Sponsor the tribune and cspan book tv todays program will be broadcast live on book tv if theres time at the end for q a we ask you to use the microphone located at the center of the room so the whole viewing audience can hear your question. Before we c begin please silence your cell phone and turn off camera flashes. Let me introduce you to our guest. A reporter and columnist president of the chicago Chapter National association of black journalists president of the Journalist Association please welcome from the suntimes. [applause] good morning. Thank you for being here today and joining us for what promises to be an inspiring and intriguing conversation. As a columnist at a major chicago newspaper and as a president of the chicago chapter i owe my career to Dorothy Gilman author of trailblazer a pioneering journalist yes i owe my career to Dorothy Gilliam and pioneer such as she those who endeared the struggles to be the first and the struggles associated with breaking down racial barriers. She was only 23 when hired at the Washington Post. Twentythree. The year was 1961 a time of civil unrest in the battle for racial equality. The first africanamerican reporter ever to be hired by the iconic newspaper but she was ignored and dismissed but by most of the white colleagues. Taxis would not stop for her but a doorman did when she arrived at the upscale Apartment Building to interview a white resident he informed her that made entrances in the back. The post not at the time would even cover the black Community Calling them unworthy of attention. Through it all she persisted with the highs and lows of a storied career of 50 years as the awardwinning journalist, editor, columnist and author. Feminist and civil rights activist mentor and scores of Young Journalist and aided directly in their education. She has gone on to earn a graduate degree from Columbia University to establish the Young Journalist developmentnt project to provide professional training and support to a Younger Generation are journalist and founded crime media movers with awardwinning journalist with High School Students who were aspiring to journalism careers. If you thought 23 was young she actually began her career at age 17. As a reporter for the black press in the segregated south in the 19 fifties. In 1936 in memphis tennessee her parents had ten children and only five survived. Was secretary at the louisville defender when one day the Society Editor got sick and she was asked to fill in the rest is history. That beat exposed a teenager from the projects to a world ndof high society enlarging her dream. She would distinguish by reporting on the integration of schools in little rock, and the tristate defender after college working on as an associatean editor at the jet and ebony magazine here in chicago before joining the post where she worked for more than 30 years before retiring in 2003. She overcame racism and sexism to be a successful columnist whose popular metro column talking about issues of equity politics and race spurred at the time she like many black generalist was the activist her dedication and commitment to that societal change to those coming behind her like the presidency of the National Association of black journalists. And organizationurst through the leadership of pioneers like her continue today will advocate forto diversity in the nations newsrooms and for equitable coverage for communities of color. As a trailblazer the author of the 1976 biography was a beautifully written memoir on turbulent decades over equity and civil rights and on one individual struggle with an africanamerican and a Woman Working in mainstream media. An opportunity which my generation admittedly takes for granted we are in for a treat not the least the author is interviewed by public radio anchor and host Jennifer White the host of the life talkshow morning shift when she took over the chair in january the 30 year veteran host went to managing director said the morning shift is vital to chicagos conversation to sponsor thoughtful public discord that connect chicago and to each other and the most important issue of an idea in our region. Her ability to ask the right questions at the right moment and her passion for the region come through each time she sits behind the microphone. A typical week on her show finds her broadcasting live from the historic inauguration of the first african woman mayor and then the next day at the Art Institute of chicago that was in order of line an overview of the career and then the very next day following the legislative session winding down and Rahm Emanuels new gig and then to highlight an organization as other support services for high risk of gun violence in chicago. Dynamic and charismatic and committed a better conversation this morning you cannot find ladies and gentlemen Dorothy Gilliam and author of trailblazer making the media look more like america in conversation with anchor and host wb easy radio. [applause] thank you for that introduction. I feel like i could pack up and go home now. That was amazing. When he said because my careers because of Dorothy Gilliam with this reaction but i know so many journalists would say exactly the samed thing. When you hear a black journalist say that, how does that make you feel . It is an unsettling feeling because sometimes i wonder who they are talking about. [laughter] but when you are engaged in doing what you are doing and going through what you are going through in that time. , you dont feel like a trailblazer per se. But it was ingrained in us in my generation of my family or church or community and not just pushing the door open for ourselves but for other people to follow. I remember at the post one of the things that white editors could not understand is you were here why are you worried about those who come behind you . So it was a different cultural upbringing and different family that we know when we go through hard times arees difficult time times, then it is not just for us. Going back to the formative years and that relationship is very important and for example my father as a minister would say there is no such word as cant and the whole sentence that you could do anything and so much of my later experience that something the Washington Post may have done and talking about my experience when somebody refused if they saw you on the streets or how you might feel. You were also bigger than what the world thought of you. And those kinds of messages early on they were not always comfortable to hear but that affirmation i got from my dad and mother was very important and i remember when i wrote my first article for the lord of the defender and then to get anrough it with those affirmations from my church and that was good. You will be all right. Those were the messages that gave me strength when the doorman thought that i was the maid and needed to go to the medes entrance that the editor said that all of those it wasnt easy to take but i knew that that would just be part of the next one. Specifically around the way after i was reading your book saying you grew up in segregatedha america and to be inspired to be less than how do they offset that message that you were less than because you were black . We often did it by telling the stories what they shared with us for example is the church over several districts my dad was a minister and told him to build the church so his job was to build the church and thats. And many of the people that say negative things about you were not doing that so i think that whole strong positive feeling about the rich cultural history was a part of my upbringing and when i get to the post and as an editor i was able to bring that culture to mainstream mediaf because and it would be positive in the culture rescue from the depictions so to bring another side of it black writers and artists and people like that but also the children and therefore humanity, that was part of the early upbringing. You are a black woman coming up at a time when opportunities for women or black women were limited to go but you write about with your whole education that there was encouragement for you to pursue a life out in the world to grow into whatever you can be. But go to that day when you walked into the Washington Post as the first black woman they hired how much did you feel the weight of that burden . I felt that strongly because from one of my professors at columbia and is one of the favorite professors but at the end of the semester said you have so many handicaps. What does that mean . [laughter] i read that four times trying to dissect what he meant. Today it would sound racist and sexist but i really think he was trying to prepare me for the realities of what i felt like that first day punching the bar and on the elevatorfi i had to invisible weights wine was race and another was gender. So i felt i had to the other people did not have so i would dive into the sea of white man and i was not sure i could swim. But i just had the faith if i did it day by day but i could not have articulated that at the time but i think i knew what i was diving into and that mightve helped when certain challenges arose. So when you work in a daily newspaperof you spent a considerable amount of time that was a very nurturing environment and very supportive. Why dont you think thats important to make that change . Part of the reason is the Civil Rights Movement in the mid fifties by the 1957 in the success of that but people were hearing we should go into these corporations and excel thats one of the messages that once again we were doing it at a certain time for go i dont think i would have articulated that at the time that we all knew in many ways we were pioneers. What those first few months at the Washington Post, its not the war list although you did have some support. Its difficult because i know i couldnt give up because a lot of things were happening. For example the fact its so hard to get taxicabs to do my assignment. A new i had to be a person who could be counted on to do it and get it back on deadline i could not come back every day and say i am late because of a cab. I had a secret weapon one of them may first two years of college i had a catholic Womens College one of eight young women who id integrated the college and transferred to the university of missouri when i decided i wanted to be a journalist. But i had learned shorthand because at that time they were expected to be secretary. Wso when i was trying to get a cab and writing my story in shorthand to type it and get it in on time. Im not saying i didnt never miss a deadline but i didnt miss many but using those things that i knew could help me. The other thing that helped me during the stressful times as i did seek out black ajournalist at other publications. At jet magazine the jewashington bureau booker was the head of that a woman named fann fanny, she reached out to me and helped me find my first apartment. She knew somebody was looking for a roommate so i could get a roommate on capitol hill. That was a long time until i got mugged and the newspapers you were late especially from the Washington Post. So now i needed another home and she found somebody else they had a room and a bath to rent and that was a wonderful solution and the black community helped as well. So i was just fortunate the things i have learned in the people i have met that they became part of the support structure but also gilbert wanted me to succeed and only ten years before he could only take it for a year and said im trying to work in a place like a dark cemetery that is segregated. So he understood my challenges. But invited me to a Cocktail Party and i met his wife and later word reach out to children. And i learned something from all of them especially the first Cocktail Party was the cultural differences between bewhite and black people with social events as ways to move the business ahead and i adopted that as i became a columnist it was a juggling act. Covering the i Civil Rights Movement your assignment to send you to mississippi. Reading about the dangers that you face as a black woman and a journalist covering these horrific incidents so explain how that impacted the way you thought about journalism. First of all this man named James Meredith who had the audacity to try to integrate the university of mississippi the bastion of white supremacy. So i thought he must be crazy and he turned out to be very independentminded. So i was assigned to cover the black community and i was so excited to do that different voices in different ifcommunities. So i landed in mississippi the anarchy on the campus with four failed attempts to be enrolled and finally slipped into the campus and enrolled the next day. As the anarchy was taking place. But practical things i had to think about like where was i going to t sleep . There is no hotel for black people in mississippi. I went to the black funeral home because thats often where black journalist go to get informatio information. And they said you can stay here in the funeral home and i could sleep among the dead if i had to. [laughter] and nobody bothered me. [laughter] but it did indicate how many strange beds black people had to sleep in and i didnt even have a green book. So what that showed me how important they had been to tell these black people because white people were not reading thee black press and that is so many things because theyoc were occurring in black communities but those reporters who almost had to slip into the south to get the news out those early reporters they would disguise themselves as preachers putting a bible under their arm so they wouldnt rise the ire of the shift on the sheriffs who would kill them and then in their close and pants for what they thought to do to go behind the curtain to get the story. So part of the experience of mississippi o and little rock was to show the challenges and some of the dangers but also the satisfaction when somebody actually succeeded. There is a fascinating part in the book when you go back to the university and asked students several decades later as someone who was there covering that history. It was stunning and encouraging talking to one particular young man when he said no i never heard of it. And a i told him about it. And then were walking by where James Meredith had lived by himself for the two years he was at old miss in with his cap turned backwards he took it off and turned it around and i appreciate what he did. So i was encouraged very often a young generation does not know but it gives them understanding and appreciation. And i hope courage. Going back to washington pos post, you are a columnist there in one of the things is you spoke directly to black people. There is a fascinating poem about bo derek. I knew how important it was for me not to feel the only thing i was seeing were images of people in the movies and on television and all that. So id love to tell those stories and i have 1500 that said you need to do a group. We will see about that. But i think the point is a lot of people who wanted it that knowledge in america was changing. The movement was moving women into places where they hadnt been before. So they wanted knowledge of how did other people deal with this. I was reminded when i interviewed Gloria Steinem many years ago, many years later and she said the very first article that she wrote about the Womens Movement and in other words if they can rise from oppression, we are also being oppressed so i think that thats the way the freedom movemenFreedom Movements impacted so many others in this country. Its fascinating and after the black power of the Civil Rights Movement, i call it the Freedom Movement than it was the Womens Movement, and after that, it was gay Rights Movement and after gay rights it was for the disabled and so all over the world as oppressed people were pushingre for freedom in tianann square they were saying we shall overcome. When the berlin wall came down they were saying we shall overcome. In the philippines they were singing we shall overcome. I think how a relatively small oppressed minority in america can produce change that has echoed all around the world. Its quite a positive contribution to t the world. And then to also come out of that still liking people and have profound ethical accomplishments. [laughter] youve spent a good amount c of your career creating opportunities for the other black journalists to define a pathway into this work. When did you understand the lack of diversity impacted the ability to cover america in a holistic way . I was rehired in the early 70s and when i got back, bob maynard was one of the star reporters. But he showed he had demonstrated to me was how important it was to have diversity in the media. He said america cant even understand itself if it is only seen through the eyes of one part of america. One of the things i was grateful for is when the urban rebellions of the 60s and president ially appointed mission said the media had been wrong and have so few that is one of the reasons the change started occurring but all of those things made me know how important it was and i think one of the things about america, its always that theyve never been willing to embrace some of the bad things that theyve done. I think there is a feeling that they want to think they are innocent. And i and i knew if we could start getting stories out there just to share other peoples stories and the things they could relate to on a regular basis, perhaps that would be part of people beginning to understand there is a lot of sometimes they are a bad brother. I think a lot of my colleagues especially colleagues of color are deeply concerned about m the and how itewsrooms affects coverage. What do you say to those that feel like not enough progress has been made . Are you encouraged looking at where we are today . Im deeply concerned about where we are today coming apartf the concern is the fact from the highest levels of government, media is to be stabilized by this isnt political and im not going to makee it that but a reader that talks about fake news and doesnt understand the ethical basis of the journalism that we practice. I remember going into the post and you walk into the lobby and the ethics that we represent and strive for, all those things are right there on the wall for alll to see. So part of the issue now is if the numbers t are dropping somef the diversity numbers are dropping any time when we need more diversity and more inclusiveness. The world is changing. Part of my concern is when i speak about the National Leadership and their attitude towards journalism is that we sometimethat suddenlysometimes d spoken of negatively from the highest quarters in the land ive heard occurred, and so thes extra pressure being put on some of the journalists for example thet. Black women journalists covering the white house now, so that i think is very disturbing. And the fact all of this is happening when journalism is in a state of change especially longform journalism. I am concerned because i know how difficult it is still organizations like the National Association of black journalism, those kind of organization are still important to keep this message out there and then individuals that are still inside of the newspapers doing the work of the journalists but also doing the work of diversity in many ways it is a double job and of course the diversity job is all volunteers hopefully it will continue to make a difference, but i think that we are just in a very unsettling right now. Nation we will have time a for a couple of questions. If you have a question you can stand at the microphone right in the center. Before we go to audience questions, there is probably in this audience here and watching on cspan people who are in the trenches right now your words of advice or encouragement for those of us who are doing this work and trying to continue the work you did in your career lifting as we climb. One piece of advice would be to get the help outside of the newsroom that you need at a personal level therapy, i certainly had my share into getting some of your information i think its also important to continue some kind of volunteer associations with organizations that are pushing for change because immature journalist also needs a mentor to whom they could speak day after day to say they can do it and consider doing it this way. I have my share of mentors and thats made such a difference. I think the other thing to the extent possible try not to take things trs personally that is wt you represent that is often under assault for that when you take care of yourself in the heat of the battle thats because you know that okay, im taking care of myself but i am also taking care of those who are coming behind me. Thank you very much. What an amazing conversation. I havent read the book yet but im going to be purchasing about a suprem Supreme Court justice s coming up at the same time as you were in washington. Is there anything you can share about Ruth Bader Ginsburg im curious if it is an influence if youve ever b interviewed her in anything you can comment on that would be appreciated. Ive neve ever had the pleasf interviewing Ruth Bader Ginsburg. That would have been a marvelous experience to. I just have a great deal of respect and admiration for her and she is really taking the leadership in so many of the issues of reproduction rights and issues that are important to women. I think that is our time. Its been such a pleasure to talk with you. And thank you for sharing your journey with us and for your encouraging words. I hope all of my colleagues here in the audience today that we do you proud going forward. You do me proud by everything you do. And thank you for taking the time to not only read the book, but to be in conversation with me today. It was truly my pleasure. [applause] i want to say thank you. May your tradition lives on. Thank you for attending the program if you want to purchase any books and get them signed, they will be here at t the entrance. Have a good day. [applause] [inaudible conversations]
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