Michele Norris

Michele Norris. An acclaimed American journalist and author, she is best known for her tenure as a co-host of National Public Radio's flagship news program, All Things Considered. Norris gained further prominence for founding The Race Card Project, a narrative initiative exploring identity and race in America. Her distinguished career in broadcast journalism and her influential work on national conversations about race have earned her numerous accolades, including a prestigious Peabody Award.

Early life and education

Michele Norris was born in Minneapolis and raised in a working-class neighborhood. Her father, Belvin Norris, worked at a General Motors plant, and her mother, Betty Norris, was a hairdresser. She attended North Community High School before enrolling at the University of Minnesota. At the university, she studied electrical engineering before switching her major to journalism, graduating with a degree from the University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts. Her early journalistic work included positions at the Star Tribune and WCCO-TV in her hometown, providing a foundation in local news reporting.

Career in journalism

Norris began her national journalism career at The Washington Post, where she covered crime, politics, and housing. She later worked as a correspondent for ABC News, reporting for programs like World News Tonight and contributing to Nightline. In 2002, she joined National Public Radio as a host and special correspondent, becoming the first African American woman to host All Things Considered. During her decade on the program, she interviewed prominent figures including Barack Obama, covered major events like the September 11 attacks, and reported from locations such as Cairo during the Arab Spring. After stepping down from the daily host role in 2012, she continued at NPR as a special correspondent and later launched the NPR Race Card Project segment. She has also served as an executive producer for The Peabody Awards and hosts the podcast Your Mama's Kitchen.

The Race Card Project

In 2010, Norris founded The Race Card Project, which invites people to distill their thoughts on race and identity into just six words. The project began as an extension of her memoir, The Grace of Silence, which explored her own family's racial history. The initiative quickly grew into a massive archive of personal narratives, receiving tens of thousands of submissions from across the United States and around the world. It has been featured in exhibitions at institutions like the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History and Culture and has inspired community dialogues and educational curricula. The project's innovative approach to storytelling has been recognized with awards and has significantly contributed to public discourse on civil rights and cultural understanding.

Awards and recognition

Throughout her career, Michele Norris has received widespread recognition for her journalistic excellence and contributions to public dialogue. She is a recipient of a Peabody Award for her co-hosting role on All Things Considered and the coverage of the September 11 attacks. She has also been honored with an Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award and the University of Georgia's George Foster Peabody Award. In 2009, she was named Journalist of the Year by the National Association of Black Journalists. Her memoir, The Grace of Silence, was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Norris has been awarded several honorary doctorates from institutions including Northwestern University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Personal life

Norris was previously married to author and journalist A'Lelia Bundles, a descendant of Madam C.J. Walker; the couple had two children together before divorcing in 2015. In 2023, she married Broderick Johnson, a former advisor to President Barack Obama and a partner at the Bryn Mawr Trust. She serves on the boards of several organizations, including the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics and the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C.. Norris is also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Category:American journalists Category:African-American journalists Category:Peabody Award winners Category:1961 births Category:Living people