Jelani Cobb

In May of 2022,  Lee C. Bollinger, the president of Columbia University wrote, “It is with great pleasure that I write to announce my appointment of Jelani Cobb as the next Dean of Columbia Journalism School, as of August 1, 2022.” The pride we all felt to have a Black man take over the premiere Journalism school is hard to even explain. The son of a New York City electrician with a third grade education, Cobb graduated from Howard University and has written for numerous publications, including Essence and The New Yorker. He now steps into his most recent position as head of one of the great J-schools during an important but dire period in journalism as newsrooms empty out, “fake news” becomes a rallying cry for those who oppose the truth, and  reporters around the world are losing their lives.