Robert G. McGruder wins NABJ Legacy Award
The National Association of Black Journalists has selected longtime Detroit Free Press executive editor Robert G. “Bob” McGruder as the recipient of the 2018 NABJ Legacy Award.
Presented annually to a print, broadcast, digital or photojournalist of extraordinary accomplishment who has broken barriers and blazed trails, McGruder’s stellar career perfectly embodies the spirit of the award. McGruder, who died in 2002, is posthumously granted this honor due to his legacy of living the actions necessary to improve newsroom diversity and journalism overall.
As an experienced newsroom leader, McGruder understood implicit bias and hired in spite of it. His mentorship created a legion of award-winning writers, editors and managers – many of whom went on to be top newsroom leaders themselves.
“Bob wanted to make sure that people in the newsroom wrote news that reflected the community,” says Rochelle Riley, a metro columnist for the Detroit Free Press. She is one of many writers hired, and pu
