Howard Witt leaves Chicago Tribune after quarter century of reporting

Award winning journalist Howard Witt announced that he has left the Chicago Tribune.  Witt came to national prominence for his reporting of race related stories in Paris, Texas and Jena, Louisiana in 2007.

The Pulitzer Prize nominated Witt says that he is moving in a new direction.  “After a quarter-century run at the Chicago Tribune as a reporter, correspondent and editor,” Witt says, “I recently left the paper to take up a new challenge as the Senior Managing Editor at Stars and Stripes, the editorially-independent newspaper serving America’s military men and women and their families overseas.”

I have developed a good working relationship with Mr. Witt over the years after he became one of the first newspaper reporters to bring national attention to African-American activism online.  My family and I even met Howard out for dinner last fall.  

His reporting of ShaQuanda Cotton and the Jena 6 made the entire media industry reevaluate the way they were covering people of color.  He maintained a relationship with the black blogosphere after those stories, a lesson that black media members and outlets could learn from.

I’m sure Howard will do well in his future endeavors.  I pray that all goes well for he and his family in this transition.