Carl Nolte

Carl Nolte in 2008

Carlos William Nolte (born August 21, 1933) is an American journalist. Until his retirement in 2026, he wrote the "Native Son" column in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Early life and education

Nolte was born and raised in San Francisco; on his father's side, he is a fourth-generation San Franciscan. His father was a night watchman, and he was raised in the working-class Potrero Hill neighborhood. He attended St. Peter's High School and City College of San Francisco, and earned a bachelor's degree from the University of San Francisco. He then served in the United States Army on active duty in Korea and later served in the Army Reserve. In his 60s, on a fellowship from the San Francisco Chronicle, he studied at the University of California, Berkeley.

Career

Nolte worked in the University of San Francisco's communication department, then was hired by the San Francisco Chronicle on June 13, 1961 as a copy editor. He was both a writer and an editor and in 2009 became a columnist, writing the weekly Native Son column. While a reporter for the Chronicle in the early 2000s, he was embedded with the United States Army as a war correspondent in the Gulf War. Topics of his column columns have included the Liberty ship SS Jeremiah O'Brien; he has served as president of National Liberty Ship Memorial, the group that restored it, and was on the crew when it sailed to Europe as part of the D-Day anniversary. He also served on the board of the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association from 1995.

Nolte was a long-time part-time teacher of journalism at San Francisco State College, now San Francisco State University. He retired from the Chronicle on June 13, 2026 at age 92, on the 65th anniversary of his hiring and after 17 years writing the Native Son column.

Awards

Nolte received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Professional Journalists in 1986 and the President's Medal for Public Service of the University of San Francisco in 2000. In 2007, he received the Oscar Lewis Award of the Book Club of California for writing on western history. In 2010, he was awarded the Maritime Heritage Award by the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association. In 2012, he was given an Award of Merit by the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society. He has been awarded honorary degrees by the California Maritime Academy (now the Cal Poly Maritime Academy) and the University of San Francisco.

Personal life

Nolte is married to Darlene Plumtree, referred to in his columns as "the Sailor Girl"; they live in Bernal Heights.

Bibliography

References

  1. 1 2 "Resolution No. 504-23: Resolution commending Carl Nolte for his distinguished career at the San Francisco Chronicle; and declaring October 18, 2023, to be 'Carl Nolte Day' in the City and County of San Francisco" (PDF). San Francisco Board of Supervisors. October 27, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Blot, Jennifer (March 8, 2019). "Carl Nolte, Retire? Never". Nob Hill Gazette. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Snyder, Bill (September 24, 2021). "Never did one writer have so much fun: Carl Nolte's career put him up close and personal with the good, the bad and the ugly". San Francisco Senior Beat. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
  4. 1 2 Feldberg, Sarah (June 13, 2026). "Native Son remembers: Carl Nolte shares his favorite Chronicle columns and San Francisco characters". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
  5. 1 2 "A Conversation With Carl Nolte". Newsletter of the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society. 25 (2): 8. April–June 2012.
  6. ↑ Bill Katovsky; Timothy Carlson (2004). Embedded: The Media at War in Iraq. Globe Pequot. pp. 165–. ISBN 978-1-59228-549-5.[permanent dead link]
  7. ↑ Nolte, Carl (March 25, 2023). "Native Son: 20 years ago, we invaded Iraq. Now we look back at it as a big mistake". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Letter from the President". Moments in Time. Sausalito Historical Society. Fall–Winter 2024.
  9. 1 2 "Boy Scouts series wins Knight-Risser Prize". San Francisco Chronicle. October 17, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 "Honorary Degrees: California State University Maritime Academy: Carl Nolte". California State University. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
  11. ↑ Ludice, Kathleen (September 18, 2012). "Annual Awards Luncheon". San Francisco Museum and Historical Society. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved March 27, 2013.