Peter Benjaminson

Biography

UPDATE - 11/​01/​12 - PETER'S NEW BOOK, "MARY WELLS: THE TUMULTUOUS LIFE OF MOTOWN'S FIRST SUPERSTAR," HAS JUST BEEN PUBLISHED. CLICK ON "MARY WELLS" LINK UNDER "QUICK LINKS" (BELOW LEFT) TO VISIT WWW.MARYWELLSBOOK.COM FOR REVIEWS, COMMENTARY, SELECTIONS FROM THE BOOK, PURCHASE INFORMATION, ETC.

UPDATE -08/​05/​11- PETER'S PREVIOUS BOOK, "THE LOST SUPREME: THE LIFE OF DREAMGIRL FLORENCE BALLARD" (LAWRENCE HILL BOOKS/​CHICAGO REVIEW PRESS, 2008) IS NOW BEING MADE INTO A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING TERRY DEXTER AND JON HEDER.

Peter Benjaminson was born in Washington, D.C. and was a reporter and City-County Bureau Chief for the Detroit Free Press from 1970-76. While at the Free Press, he wrote the book Investigative Reporting, with Dave Anderson (Indiana University Press, 1976 and Iowa State University Press, 1990), the first how-to book in that field. It was in print for 20 years.

In 1979 he wrote The Story of Motown (New York: Grove Press), the first U.S. book ever written about the Motown Record Company. From 1979 to 1981 he was a reporter for the Atlanta Journal and the Atlanta Journal Constitution. He taught journalism at Binghamton University, New York University, and Columbia University from 1981-91. In 1984, he wrote Death in the Afternoon: America's Big-City Newspapers Struggle For Survival (Andrews, McMeel) the first and only book about the death of afternoon newspapers in America's big cities. In 1992, he wrote Publish Without Perishing (National Education Association and National Writers Union); and in 1997, he wrote Secret Police: Inside The New York City Department of Investigation (New York: Barricade Books).

From 1991-1994 he was the spokesman for the NYC Department of Investigation. He was Assistant Editor of the Chief Leader newspaper in New York City from 1994-1998 and the spokesman for the NYC Correction Officers Benevolent Association from 1998-2003. In 2003 and 2009 he was the spokesman for Members for Change in NYC Teamsters Local 237.

In 2008 he wrote The Lost Supreme: The Life of Dreamgirl Florence Ballard (Lawrence Hill Books/​Chicago Review Press.) His next book, "Mary Wells: The Tumultuous Life of Motown's First Superstar," the first biography of Mary "My Guy" Wells ever written, was released by Chicago Review Press on November 1, 2012.

He lives in New York City.