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Roland Martin
Roland Martin 2017.jpg
Martin in 2017
Born
Roland Sebastian Martin

(1968-11-14) November 14, 1968 (age 56)
Occupation News reporter
Notable credit(s)
Chicago Defender, CNN
Spouse(s)
Deborah Duncan
(m. 1993⁠–⁠1999)
Jacquie Hood Martin
(m. 2001)

Roland Sebastian Martin (born November 14, 1968) is an American journalist. He was a commentator for TV One, the host of News One Now, and Washington Watch with Roland Martin.

He was also a CNN contributor, appearing on a variety of shows, including The Situation Room, Anderson Cooper's AC360, and many others. In October 2008, he joined the Tom Joyner Morning Show as senior analyst. He currently hosts a web series, Roland Martin Unfiltered on YouTube.

Books authored by Martin include Speak, Brother! A Black Man's View of America, Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith and The First: President Barack Obama's Road to the White House as originally reported by Roland S. Martin and White Fear: How the Browning of America is Making White Folks Lose Their Minds.

Life and career

Martin was born in Houston, Texas. His maternal great-grandparents had migrated from Haiti to Louisiana, where his family originates. He graduated with a B.S. in journalism from Texas A&M University and a master's degree in Christian communications from Louisiana Baptist University.

He is the former executive editor of the Chicago Defender.

From 2005 to 2008, Martin hosted a morning radio talk show on WVON in Chicago, and was with CNN as a contributor from 2007 to 2013. He guest-hosted Campbell Brown: No Bias, No Bull while Brown was on maternity leave in April and May 2009.

He became the host of TV One's first Sunday News show Washington Watch with Roland Martin in 2009. It ran for 4 years and is currently off the air.

In March 2013, Martin announced on Twitter that he was leaving CNN. His last day was on April 6, 2013.

It was announced on July 9, 2013, that Martin would be the host of TV One's first live one-hour, weekday morning news program titled NewsOne Now. The program premiered on November 4, 2013. On December 7, 2017, Martin announced on air that TV One had canceled the show due to low ratings from Black viewers, but that he would still remain involved with the network. On January 14, 2018, it was announced that Martin had won two NAACP Image Awards for the show.

Also, Roland hosted a three-hour radio show called The Roland Martin Show. He currently hosts a web series, Roland Martin Unfiltered on YouTube.

Issues

Martin has defended Michael Steele and other black Republicans against charges of being "Uncle Toms", arguing that the label is inappropriate.

List of broadcasts

  • Washington Watch with Roland Martin (2009–2013)
  • NewsOne Now (2013–2017)
  • The Roland Martin Show (2016, radio)
  • Roland Martin Unfiltered (2018–present)

Articles

  • "What to really do?"
  • "The new reality for Bush and the Democrats"
  • "Obama Birth Issue is Nutty"
  • "Roland Martin is on Watch"
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