Missing Pages: Black Journalists of Modern America: An Oral History

by Wallace Terry

An oral history of modern American journalism by trailblazing black journalists such as Ed Bradley, Max Robinson, and Karen Dewitt.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

384 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2007

Reviews

[Janelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at different black journalists and the situations they found themselves in while working at big newspapers, television stations and even as department heads in the federal government.

I initially picked the book up because one of my former professors is profiled. I knew Prof. (Ear) Caldwell was one of the only reporters present when Martin Luther King Jr. was killed and that he has done a lot of work with The Maynard Institute, but this book included the story of his experience of covering the Black Panther Party and then being approached by the FBI who asked him to be a spy. It was interesting.

My favorite profile was columnist Bill Rasberry's. As a columnist with the Washington Post, he had to make it clear that his opinions were his own and not the opinion of every African American. He also talks about how he covered the civil rights movement at that time and how he struggled between being a journalist and his loyalty to the black community.
My favorite graf:
"I'm not more a journalist than I am a black. I'm not more a black than I am a journalist. I'm not more a husband that I am a father...And I find that what works for me is to not even try to make the effort to separate them out. It's Bill Rasberry talking. And Bill Rasberry is all of these things and they are not detachable. They are one."

[Jamar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight on the history and struggles of black journalism.

[Beth Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, how I loved this book!! What an amazing group of people! Black journalists--print and broadcast, newspaper and magazine, talk about how they got into the field, about some of the major stories they covered, and some of the obstacles they faced. Ethel Payne was the first black woman to ask a question at a White House Press Conference. Ben Holman was the first black reporter for CBS. Ed Bradley writes about his experiences in Vietnam, and also how he worked his way up from volunteering at a radio station to working for CBS. Carl Rowan worked for Lyndon Johnson. Barbara Reynolds wrote the first biography of Jesse Jackson. These reporters covered the Emmett Till trial, went undercover with the Black Muslims, and travelled with guerrilla fighters in Angola. One filmed the assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan--his was the first film to get out to the media. He was just a few feet from the shooting, and managed to keep filming in the chaos. These journalists also talk about the discrimination they faced--they were usually the first blacks in whatever news organization they were in. Carole Simpson discusses the double whammy of being black and female. Max Robinson discusses his fight to anchor the ABC evening news--he was the first African-American to anchor a nightly newscast.

All these stories are told in a compelling way. Footnotes explain historical events and the roles of individuals mentioned in the histories. Accounts move from World War II to the 1980s and 1990s.