Hazel Garland

Hazel B. Garland (January 28, 1913 – April 5, 1988) was a journalist, columnist and newspaper editor. She was the first African-American woman to serve as editor-in-chief of a nationally circulated newspaper chain (the New Pittsburgh Courier). Born into a farming family, she was the eldest of 16 children. Although a bright and capable student, she dropped out of high school at her fathers instigation, and spent time working as a maid in order to provide financial assistance to her family. In 1946 she joined the staff of the Pittsburgh Courier full-time, and by 1960 she was editor of both the entertainment and the women's sections of the newspaper. In 1955 she became the first African-American journalist to write a regular television column, Video Vignettes, which would go on to become one of the longest running television columns in newspaper history.

Garland was a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers football team. a prestigious African American women's civic society. Along with her friend and colleague Toki Schalk Johnson, in 1961 Garland became one of the first African-American members of the Women's Press Club of Pittsburgh.

She died on April 5, 1988, aged 75, in McKeesport Hospital due to a heart attack after surgery on a cerebral aneurysm.

Journalism career

Early career After her marriage, Garland settled into life as a housewife and mother. With support from her mother-in-law she also became active in local voluntary organisations.

In 1955 Garland started writing television column called Video Vignettes. At a time when the majority of mainstream TV columnists paid little attention to media diversity, Garland's column made particular note of occasions when black performers or broadcasters were dismissed, or when relevant shows were cancelled. To ensure that her point was made, she would also send copies of her columns to the network and station managers. "Video Vignettes" ran from 1955 to one month before Garland's death in 1988, a total of 33 years, one of the longest-running newspaper television columns in history.

In 1960 Garland was promoted from feature editor to women's editor of the magazine, but a financial recession in Chicago, declining circulation of the Courier and increasing coverage of black issues in mainstream newspapers had led to serious financial problems at the paper. In spite of bouncing pay checks, Garland continued writing for the paper. She commented "I loved the Courier. It was everything to me. I had spent the greater part of my life there, so I wanted to work even if I didn't get paid. I thought maybe we could hold on a keep it together."

Editor-in-chief As a result of its financial troubles, in 1966 the Pittsburgh Courier was bought out by John H. Sengstacke, publisher of the Chicago Defender, and renamed the New Pittsburgh Courier. At the time Garland was the editor of both the entertainment and women's sections of the paper, but in 1972 Sengstacke offered her the post of city editor, which was considered a management level role. Not all of her colleagues at the paper agreed with this promotion, and Garland was still subject to some harassment from her co-workers.

In 1974 Garland was promoted again, this time to editor-in-chief, the first African-American woman to do so at any newspaper in the United States. Before she accepted the post, Garland made absolutely sure that the offer was genuine and not a token concession without real authority. The role was a demanding one and Garland spent many hours away from her family, reorganising the paper into a more up to date format, developing new beats and expanding some existing sections to appeal to a broader audience.

Although there had been other women in high-profile positions at the Pittsburgh Courier, Garland was the first to achieve a hands-on management role, and had daily input into the running of the paper. By the time she was promoted to editor, she had been assisting with layout, article illustration and design for a number of years. When asked about it a number of years later, friend and journalist Frank E. Boulden said:

In the same year she was promoted to editor-in-chief, Garland was also named 'editor of the year' by the National Newspaper Publishers Association. In 1975 she received a National Headliner award from Women in Communications. In 1976 the New Pittsburgh Courier won the John B. Russwurm award for the best national African-American newspaper, for which Garland herself won $500 and a life membership of the NAACP. Garland was also honoured that year by the Jewish women's group ORT America for 'bridging the gap between races'. In 1977 Garland retired from her editorial post due to ill health, but she continued writing her columns and took on an advisory role to Sengstacke one day a week.

Legacy Hazel Garland was the first African-American woman to work her way from freelance writer to editor-in-chief of a national newspaper. She earned the respect of her colleagues, and where possible she tried to help younger people trying to get into journalism: "Just like others motivated, helped and assisted me, I've tried to do the same with other, especially all the young people coming through the doors at the Courier. I want to give back all the vast knowledge shared with me, by some very, very great people."

When asked to summarise her career, Garland said: