Deborah Mathis facts for kids

Deborah Myers Mathis, born on August 24, 1953, is an American journalist and writer. She has had a long and successful career in news. She started as a reporter for a big newspaper in Arkansas. She also worked in TV news in places like Little Rock and Washington, D.C. She even reported from the White House! Later, she returned to Arkansas to write for another newspaper.

Early Life and School

Deborah Mathis was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on August 24, 1953. Her parents were Rev. Lloyd H. Myers and Rachel A. Helms Myers. She went to several schools in Little Rock. At Little Rock Central High School, she made history. She became the first Black person and the first girl to be the editor of the school's newspaper. This was a big achievement!

Her News Career

In 1973, Deborah Mathis started working as a reporter for Channel 11 Dateline News. She reported for newspapers like the Arkansas Democrat and the Arkansas Gazette. These newspapers later joined together. She also worked for TV stations KARK-Channel 4 and KATV-Channel 7.

She wrote columns for the Arkansas Gazette. She was also the first Black person to join the Arkansas Gazette editorial board. This board helps decide what opinions the newspaper shares.

From 1993 to 2000, she was a White House correspondent for Gannett. This meant she reported on the President and important news from the White House. In 2000, she was chosen for a special program at Harvard University. There, she studied how race was shown in news reports.

Throughout the 1990s, Deborah Mathis was often seen on TV news shows. She appeared on shows like America's Black Forum and Oprah. She also wrote columns that were printed in many newspapers across the country. You might have heard her as a commentator on NPR.

From 2003 to 2006, Mathis was a professor. She taught at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.

Awards and Recognition

• In 2003, Deborah Mathis was honored. She was welcomed into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame.

About Her Life

Today, Deborah Mathis is a freelance writer. This means she writes for different places and projects. She lives in McLean, Virginia. She has three grown children and three granddaughters.