African- Americans reveal their journey through journalism

Newsrooms don’t know the value of diversity, according to author, professor and columnist John Fountain. Race and discrimination have always played a role in his career, he said.

“I would be lying if I said that I did not face discrimination and racism in newsrooms,” Fountain said.

“I think to some degree, race has always played a factor in my career, and I think it always will,” he said.

Fountain has 25 years' experience in journalism. He's written for The New York Times, the Washington Post and the Chicago Tribune, and he's currently a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times.

According to Fountain, being a dark-skinned African-American male and serious guy has negatively affected him in the newsroom. There was a time at the Chicago Tribune when an editor, who was white, pulled him aside and told him she was afraid of him, he said. The editor said she was intimidated by his silence, Fountain said.

“As a black journalist in particular, it can be lonely sometimes in newsrooms,” he said.

Fountain also alluded to newsrooms lacking an understanding of different cultures. Because of that, black journalists often have to prove themselves worthy to their counterparts, he said.

“Sometimes black reporters are incompetent until proven competent, where white reporters are competent until proven incompetent,” Fountain said. He said other black journalists in the field told him how to survive.

“You have to make them think you’re an Oreo -- black on the outside but really white on the inside,” Fountain said.

But the color of a journalist shouldn't matter because the field is tough for everyone, he said. Fountain said that he could do his job anywhere because he’s trained, competent and passionate.

“I cannot deny as a journalist that I am an African-American. But I’m a journalist. If you give my oxygen to send me to the moon, I’ll do my job,” he said.

Aggrey Sam, Chicago Bulls beat reporter for Comcast SportsNet and Fountain have had similar experiences. He remembers being the only minority at several publications early in his career, he said. According to Sam, when you’re outnumbered in a situation your focus is to play nice and get along with everyone. But that can be difficult when others don’t understand your culture, he said.

“Sometimes people don’t mean harm when they say things but people don’t have the same world views as you do," Sam said.

“As a black journalist, you know you have to ... not adopt others people's views on things, but at least come to understand them. But they don’t always have to do the same with our culture,” he said.

But race isn’t the only issue he’s encountered and Sam has had some positive people influence his life, he said. From his experience, Sam met mentors who provided guidance and that‘s what’s lacking in newsrooms, he said.

“I would say it’s a racial issue to a lesser degree. I think it’s more about not knowing about some of these opportunities or people not always reaching out … when somebody is younger in the field,” Sam said.

He said no one is obligated to help the younger generation but exposing kids at an early age could bridge the diversity gap, he said.

“We are not always aware of the opportunities early on and that comes from not having as many professionals in the field,” Sam said.

Sam grew up in Washington D.C. and graduated from Temple University with a bachelors in journalism, he said. Sam attended an inner-city high school that was predominantly black and he says he wasn't prepared for college, he said. From his understanding, some inner city schools are focused on meeting minimum requirements to receive funding, where some white private schools are focused on a college prep curriculum.

“We’re more pushed in the direction to pass the test, get out of high school, you know, and ... if we go to college, great. Then you have to figure it out for yourself,” Sam said.

“We don’t always have the best preparation for whatever reason unfortunately, and this leads to not having the credentials always necessary for a job,” he said.

Christopher Cason, a Chicago native and freelance journalist for Examiner.com agrees with Sam on schools preparing students early. Inner-city schools aren’t equipped with updated books and technology, Cason said. Suburban schools in Oak Park and River Forest, have smart classrooms that are Mac-integrated in third grade, he said.

“We don’t get that in grammar school in the Chicago public school system, we don’t get that ... in high school,” Cason said.

“It’s just not getting the proper resources coming up. I feel to be able to be put in a position to where we have the tools necessary to be successful at these positions,” he said.

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Cason and Sam say they were able to overcome these education obstacles because they had strong mothers who motivated them and never let them to quit.

One commonality all these black journalists share is there’s a certain mannerism black journalists have to abide by in the newsroom, they all said.

Presentation is everything, Cason said. When he’s in a professional setting, he knows always to use correct English and stay away from slang to avoid certain stereotypes of African-Americans.

“You have to carry yourself, you know, as a representation of not just yourself but of the black community, in general,” Cason said.

“It almost an honor in a way, but you know you have so much more responsibility,” he said.

That responsibility Cason is referring to is not only working hard but also committing to excellence, Fountain said.

“Ultimately, you got to be good,” he said.