Journalist Dorothy Butler Gilliam Donates $10,000 to Laid-Off Washington Post Reporters - Washingtonian

"It made me very sad, even upset, because I know many people read the Post and depend on the Post, and this certainly is one of those times when we need some balance in the information that's available. I was inspired by the people who work at the paper who continue to make a significant difference in the city."

"During a journalism career that began during the Civil Rights movement and lasted more than 50 years, Gilliam experienced discrimination—and it made it her mission to change it. In 1977, she helped establish the Maynard Institute to train journalists and advocate for increased diversity in American media."

Dorothy Butler Gilliam, the Washington Post's first Black woman reporter hired in 1961, donated $10,000 to a GoFundMe supporting laid-off Post Guild members following February layoffs. Now 89, Gilliam felt compelled to contribute because she values the Post's role in providing balanced information and recognizes the journalists' continued impact on the city. Her donation tied for the campaign's highest individual gift. Gilliam's 42-year career at the Post spanned from 1961-1965 and 1972-2003, during which she advanced from reporter to assistant editor. Throughout her 50-year journalism career beginning in the Civil Rights era, she experienced discrimination that motivated her to diversify American newsrooms. She co-founded the Maynard Institute in 1977 and created the Young Journalists Development Program at the Post.

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