Philip Leslie "Phil" Graham (July 18, 1915 – August 3, 1963) was an American newspaper publisher. He was the husband of Katharine Graham, and he was instrumental in transforming The Washington Post into one of the leading newspapers in the United States. Born in Terry, South Dakota, Graham studied at the University of Florida and Harvard Law School. After serving as a law clerk for [[The Supreme Court]] Justice Stanley F. Reed, he became a law partner of future Supreme Court justice Felix Frankfurter. ## Publisher of the Washington Post Graham's father-in-law, Eugene Meyer, bought The Washington Post in a [[bankruptcy]] auction in 1933, and Phil Graham began working for the newspaper after marrying Katharine Meyer in 1940. He became publisher of the Post in 1946 and served in that capacity until his death in 1963. Graham is known for coining the term "journalism is the first rough draft of history". He was deeply involved in national politics and became a confidant of several U.S. presidents, including [[John F. Kennedy (JFK)]]. Graham struggled with alcoholism and mental health issues, particularly bipolar disorder. These struggles eventually led to a very public breakdown in the early 1960s. Tragically, Graham died by suicide in 1963. After his death, his wife Katharine took over the management of The Washington Post and continued the transformation of the newspaper into a national institution.