John Fetterman, 1967

John Fetterman (1926–1975) was an American journalist and writer from Kentucky best known for his powerful human-interest reporting that shed light on Appalachian life and social issues. He worked for the Louisville Courier-Journal, where his 1967 article “Pike County, U.S.A.” — an in-depth portrait of poverty, pride, and resilience in eastern Kentucky — won the Pulitzer Prize for Local General or Spot News Reporting in 1968. A gifted storyteller, Fetterman was known for his empathy toward marginalized people and his ability to capture the complexities of rural life without resorting to stereotypes. In addition to his newspaper work, he wrote the nonfiction book Stinking Creek (1967), which vividly depicted the daily struggles of a poor Appalachian community. His career was cut short by his death at age 49, but his writing remains a cornerstone in Appalachian journalism and an enduring example of socially conscious reporting that gave a voice to the people of the region. (Written with AI assistance, 2025)