Charlayne Hunter-Gault, the first black student to graduate from the University of Georgia, spoke Monday to about 90 students, faculty and community members as part of the Medill School of Journalism’s Crain Lecture Series.
Hunter-Gault, who played a key role in integrating public institutions in America, discussed issues ranging from AIDS to democratization.
Now CNN’s African bureau chief, Hunter-Gault is based in Johannesburg. Covering news in Africa had long been her dream, Hunter-Gault said. When she first arrived in 1985, she faced obstacles because the African government did not accredit the press.
“It was a very dark time in South Africa,” Hunter-Gault said. “The journalists were under tremendous pressure not to tell the story.”
Hunter-Gault said she has witnessed Africa’s ongoing attempt to democratize. She expressed frustration at America’s lack of constructive support.
“People don’t want to hear how to run their country,” she said. “You have to respect them and where they are developmentally and psychologically. You have to go in with an open mind.”
For example, Hunter-Gault said she visited Sudan shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. She said some people there agreed with Americans, but others supported terrorist organizations, including al-Qaida.
“On one hand they (Africans) condemned the acts of terror, but also condemned U.S. policy,” Hunter-Gault said. “I felt it was my duty to report these sentiments, which are quite widespread – not just in Africa.”
Following the terrorist attacks, Hunter-Gault said it was difficult keeping her half-hour show, “Inside Africa,” on the air because the bombings did not directly impact Africa.
Medill freshman Kate Tresley said continual coverage of the fight against terrorism has dominated the news for the past few months, causing neglect of other international topics, including Africa.
“Her speech was a good wake-up call that there are still serious problems in other parts of the world that the media isn’t addressing,” Tresley said.
Weinberg freshman Jumoke Warritay, who is from Sierra Leone but grew up in Kenya, said she could relate to Hunter-Gault’s belief that Americans are quick to offer solutions to problems in Africa.
“A lot of issues she addressed I’m sure people didn’t know about,” Warritay said. “The fact that she raised those issues raises curiosity and people become more informed.”
Medill professor Jack Doppelt said Hunter-Gault is an ideal journalist because she has been a magazine, radio, print and television reporter. After graduating from the University of Georgia, Hunter-Gault worked at The New Yorker.
She later worked on the investigative news team and anchored the local evening news at Washington D.C.’s WRC-TV. She served as a metropolitan reporter for The New York Times and as a correspondent for the MacNeil/Lehrer Report, which is now called The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. Hunter-Gault also worked for National Public Radio in Africa.
Hunter-Gault has earned The New York Times Publishers Award, two National News and Documentary Emmys and a Journalist of the Year Award from the National Association of Black Journalists.
