Reporting While Black – Two Howard University Journalism Students Confront The Danger Of Reporting In D.C. While Black

On a recent afternoon in Washington, D.C., Robert Hill and Boris Turner set out to do what every journalism professor asks of students: get into the city, ask questions, and come back with a story. They were armed with cameras, notebooks, and the confidence that comes from being young reporters at Howard University. The assignment was simple: document the presence of federal troops in the city and ask residents what it meant for Black communities.

What looked like another routine interview quickly became a crisis when the students noticed agents swarming a playground.  Their routine reporting turned into something else–an object lesson in what it means to report while Black. And in their own words, they want you to hear exactly how it unfolded.

Boris Turner is a senior broadcast journalism major at Howard University. He considers himself a Pan-Africanist and has always been interested in the progression of Black people. His work in journalism allows him to speak the facts freely, acknowledging, but not sparing any feelings. Check out his work on his personal blog.

Robert Hill is a senior honors student at Howard University studying broadcast journalism in the Cathy Hughes School of Communications. He’s passionate about storytelling that uplifts Black voices and sheds light on issues of community, culture and justice. He wants to focus on building platforms that inspire, inform, and create spaces for the Black community. Check out his work on his personal website.