About Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor
Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor ( GROH-vən-ər; October 28, 1875 – February 4, 1966) was an American magazine editor who was the first full-time editor of the National Geographic magazine from 1899 to 1954, and is credited with having consolidated the nascent magazine. As President of the National Geographic Society from 1920 to 1954, he assisted its rise to one of the world's largest and best known science and learning organizations, aided by the chronicling in its magazine of ambitious natural and cultural explorations around the globe. == Early life == Grosvenor was born on October 28, 1875, to Lilian Waters and Edwin A. Grosvenor in Constantinople, Ottoman Empire, (now known as Istanbul, Turkey). He was second cousin to U.S. President and U.S. Supreme Court Justice William Howard Taft. He was educated at Worcester Academy and at Robert College. He attended Amherst College and graduated with the A.B. degree magna cum laude in 1897. While at Amherst, Grosvenor and his twin brother Edwin were one of the best tennis doubles teams. == Career == === National Geographic Society === Grosvenor was hired in 1899 as the first full-time employee of the National Geographic Society by Alexander Graham Bell, the Society's President at the time. He eventually was named Director, and later was elected president of the Society in 1920 after the death of Rear Admiral John E. Pillsbury, and remained editor of National Geographic magazine until 1954. Grosvenor advocated policies of neutrality and positive, upbeat journalism through two world wars, the Great Depression, and the beginning of the Cold War.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.