James W. Mangan

1928-2015

James W. “Jim” Mangan, an important figure in Texas journalism, had 36-year career with The Associated Press and recently died in San Antonio at age 87.  He spent the last decade of his AP career as vice president in charge of AP’s newspaper services division.

His AP career also included coverage of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination and an exclusive interview with a former Texas election judge who said he certified enough fictitious ballots to steal a 1948 primary runoff election for the U.S. Senate for Lyndon B. Johnson. His story was a Pulitzer Prize finalist.

Jim’s AP career started in San Francisco in 1952 on condition that he learn to type, which he did in two week’s time. By 1963, he was assistant bureau chief in Dallas when John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

In 1965, he became the bureau chief in New Orleans before returning to Dallas, where he served as bureau chief from 1969-1977, an amazing time in Texas journalism.

He moved to Europe in 1977 to head AP’s operations in Germany, Switzerland and Eastern Europe. Upon returning to the U.S., he served as a vice president in New York City from 1978 until his retirement on Jan. 1, 1989, returning frequently to Texas to foster AP relations with newspapers during a time of unprecedented growth.