(February 14, 1944 — )

Carl Bernstein is an American journalist. He’s best known for his reporting on the Watergate scandal.

Bernstein was the child of civil rights activists. His parents were Communist Party members in the 1940s.

Bernstein began his journalist career as a 16-year-old copy boy for The Washington Star. Despite being successful at his work, he could not become a journalist there because of a policy requiring jjournalists to have a degree. Though he had had been enrolled at the University of Maryland, he never finished his degree.

For a time, he was a full-time reporter for the Elizabeth Daily Journal. During these years, he won New Jersey’s press association’s first prize for investigative reporting, feature writing, and news on a deadline. In 1966, Bernstein join The Washington Post. There, he covered local news and became known for his stylistic writing.

Despite clashing personalities, he and Bob Woodward began working together on a break-in at the Watergate office complex, which eventually led them to discover the Watergate scandal. He and Woodward authored two books about Nixon together.

After the success and importance of that investigative journalism, Bernstein had a very productive and busy career. He continues to report, commentate, and speak out in numerous different venues.