This one hurts. If you’ve read my book, you know how I felt about him. I have such vivid memories of watching 60 Minutes every Sunday evening with my mother and grandmother. I can’t imagine how many black people went into the news business because they saw Mr. Bradley putting the screws to some poor schmuck.

Ed Bradley of ’60 Minutes’ Dies at 65

By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, November 9, 2006; 12:26 PM

Ed Bradley, the veteran “60 Minutes” correspondent and one of the pioneering black journalists of his generation, died today of leukemia. He was 65.

Bradley, who had won 19 Emmy awards, covered an incredible array of stories after joining the CBS newsmagazine in 1981, from brain cancer to sexual abuse in the Catholic Church to the high school shootings at Columbine.

He also reported a number of award-winning documentaries, covered political conventions and filled in on the “CBS Evening News” and other programs.

Bradley remained active on “60 Minutes,” but he had been ill for some time and underwent heart surgery about a year ago.

“He was this gentle giant,” said Bob Schieffer, CBS’s chief Washington correspondent and a close friend. “He just did so much for so many African-American kids. He was a great role model.”

© 2006 The Washington Post Company