The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill recently decided not to award to New York
Times Magazine writer Nikole Hannah-Jones tenure.
The university’s decision to deny the lead author of The 1619 Project resulted in
criticism from various media members and associations such as the National
Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), which is the latest to criticize UNC-Chapel Hill
released a statement.
“The NABJ family has always been proud of her work and impact across the industry
and we have been hopeful about the positive influence she will have at the university in
producing the next generation of students, as she is a celebrated and respected Pulitzer
Prize-winning investigative journalist,” the statement said.
However, the statement won’t be the only manner in which the NABJ aides Hannah-
Jones. The association’s president Dorothy Tucker stated that they’ve reached out to
the university to learn why Hannah-Jones had tenure revoked, despite naming her to
the UNC Hussman School of Media and Journalism Knight Chair, a tenured position.
“If the speculations are true, then we denounce any decision to deny a distinguished
journalist tenure because she simply did her job by reporting facts about slavery in
America,” Tucker wrote.
“The university would be sending a message to its students that it does not support
press freedom and that seeking the truth and reporting it is not a pillar it believes should
be a part of our profession, and that the work of Black journalists, or any journalist, to
expose the ills of slavery and its impact on America is unmerited.”
Eduardo Razo is the Assistant Content Editor for BNM, which includes writing daily news stories on the news media industry. He can be found on Twitter @eddierazo_ or you can reach him by email at eddie1991razo@gmail.com.
