Together they possess more than one hundred years of network television experience. They have reported hundreds of stories. Their faces have flashed on the millions of television screens.
But on Thursday Oct. 22, 2009, five black CBS network newsmen shared one stage for a historic coming together in Tallahassee, Fla.
Harold Dow, Russ Mitchell, Byron Pitts, Randall Pinkston and Bill Whitaker appeared at a public event together for the first time to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Florida A&M University School of Journalism and Graphic Communication.
Kim Godwin, a senior producer for the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, organized the event. A FAMU alum, Godwin was director of the school’s division of journalism before she went to the network. Godwin said when she emailed the five journalists about the event they all immediately responded. All said yes. One person said, “absolutely.”
The forum was an inspiring, emotional and educational exercise. Each journalist talked about his journey from anonymity to network news then aired one of his favorite stories.
More than 40 years ago, Dow began his television career in Omaha, Neb., where he was the first African American to appear on the local station. Since 1990 he has been a correspondent for 48 Hours. Prior to that he was a correspondent for the CBS newsmagazine Street Stories and a reporter for the CBS Evening News. Dow has been recognized for his work with five Emmy awards, including one for a story on American troops’ movement into Bosnia.
Dow shared the story that aired on inauguration day when he spoke to the widow of Medgar Evers and her children about the meaning of Barak Obama’s election to the presidency of the United States. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/20/national/inauguration09/main4741387.shtml
When the piece was done, there was hardly a dry eye in the room. Even Dow, a tough, no-nonsense newsman, was in tears. He got a lengthy standing ovation.
That emotion deeply affected Pinkston, who is from Jackson, Miss. He spoke about Evers appearing on local television to make the case for civil rights – it was part of the Fairness Doctrine- and how he became the target of white hatred. Pinkston’s voice broke as he spoke of the historical significance of Evers’ sacrifice and the opportunities it created in the television industry for journalists of color.
Pinkston, who has been a New York based-CBS News correspondent since 1994, shared his 2007 story about the young man who went from living on the streets of Baltimore to playing for the Morgan State football team.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/12/04/eveningnews/main3575848.shtml
Mitchell has been with CBS News since 1992, when he was a co-anchor of the overnight show, Up to the Minute. For the past three years, he has been anchor of the CBS Evening News Sunday Edition and the Early Morning Show. Mitchell shared his interview with Maya Angelou as she responded to the Don Imus controversy a few years ago. Angelou’s “Don I messed up Imus” line was unforgettable. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n9Pq1LNLwM
Pitts was promoted to correspondent for 60 Minutes and chief national for The CBS evening News with Katie Couric in 2008. He was one of the network’s leading reporters covering the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. He received an Emmy award for his coverage. He spoke of his early struggles. He didn’t learn to read until he was 12 years old. A therapist recommended that he be institutionalized. He stammered terribly until he was 20. When he went to CBS, a producer told him he wasn’t good enough to be at the network. Pitts’ motto: plan your work; work your plan. Set definite, reachable goals. Find five people whose job you want. Then figure out how they got where they were. He cited Sam Donaldson, the former ABC White House correspondent. Pitts didn’t want to be obnoxious like Donaldson. Dan Rather -he worked hard. Diane Sawyer. She was graceful and classy. “You can’t accept no for an answer,” he said.
He also credited his mother’s unwavering faith. She wears a mustard seed in a locket on chain around her neck. His favorite story was the piece on the Iraqi war veteran Carmelo Rodriguez, who died of a misdiagnosed melanoma and whose family was trying to sue the federal government for medical malpractice. The piece was all the more powerful because Rodriguez died while Pitts and the camera crew were at his home. Federal law may be changed as a result of this case. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/19/eveningnews/main4109454.shtml
Whitaker, who is from the Philadelphia area, is the CBS News correspondent based in Los Angeles, where he covers the US-Mexico border, illegal immigration and the Mexican drug wars. He was the lead reporter for both O.J Simpson trials. Whitaker shared a story about the desperate journey Salvadorans make to reach U.S borders.
