Award named for retired T&D editor

Harter, who was named editor of The Times and Democrat during the newspaper’s centennial year in 1981 and retired in November 2024 after 43 years leading the T&D newsroom, was presented the SCPA’s Lifetime Achievement Award during the April 4 annual meeting of the organization of South Carolina’s daily and weekly newspapers.

Previously during the SCPA’s Collegiate Division annual meeting on Feb. 28, Co-Executive Director Jen Madden announced that the highest collegiate award bestowed by SCPA would be named in Harter’s honor: The Lee Harter Collegiate Journalist of the Year.

In presenting the awards, Madden highlighted Harter’s career, which includes 46 years total at The T&D and more than two decades at Claflin University teaching journalism and advising the student newspaper.

“For his leadership and service to the Press Association and for all he’s given back to generations of student and professional journalists, from this point forward the South Carolina Press Association’s Collegiate Journalist of the Year award will be renamed and dedicated to honor the lifetime achievements and service of Lee Harter,” Madden announced at the collegiate meeting. “Students winning this top honor should be proud to display an award bearing the name of this South Carolina journalism legend.”

“Many years ago, Lee Harter worked to save and relaunch our organization’s collegiate division, making it into a very active and important part of the association,” Madden said.

“Lee, or Mr. Harter as most students call him, was elected president of the South Carolina Press Association when he was 32 years old and is believed to be the youngest-ever SCPA president. He currently serves on our executive committee and foundation board.”

In thanking SCPA for the honors, Harter, a South Carolina native, said, “I left the University of South Carolina in 1978, choosing Orangeburg over other media outlets. I am proud of the 46-year track record that followed, including working with generations of top journalists at The T&D now and over decades.”

Teaching at Claflin has been a complement to his journalism career, Harter said.

“I began in 2000 when the university’s mass communications program was in its infancy and have worked with hundreds of students going on to successful journalism careers over the years since,” Harter said. “And I like to brag particularly on the ones having won SCPA awards, including seven being named collegiate journalist of the year over a 10-year span from 2014-23.”

“As an editor and teacher, I hope I have made a real difference in the lives and careers of the people with whom I have worked and those I have taught – and in Orangeburg and the communities our journalism work has served,” said Harter, who also was state editor for T&D parent company Lee Enterprises.