seemed to know where to cast his line. Mr. Gaines, who grew up catching tarpon with hand-tied flies in the Florida Keys, followed his curiosity and intuition while reeling in one unexpected success after another, building a singular career as a literary outdoorsman whose books and articles about fitness, sports and nature offered a window into human psychology and his own irrepressible love of adventure.
Diagnosed with cancer, owl researcher from Olympia kept working till end
When he was 11, David Johnson grabbed his backpack and set out for a camping trip on the Blue Earth River, not far from his family’s home in southern Minnesota. Sitting alone in the moonlight that evening, he was amazed to see an Eastern screech owl land on the corner of his canvas pup tent, inches from his face. “It called for a good 20 minutes,” Mr. Johnson later said, recalling how he was close enough to see the bird vibrate as it whinnied and trilled.
Diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, an owl researcher kept working till the end
When he was 11, David Johnson grabbed his backpack and set out for a camping trip on the Blue Earth River, not far from his family’s home in southern Minnesota. Sitting alone in the moonlight that evening, he was amazed to see an Eastern screech owl land on the corner of his canvas pup tent, inches from his face. “It called for a good 20 minutes,” Mr. Johnson later said, recalling how he was close enough to see the bird vibrate as it whinnied and trilled.
Diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, an owl researcher kept working till the end
Diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, an owl researcher kept working till the end (washingtonpost.com) Diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, an owl researcher kept working till the end By Harrison Smith 2026071810010900 When he was 11, David Johnson grabbed his backpack and set out for a camping trip on the Blue Earth River, not far from his family's home in southern Minnesota.
Working with a rod-shaped microbe, she helped spark an agricultural revolution
Few women were studying for a PhD in chemistry when Mary-Dell Chilton enrolled in graduate school in 1960. Fewer still were focused on the mysteries of molecular biology, and the way the genetic code is embedded in the elegant double-helix structure of DNA. “I always felt like I didn’t want to be hired or advanced or anything because I was a woman,” Dr. Chilton later said in an oral history. “I wanted to be advanced because I was the best.
Sam Neill, versatile actor who starred in ‘Jurassic Park,’ dies at 78 Original
Sam Neill, versatile actor who starred in ‘Jurassic Park,’ dies at 78 (washingtonpost.com) Sam Neill, versatile actor who starred in ‘Jurassic Park,’ dies at 78 By Harrison Smith 2026071306420300 Sam Neill, a New Zealand actor who brought a quiet intensity to art-house fare and Hollywood blockbusters alike, including as a rigid husband vexed by his wife's love of music in "The Piano" and a fedora-clad paleontologist fleeing a T-rex in "Jurassic Park," died July 13 in Sydney. He was 78.
Sam Neill, versatile actor who starred in ‘Jurassic Park,’ dies at 78
2 hours ago “The loss was sudden and unexpected,” Neill’s family said in a statement Monday. Sam Neill, the New Zealand actor best known for his role in the “Jurassic Park” movies, has died, his family said Monday. He was 78. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and …
Working with a rod-shaped microbe, she helped spark an agricultural revolution
Working with a rod-shaped microbe, she helped spark an agricultural revolution (washingtonpost.com) Working with a rod-shaped microbe, she helped spark an agricultural revolution By Harrison Smith 2026071110011700 Few women were studying for a PhD in chemistry when Mary-Dell Chilton enrolled in graduate school in 1960. Fewer still were focused on the mysteries of molecular biology, and the way the genetic code is embedded in the elegant double-helix structure of DNA.
Wally Funk, aviation pioneer who was the oldest woman to travel into space, dies at 87
When Wally Funk was 5, she donned a Superman cape and leaped from the roof of her family’s barn in New Mexico, dreaming of flight and landing in a haystack. She decorated her bedroom ceiling with model planes, earned her pilot’s license as a teenager and began a six-decade journey to space at age 22, joining a private program in 1961 that tested whether the country’s finest female pilots could become astronauts. kAm|D] uF?< H2D E96 J@F?86DE H@>2? E@ A2DD E96 E6DED 2?5 3642>6 A2CE @7 2 4@9@CE <?@H?
Wally Funk, trailblazing aviator who waited 60 years to go to space, dies at 87
When Wally Funk was 5, she donned a Superman cape and leaped from the roof of her family’s barn in New Mexico, dreaming of flight and landing in a haystack. She decorated her bedroom ceiling with model planes, earned her pilot’s license as a teenager and began a six-decade journey to space at age 22, joining a private program in 1961 that tested whether the country’s finest female pilots could become astronauts.
Wally Funk, trailblazing aviator who waited 60 years to go to space, dies at 87
Wally Funk, trailblazing aviator who waited 60 years to go to space, dies at 87 (washingtonpost.com) Wally Funk, trailblazing aviator who waited 60 years to go to space, dies at 87 By Harrison Smith 2026070918060200 When Wally Funk was 5, she donned a Superman cape and leaped from the roof of her family's barn in New Mexico, dreaming of flight and landing in a haystack.
Grieving a loved one? Tell us what made them special.
Grieving a loved one? Tell us what made them special. (washingtonpost.com) Grieving a loved one? Tell us what made them special. By Harrison Smith; Candace Mitchell 2026070710011600 Do you have a friend or family member who died in the last six months? We want to hear about them. In an essay of 150 words or less, tell us about a lesson they imparted or a memory you hold dear.
Providing dignity to grieving families, a funeral director became a community pillar
Spencer Leak Jr. got the text message around 1:30 a.m. at his home in Chicago’s south suburbs. The Rev. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights leader who had marshaled a “rainbow coalition” while twice running for president, had died at 84. “I got up, put my suit and my shirt and tie on, and I headed to their home,” Mr. Leak, a friend of the Jackson family since childhood, later said.
Providing dignity to grieving families, a funeral director became a community pillar
Providing dignity to grieving families, a funeral director became a community pillar (washingtonpost.com) Providing dignity to grieving families, a funeral director became a community pillar By Harrison Smith 2026062011010100 Spencer Leak Jr. got the text message around 1:30 a.m. at his home in Chicago's south suburbs. The Rev. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights leader who had marshaled a "rainbow coalition" while twice running for president, had died at 84.
Protesting McDonald’s with bowls of pasta, he launched a global food movement
Protesting McDonald’s with bowls of pasta, he launched a global food movement (washingtonpost.com) Protesting McDonald’s with bowls of pasta, he launched a global food movement By Harrison Smith 2026060611010100 When the fast-food revolution came to Rome, young people cheered, lining up outside McDonald's in such numbers that security guards were brought in to manage the crowds.
Army veteran behind the Vietnam Women’s Memorial dies at 79
“It was a simple idea,” Diane Carlson Evans recalled, marveling at how a project that should have taken no more than two years, in her estimation, required nearly a decade of speech-making and fundraising and grassroots campaigning - an all-out effort to win over hostile bureaucrats and a skeptical, indifferent public.
Army veteran behind the Vietnam Women’s Memorial dies at 79
Army veteran behind the Vietnam Women’s Memorial dies at 79 (washingtonpost.com) Army veteran behind the Vietnam Women’s Memorial dies at 79 By Harrison Smith 2026053011010100 "It was a simple idea," Diane Carlson Evans recalled, marveling at how a project that should have taken no more than two years, in her estimation, required nearly a decade of speech-making and fundraising and grassroots campaigning — an all-out effort to win over hostile bureaucrats and a skeptical, indifferent public.
John Eaton, renowned jazz pianist and advocate for American music, dies at 91
John Eaton, a jazz pianist who helped draw renewed attention to the Great American Songbook, championing the work of Hoagy Carmichael, George Gershwin, Fats Waller and other composers while gaining a reputation as one of Washington’s most versatile and inventive musicians, died May 24 at his home in Chevy Chase, Maryland. He was 91. His death was confirmed by his daughter, Beth Kelley. kAm|C] t2E@?
John Eaton, renowned jazz pianist and advocate for American music, dies at 91
Pianist John Eaton at his Washington home in 2019. - (John Kelly/The Washington Post) John Eaton, a jazz pianist who helped draw renewed attention to the Great American Songbook, championing the work of Hoagy Carmichael, George Gershwin, Fats Waller and other composers while gaining a reputation as one of Washington’s most versatile and inventive musicians, died May 24 at his home in Chevy Chase, Maryland. He was 91. His death was confirmed by his daughter, Beth Kelley.
John Eaton, renowned jazz pianist and advocate for American music, dies at 91
John Eaton, renowned jazz pianist and advocate for American music, dies at 91 (washingtonpost.com) John Eaton, renowned jazz pianist and advocate for American music, dies at 91 By Harrison Smith 2026052616390200 John Eaton, a jazz pianist who helped draw renewed attention to the Great American Songbook, championing the work of Hoagy Carmichael, George Gershwin, Fats Waller and other composers while gaining a reputation as one of Washington's most versatile and inventive musicians, died May 24...
Studying sports and disability, he laid the groundwork for the Special Olympics
On a sweltering July day in 1968, 1,000 young athletes gathered at Soldier Field in Chicago, where they ran, jumped, threw balls and swam. Few spectators were there to witness the inaugural Special Olympics International Summer Games. But the competitors, all boys and girls with intellectual disabilities, helped usher in a new and more inclusive era in sports, at a time when children with special needs were often locked away at home or shipped off to institutions.
NUT Midline Carcinoma of the Head and Neck: A Systematic Review and Pooled Survival Analysis
M.Yoon, R.Ramirez, H.Smith, et al., “NUT Midline Carcinoma of the Head and Neck: A Systematic Review and Pooled Survival Analysis,” Head & Neck (2026): 1–8, https://doi.org/10.1002/hed.70328. Conflicts of Interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Data Availability Statement The data that supports the findings of this study are available in the of this article.
Renowned for his legal skills, he took on the mob and investigated JFK’s killing
Renowned for his legal skills, he took on the mob and investigated JFK’s killing (washingtonpost.com) Renowned for his legal skills, he took on the mob and investigated JFK’s killing By Harrison Smith 2026051611010300 Although he never wore a gun on his belt or a badge on his chest, G. Robert Blakey was one of the mob's most formidable opponents, the architect of a federal racketeering law that helped bring down crime bosses from New York to Las Vegas.
Forced to dance for Mengele at Auschwitz, she was called to help others heal
For years, Edith Eger kept quiet, refusing to speak about the cattle cars or the death camps or the Nazi guard who broke her back. She never told her children how, at 16, she had been forced to dance for Josef Mengele, the “Angel of Death,” who had sent her mother to die earlier that day. Nor did she talk about the death march she endured near the end of the war, and the fact that she resorted to eating grass to survive at a time when others turned to cannibalism. She couldn’t find the words.
Forced to dance for Mengele at Auschwitz, she was called to help others heal
Forced to dance for Mengele at Auschwitz, she was called to help others heal (washingtonpost.com) Forced to dance for Mengele at Auschwitz, she was called to help others heal By Harrison Smith 2026050911011000 For years, Edith Eger kept quiet, refusing to speak about the cattle cars or the death camps or the Nazi guard who broke her back. She never told her children how, at 16, she had been forced to dance for Josef Mengele, the "Angel of Death," who had sent her mother to die earlier that day.
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