Jemele Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jemele Hill
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Hill in 2020
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| Born |
Jemele Juanita Hill
December 21, 1975 Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
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| Education | Michigan State University (BA) |
| Occupation | Sports journalist |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Ian Wallace
(m. 2019) |
Jemele Juanita Hill (JƏ-mel; born December 21, 1975) is an American sports journalist. She is known for her work at ESPN, where she hosted popular shows like His & Hers and SC6. Later, she became a writer for The Atlantic magazine.
In 2017, she won an Emmy Award for a news special. Hill is also a co-founder of a film and production company called Lodge Freeway Media. She published her autobiography, Uphill: A Memoir, in 2022.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jemele Hill was born in Detroit, Michigan, on December 21, 1975. She moved to Houston with her mother in 1980. Later, they moved back to Detroit.
Hill graduated from Mumford High School in 1993. She then went on to Michigan State University, where she earned her degree in 1997.
A Career in Sports Journalism
Jemele Hill has had a long and successful career in sports journalism. She started by writing for newspapers. Then, she moved into television and online media.
Newspaper Reporting Days
Hill began her career as a general sports writer. She worked for the Raleigh News & Observer. From 1999 to 2005, she was a sports writer for the Detroit Free Press. There, she mainly covered Michigan State football and basketball. She also reported on big events like the 2004 Summer Olympics. From 2005 to 2006, Hill worked as a columnist for the Orlando Sentinel.
Working at ESPN
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Jemele Hill joined ESPN in November 2006. She started as a national columnist for ESPN.com. She also appeared regularly on TV shows. These included SportsCenter and ESPN First Take. She also worked as a sideline reporter for college football games.
In 2008, Hill faced a challenge. She was suspended for one week. This happened after she made a controversial comparison in an article. She later wrote that she felt embarrassed about it. She said her suspension was "a punishment that I deserved." This experience taught her an important lesson.
His & Hers Show
In 2011, Hill and Michael Smith started a podcast called His & Hers. It became very popular. Because of this, ESPN added Hill to Smith's TV show in 2013. The show was first called Numbers Never Lie. A year later, it was renamed His & Hers.
The show covered sports, but also social topics. It discussed relationships and pop culture. Hill and Smith were known for their friendly style. They often agreed and didn't just argue for TV. His & Hers ran until January 2017.
Hosting SportsCenter
On February 6, 2017, Hill and Michael Smith became anchors for SportsCenter. This is ESPN's main sports news show. Their 6 p.m. show was called "SC6 with Michael and Jemele". It focused on their unique personalities.
In September 2017, Hill posted some comments on Twitter. She shared her personal opinions about a political leader. ESPN stated that her comments did not represent the company. Hill later clarified that she stood by her personal beliefs. She also said she regretted that her comments made ESPN look bad.
In October 2017, ESPN suspended Hill for two weeks. This was for breaking their social media rules again. She had suggested fans upset with a team owner's comments should boycott sponsors. On January 25, 2018, ESPN announced Hill would leave SC6. She moved to The Undefeated. This is ESPN's website that covers sports and race.
Writing for The Atlantic
On October 1, 2018, The Atlantic magazine announced that Jemele Hill was joining them. She became a staff writer for the magazine.
Podcast Host
On April 15, 2019, Hill launched her own podcast. It is called Jemele Hill is Unbothered. The podcast covers sports, politics, and culture. New episodes are released twice a week on Spotify. Hill says her podcast talks about "tricky intersections: race, gender, politics."
In 2020, she started another podcast with Van Lathan. It is called Way Down in the Hole. This podcast reviews each episode of the TV show The Wire.
Film and Television Work
Jemele Hill is also involved in film and television production. She is the co-founder of a company called Lodge Freeway Media.
In August 2020, Hill began co-hosting a show. It was called Cari & Jemele (Won't) Stick to Sports. She hosted it with Cari Champion on the Vice on TV network. In 2021, she played herself in the sports drama film National Champions. In 2022, she was cast in a documentary series for Showtime.
Awards and Recognition
Jemele Hill has received many honors for her work.
In 2007, she won the first McKenzie Cup. This award honors sports editor Van McKenzie. In 2017, she won an Emmy for Outstanding News Special. This was for the ABC News Special The President and The People.
In 2018, the National Association of Black Journalists named Hill Journalist of the Year. This was for her excellent work. In 2019, Worth magazine named her one of the 21 Most Powerful Women in Sports Business. She continues to be a respected voice in sports and media.
Published Works
- Uphill: A Memoir, Henry Holt and Company, New York, 2022.
