Tracy Clayton facts for kids

Tracy Clayton was born on April 29, 1982. She is an American writer and podcaster. Her work has been praised by magazines like Fast Company and Ebony. The Root called her a "superstar" who "writes big, funny things."

Tracy was the co-host of the popular BuzzFeed podcast Another Round. She also hosts the Netflix podcast Strong Black Legends. On this show, she talks to famous African Americans in the entertainment world. Tracy and Josh Gwynn also host the podcast Back Issue. This podcast looks back at past pop culture moments and how they affect us today.

Early Life and Education

Tracy Clayton grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. She went to Transylvania University in Lexington. There, she earned her bachelor's degree.

Tracy's Career Journey

Tracy Clayton has written for many different publications. These include Madame Noire, Uptown Magazine, and HuffPost. She also wrote for The Root.

From 2014 to 2018, she worked full-time at BuzzFeed. While there, she created a popular Tumblr page called "Little Known Black History Facts." This page was also featured on her podcast, Another Round.

From 2016 to 2017, Tracy was a special expert at Wake Forest University. She was the Ida B. Wells Media Expert-in-Residence at the Anna Julia Cooper Center.

Another Round Podcast

Tracy Clayton and her co-worker Heben Nigatu started Another Round on March 25, 2015. BuzzFeed produced this podcast. The show quickly became very popular and received great reviews.

The A.V. Club said Tracy and Heben were "passionate and sharp." Many places named Another Round one of the "Best of 2015" podcasts. These included iTunes, Slate, and The Atlantic.

An Okayplayer article called Tracy "one of the sharpest voices in the podcast game." Elle magazine praised Tracy and Heben. They said the hosts mixed humor, politics, and honest observations perfectly. Critic Sasha Frere-Jones also called them "leading American cultural critics."

Tracy Clayton left BuzzFeed in September 2018. Many other people who worked on BuzzFeed's original podcasts also left around that time.

Strong Black Legends Podcast

On February 11, 2019, Netflix launched a new podcast. It was called Strong Black Legends and Tracy Clayton was the host. The podcast interviews famous Black actors and creators in Hollywood.

The first episode came out on February 12, 2019. The guest was actress Lynn Whitfield. Strong Black Legends quickly became very popular. It reached No. 1 on Apple's TV Film & Podcast chart. In 2021, it won a Webby award for Podcasts - Television & Film.

Back Issue and Going Through It

Tracy Clayton also hosts the podcast Going Through It. This show was launched by Mailchimp in July 2020. It features interviews with 14 important Black women.

In August 2020, Back Issue debuted. Tracy hosts this podcast with Josh Gwynn. Pineapple Street Studios produces Back Issue. The podcast explores important moments in pop culture history. Tracy and Josh had worked together before on the Netflix podcast, Strong Black Legends. In 2023, Back Issue won Best Culture Podcast at the Black Podcasting Awards.

Awards and Recognition

Tracy Clayton has received several awards for her work:

• Fast Company named her one of the "Most Creative People" in 2016.
• The Root included her in "The Root 100" list in 2016.
• Ebony magazine recognized her in their "Power 100" list as a "Disruptor" in 2017.

Personal Life

Tracy Clayton lives in Brooklyn, New York.