Leonard Pitts
Encyclopedia
Leonard Pitts Jr. is a politically progressive African American
commentator, journalist
and novelist. He is a nationally-syndicated columnist
and winner of the 2004 Pulitzer Prize
for Commentary. He was originally hired by the Miami Herald to critique music, but within a few years he received his own column in which he dealt extensively with race, politics, and culture. He lives in Bowie, Maryland
. He has won awards for his writing from the Society of Professional Journalists
and the American Society of Newspaper Editors
, and was first nominated for the Pulitzer Prize
in 1993, eventually claiming
the honor in 2004.
Pitts is a bestselling author. His first book, Becoming Dad: Black Men and the Journey to Fatherhood was published in 2006. Pitts’s first novel, Before I Forget was released in March 2009, and earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly
. The novel centers on a faded soul singer whose early-onset Alzheimer’s compels him to reconnect with his father and son.
Pitts’s third book, Forward from This Moment: Selected Columns, 1994-2008 was published in August 2009. It is a selection of Pitts’s columns from the Miami Herald.
Pitts gained national recognition for his widely circulated column of September 12, 2001, "We'll Go Forward From This Moment," in which he described the toughness of the American spirit in the face of the September 11 attacks.
angry at a column he wrote about a white couple who were raped and murdered by five black assailants in Knoxville, Tennessee
. In his column addressing the murders, Pitts wrote, "I am [...] unkindly disposed toward the crackpots, incendiaries and flat-out racists who have chosen this tragedy upon which to take an obscene and ludicrous stand. I have four words for them and any other white Americans who feel themselves similarly victimized: Cry me a river."
More death threats were made in April 2008 before his appearance at the University of Puget Sound
.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
commentator, journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and novelist. He is a nationally-syndicated columnist
Syndicated columnist
This list of syndicated columnists comprises columnists whose recurring columns are published in multiple periodical publications .*Ghaith Abdul-Ahad*Yasmin Alibhai-Brown*Timothy Garton Ash*Lucius Beebe*Max Boot...
and winner of the 2004 Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
for Commentary. He was originally hired by the Miami Herald to critique music, but within a few years he received his own column in which he dealt extensively with race, politics, and culture. He lives in Bowie, Maryland
Bowie, Maryland
Bowie is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 54,727 at the 2010 census. Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County, and the fifth most populous city and third largest city by area in the state of...
. He has won awards for his writing from the Society of Professional Journalists
Society of Professional Journalists
The Society of Professional Journalists , formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is one of the oldest organizations representing journalists in the United States. It was established in April 1909 at DePauw University, and its charter was designed by William Meharry Glenn. The ten founding members of...
and the American Society of Newspaper Editors
American Society of Newspaper Editors
The American Society of News Editors is a membership organization for editors, producers or directors in charge of journalistic organizations or departments, deans or faculty at university journalism schools, and leaders and faculty of media-related foundations and training organizations...
, and was first nominated for the Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
in 1993, eventually claiming
2004 Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prizes for 2004 were announced on April 5, 2004.The Los Angeles Times won five journalism awards, the most that the newspaper has ever won in a single year and second only to The New York Times in 2002 for the most won in a year by any paper.-Journalism awards:* Beat Reporting:**Daniel...
the honor in 2004.
Pitts is a bestselling author. His first book, Becoming Dad: Black Men and the Journey to Fatherhood was published in 2006. Pitts’s first novel, Before I Forget was released in March 2009, and earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
. The novel centers on a faded soul singer whose early-onset Alzheimer’s compels him to reconnect with his father and son.
Pitts’s third book, Forward from This Moment: Selected Columns, 1994-2008 was published in August 2009. It is a selection of Pitts’s columns from the Miami Herald.
Pitts gained national recognition for his widely circulated column of September 12, 2001, "We'll Go Forward From This Moment," in which he described the toughness of the American spirit in the face of the September 11 attacks.
Harassment
In June 2007, Pitts was the subject of a campaign of death threats and harassment by neo-Nazis including Bill WhiteBill White (neo-Nazi)
William Alexander "Bill" White is the leader of the internet-based American National Socialist Workers' Party, and former administrator of Overthrow.com, a now-defunct website dedicated to anti-communist thought, and far-right interpretations of anti-Zionist and anti-capitalist speech.White came...
angry at a column he wrote about a white couple who were raped and murdered by five black assailants in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
. In his column addressing the murders, Pitts wrote, "I am [...] unkindly disposed toward the crackpots, incendiaries and flat-out racists who have chosen this tragedy upon which to take an obscene and ludicrous stand. I have four words for them and any other white Americans who feel themselves similarly victimized: Cry me a river."
More death threats were made in April 2008 before his appearance at the University of Puget Sound
University of Puget Sound
The University of Puget Sound is a private liberal arts college located in the North End of Tacoma, Washington, in the United States...
.