Episode 4: Breaking the Broadcast Barrier

:: DROPPING EVERY TUESDAY SUMMER 2023 ::

“I was there to be me. I broke the door wide open,” says Ms. Clayton about her pioneering career as a broadcast journalist. As the first Black member of the Press Club, the first to question the lens of an all-White media, and the first Black person to have their own talk show, her legacy as a journalist showed an industry—and America—that race, visibility, and access matters. Ms. Clayton’s character, authentic voice, and raw talent attracted a diverse audience in Atlanta and other markets. She traveled to many TV stations to share her insights and show other outlets how to open their doors to people of all colors. In one of her most well-known interviews, she even inspired KKK Grand Dragon Calvin E. Craig to change his mind about his view on Blacks, publicly renounce his position and go on to work for Civil Rights.

For more, don’t miss Xernona Clayton: A Life in Black & White, airing on Brown Sugar, featuring the largest catalog of classic Black cinema. Go to brownsugar.com.