"A conversation with him moved on seven-league stilts, jumping quickly from subject to subject, not because of disjointedness, but simply because he understood everything you were trying to tell him with just a phrase or a sentence."
— Jim Fain, former editor of the Dayton Daily News

"He allowed his editors to speak to what they thought was the best interests of the community. He never would have thought of embarrassing them by explaining that many of this views were more conservative than their own."
— Reg Murphy, former editor of the Atlanta Constitution

"Tell those guys to go to hell. It's a newspaper's job to print the news."
— Jack Tarver, recounting Cox's reply to complaints by Atlanta city leaders over Page One coverage of sit-ins and demonstrations during the civil rights era.

"For you, communications media have been a means for creation of civic pride, urging of civil progress, denunciation of evil and indifference, and the praise of the right and good in communities."
— Wittenberg Univeristy president Clarence C. Stoughton

"I deeply regret the death of a figure of great stature and influence in American journalism."
— Jimmy Carter, then governor of Georgia

"Mr. Cox was one of the great men of journalism of our time."
— Reuben Askew, former governor of Florida

"God, do I thank him."
— Jim Fain, reminiscing on his editorial relationship with Cox.