Amazing Donation to WaPo GoFundMe; What About Black Journalists?
- Black Press Media USA
- 3 days ago
- 1 min read
Black Press Media USA
Dorothy Butler Gilliam made history in 1961 as the first Black woman ever hired as a reporter at the Washington Post. When the Jeff Bezos-owned newspaper decided to fire much of its staff, including just about every single Black journalist, a GoFundMe was started to assist those out-of-work and struggling reporters.
Gilliam, 89, opened her wallet to the tune of $10,000, a spectacular display of a humble, not-forgetting-where-I-came-from attitude and putting her money where her mouth is. “I was inspired by the people who work at the paper who continue to make a significant difference in the city,” Gilliam said of her large donation.
The question now begs the answer: What about Black journalists? For nearly a century, the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) has represented the Black Press of America, which was founded 199 years ago this month in New York. After years of declining revenue and the Trump administration's policies that have paved the way for companies to stop financially supporting the Black Press, the NNPA could no longer pay its employees, leading to massive furloughs in December 2025. According to NNPA President Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., the NNPA has still not paid salaries in 2026, leaving Black journalists jobless and unable to care for their families, rising healthcare costs, and other necessities.
That GoFundMe began long before the Washington Post. In fact, two GoFundMe's and about $3,000 later, no one is riding on their white horses as of yet to assist Black journalists. Will it be you? Donate here.
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