Mark Whitaker (journalist) facts for kids

Mark Whitaker, born on September 7, 1957, is an American writer, journalist, and media leader.

He was the editor of Newsweek magazine from 1998 to 2006. He was the first African-American to lead a major national news magazine. From 2004 to 2006, Whitaker was president of the American Society of Magazine Editors. He also worked as a senior vice president and Washington bureau chief for NBC News. From 2011 to 2013, he was an executive vice president and managing editor at CNN Worldwide.

Whitaker has written several books. These include My Long Trip Home (2011), a family story; Cosby: His Life and Times (2014), about Bill Cosby; and Smoketown: The Untold Story of the Other Great Black Renaissance (2018), about the African-American community in Pittsburgh. He also wrote Saying It Loud: 1966 – The Year Black Power Challenged the Civil Rights Movement (2023). His book The Afterlife of Malcolm X: An Outcast Turned Icon's Enduring Impact on America was released in early 2025.

In 2008, Essence magazine named him one of the 25 most influential African-Americans. Whitaker is also a juror for the Peabody Awards, which honor excellence in media.

Mark Whitaker's Life and Career

Early Life and Education

Mark Whitaker was born near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He studied at Harvard College and graduated with high honors in 1979. While there, he worked on the student newspaper, The Harvard Crimson.

After Harvard, he went to Balliol College at Oxford University in England. He studied international relations from 1979 to 1981 as a Marshall Scholar. This scholarship helps talented American students study in the United Kingdom.

A Career in Journalism

Whitaker became the editor of Newsweek magazine in 1998. He was the first African-American to lead a national news magazine. During his time as editor, from 1998 to 2006, Newsweek won four National Magazine Awards. These awards were for its coverage of important events like the 9/11 attacks, the Iraq War, and the 2004 elections.

From 2004 to 2006, Whitaker also served as the president of the American Society of Magazine Editors. This group helps magazine editors share ideas and improve their work.

Later, Whitaker became a senior vice president and Washington bureau chief for NBC News. He took over this role in 2008. In this job, he managed all of NBC's news reporting and production from Washington, D.C. He oversaw coverage during the 2008 election and the early years of the Obama presidency. He also appeared on TV as a news analyst.

From 2011 to 2013, he was an executive vice president and managing editor at CNN Worldwide. At CNN, he managed daily news coverage. He also helped start CNN Films, which makes documentaries. He also convinced CNN to hire food and travel writer Anthony Bourdain for his show Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. Whitaker later said that Bourdain's show was "journalism" because it covered less-reported countries.

Today, Whitaker is a contributing correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning. He also continues to serve as a juror for the Peabody Awards.

Books by Mark Whitaker

In 2011, Mark Whitaker published My Long Trip Home. This book is a memoir about his family. It tells the story of his parents' interracial marriage. His father was a Black scholar, and his mother was a White French immigrant. Her father, Edouard Theis, helped save Jewish people during World War II in France. The book was praised by critics and was a finalist for important book awards.

In 2018, Whitaker released Smoketown: The Untold Story of the Other Great Black Renaissance. This book explores the rich history of the African-American community in Pittsburgh. His father grew up there, and his grandparents owned funeral homes in the city. The book connects the stories of famous artists from Pittsburgh. These include musicians like Billy Strayhorn, Billy Eckstine, and Mary Lou Williams. It also features influential journalists from The Pittsburgh Courier, a Black newspaper. The book shows how Pittsburgh shaped the careers of figures like Joe Louis and Jackie Robinson. Experts on Black history and Pittsburgh's local history praised the book. They said it was an important look at African-American achievements and challenges in the mid-20th century.

In 2023, Whitaker published Saying It Loud: 1966—The Year Black Power Challenged the Civil Rights Movement. This book describes the key events of 1966 that changed American history. It covers the rise of Stokely Carmichael and the popular phrase "Black Power". It also talks about the founding of the Black Panther Party by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale. The book also mentions the first Kwanzaa celebration. Saying It Loud was named one of the Washington Post's 50 best nonfiction books of 2023.

His book The Afterlife of Malcolm X: An Outcast Turned Icon's Enduring Impact on America was released in early 2025. In this book, Whitaker looks at the lasting influence of civil rights leader Malcolm X.

Awards and Recognition

In 2008, Essence magazine recognized Mark Whitaker as one of the 25 most influential African-Americans. He also has an honorary degree from Wheaton College (Massachusetts). He gave the commencement speech there in 1999. His mother taught French literature at Wheaton College for 30 years.

Personal Life

Mark Whitaker is married to Alexis Gelber. She was also a long-time editor at Newsweek magazine.