Jarrett, Vernon Daurice
1918-2004 · Contribution: 1946-1995
Columnist; broadcaster
Became the first African American syndicated columnist at both the Chicago Tribune (1970) and the Chicago Sun-Times (1983), writing nearly 4,000 columns over a 50-year career and co-founding the National Association of Black Journalists in 1975
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Quick facts
- Born
- 1918, Saulsbury, Tennessee
- Active since
- 1946
- Category
- Press & Photography
- Best known for
- First Black syndicated columnist at both major Chicago dailies; NABJ co-founder
Impact on the world
Jarrett broke the columnist color line at Chicago's major papers and built lasting institutions, NABJ and ACT-SO, while helping engineer Harold Washington's election as the city's first Black mayor.
Sources
- BlackPast.org
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