Gil Robertson IV facts for kids

Gil Robertson IV was born on August 13, 1964, in Los Angeles, California. He is an African-American journalist and author. He also leads the African American Film Critics Association. This group is important for reviewing movies and TV shows.

Early Life and School

Gil Robertson went to South Park Elementary School in Los Angeles. He later studied at California State University, Los Angeles. He earned a degree in political science there. This means he learned about how governments work.

What He Does

Gil Robertson writes for many well-known newspapers and magazines. These include the Los Angeles Times, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Black Enterprise, and Essence Magazine. He also started and edits his own column. It is called the Robertson Treatment Syndicated Column (RTSC). This column is very popular. It shares stories about city life for African American readers.

As an author, Gil Robertson has written for several books. He helped write Souls of My Brother. He also often writes for the African American Almanac. His first book, Writing As A Tool of Empowerment, came out in 2003. In 2006, he edited a book called Not in My Family: AIDS in the African American Community. This book is a collection of essays about the AIDS epidemic. He also edited another book called Family Affair: What It Means To Be African American Today.

In 2016, Gil Robertson spoke out about a big issue. This was about the Academy Awards (Oscars). For two years in a row, all the actors nominated for awards were white. The head of the Academy, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, had said there was no problem. But Gil Robertson felt it was "offensive." He said it showed a lack of diversity. He asked for big changes in Hollywood and at the Oscars. He did not ask people to boycott the awards. Instead, his group works with others to make Hollywood more diverse.

Gil Robertson is a member of the National Press Club. He lives in both Los Angeles and Atlanta.

Awards He's Won

Gil Robertson has been recognized for his work:

• NAACP Image Award
  • 2006: Nominated for Best Literary Nonfiction for Not In My Family
• African American Literacy Award
  • 2007: Nominated for Best Non-Fiction for Not In My Family