Michael Emery; Educator, Journalist

Michael Emery, widely known author, journalism historian and educator whose recently published book, “On the Front Lines,” detailed the colorful exploits of American foreign correspondents throughout the 20th century, died Wednesday of cancer. He was 55.

Emery, who had taught journalism at Cal State Northridge for nearly three decades, died at his Woodland Hills home, the university announced.

The highly respected journalist frequently contributed articles to The Times Sunday Opinion section, including a 1991 interview with Jordan’s King Hussein. He also wrote regularly for the Village Voice and about 40 other publications, and prepared international stories for Los Angeles news radio stations KNX and KFWB and for CBS News.

Emery was the co-author, with his late father, Edwin Emery, of “The Press and America,” which is considered the most widely read journalism textbook in the country. Now in its eighth edition, the text is used by more than 200 colleges and universities throughout the nation.

He also co-wrote “America’s Front Page News, 1690-1970,” a 1983 monograph, “America’s Leading Daily Newspapers,” and was editor of a 12-part Publishers’ Auxiliary Bicentennial History covering the first 300 years of American journalism.

Emery’s exclusive article in the Village Voice in 1990, “The War That Didn’t Have to Happen: How U.S. Scuttled the Arab Peace Plan,” earned him a best investigative report designation at the Free Press Assn.’s annual Mencken Awards. The article also was used as the basis for a segment on CBS’ “60 Minutes.”

Other awards included designation in 1977 by the California Newspaper Publishers Assn. as outstanding journalism educator, and in 1986 the national outstanding chapter advisor award from the Society of Professional Journalists.

A native of Berkeley who grew up in Minneapolis, Emery earned his degrees at the University of Minnesota and worked for United Press International before beginning his teaching career at the University of Wisconsin. He joined the Cal State Northridge faculty in 1968 and for five years was acting journalism chairman. He also taught classes at USC, UC Berkeley and South Australian College of Advanced Education in Adelaide.

Emery is survived by his wife, Lulu; three daughters, Maria Endner of Portland, Ore., Andrea Scott of Thousand Oaks and Nicollette Emery of Santa Monica; three stepchildren, Leila Calnan of Jerusalem, and Ramsey and Raymond Calnan of Chatsworth; two sisters, and two grandsons.

The family has asked that memorial donations be made to the American Cancer Society or to the Edwin Emery Travel Fund, 1621 College St., University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C. 29208-0251.