Contributed
Over the course of a journalistic career that has seen him interview multiple U.S. presidents to the top athletes and entertainers in Hollywood, Roland Martin is a journalist who has always maintained a clear sense of his calling in this world. Many have bestowed upon him the moniker, “The Voice of Black America.”
Martin is the host and managing editor of #RolandMartinUnfiltered, the first daily online show in history focused on news and analysis of politics, entertainment, sports and culture from an explicitly African American perspective. In 2021, Martin launched the Black Star Network, an OTT network that features a variety of shows focused on news, culture, finance, wellness, history and wellness.
An author of four books, Martin is a sought-after international speaker, delivering speeches and lectures to numerous groups annually, electrifying audiences with his deep understanding of history, politics and culture. He has been named four times by Ebony Magazine as one of the 150 Most Influential African Americans in the United States.
In his career, Martin has been showered with more than 40 awards for journalistic excellence, including being named the Journalist of the Year in 2013 by the National Association of Black Journalists for his extensive focus on voter suppression and other issues of concern to African Americans during the 2012 election. He is a four-time NAACP Image Award winner.
Martin is a life member of the National Association of Black Journalists and a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He is a board member of the education reform group, 50Can. Martin and his wife Rev. Jacquie Hood Martin reside in northern Virginia and the Dallas area.
Martin will kick off the 36th annual Midwest Black Family Reunion at as the keynote at BFR Speaks on Thursday, Aug. 15, at 7 p.m. ET at Corinthian Baptist Church. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.myblackfamilyreunion.org.