Landmark Status

At the Sag Harbor Cinema on Saturday, a group of admirers came together to pay tribute to a local legend.

Karl Grossman recently retired from teaching, which offered an opportunity to gather in his honor and express appreciation for a teaching and journalism career that has spanned some 60 years — and continues today, with his column, “Suffolk Closeup,” and his continuing online video series, “EnviroVideo,” which can be found on YouTube.

It helped that two people broke the tension — Grossman himself, and Fred W. Thiele Jr., who got a recent tribute gathering in Sag Harbor after his career as a state assemblyman ended — by calling out the elephant in the room: Typically, these are the kinds of accolades that are shared about someone when there’s a coffin in the room. How wonderful, then, that the subject of all the attention was able to hear all that admiration and affection, and still has many years to add to it.

There’s nothing funereal about giving a true legend his due, to his face. And Suffolk County Legislator Ann Welker said it best when she compared Karl Grossman to landmarks like the Big Duck, Ponquogue Bridge or the Montauk Lighthouse: All are embodiments of the East End and both its history and spirit. Karl Grossman is such a landmark, indeed — a “‘natural’ treasure and a ‘national’ treasure in our midst,” as Welker put it.

As a young man, after attending Antioch College in Ohio, he worked as a copy boy at The Cleveland Press, where he was inspired by the paper’s motto: “Give light and the people will find their own way.” That simple principle — to inform, to illuminate, to empower — became the guiding star of his life. He didn’t shy away from the tough stories; in fact, he leaned into them, particularly when they mattered most: the environment, nuclear power, and the future of our planet.

Perhaps his signature achievement was a series of articles early in his career in opposition to Robert Moses’s plan to build a four-lane highway across Fire Island. Instead of concrete and destruction, Grossman argued for preservation — and his reporting helped inspire the creation of the Fire Island National Seashore. Moses didn’t lose many of his battles, but Grossman proved to be a formidable opponent.

He has devoted a large part of his career to writing about the dangers of nuclear power, in articles, columns, video interviews and several books. His work was instrumental in raising public awareness about the proposed Shoreham nuclear plant on Long Island — and, in his own words, helping stop it from going into operation. His work on the subject continues to this day.

As a professor at SUNY Old Westbury, Grossman mentored thousands of students, teaching courses in investigative reporting and environmental journalism. His mission has always been to pass the torch — to train young journalists not just to observe, but to question, to challenge, and to make a difference. In other words, to bring light.

Karl’s contributions have not gone unnoticed. He has received many honors: the George Polk Award, the Generoso Pope Award, the John Peter Zenger Award, the James Aronson Award for Social Justice Journalism, among others. In 2024, he was awarded the Horace Mann Award from Antioch College for his lifelong commitment to “winning some victory for humanity.” He also helped found the Press Club of Long Island, serving as its first president.

His legacy is rooted in his integrity. He has given voice to the voiceless, held power accountable, and reminded us that journalism is not just a profession — it’s a public service. Time and time again, he has proven that, when provided with adequate light, the people will find their own way. (His emphasis, by the way — in his speech, he pointed out the heavy lifting that the word “own” does in that phrase.)

It’s marvelous to have the chance to tell Karl Grossman to his face: Your career is a testament to the power of the free press, the power of inquiry, and the power of conscience. Your legacy will continue, not just in your books and broadcasts but in every student you’ve inspired and every reader you’ve awakened.

Congratulations to a true East End landmark.

Now, get back to work: You have a column due next week.