E-mail a friendJune 19, 2006
Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Leonard Pitts Jr. discusses what it means to be a father today. New York Times sportswriter Joe Drape shares the backstory of his new book, Black Maestro.
Leonard Pitts Jr.
Leonard Pitts Jr.
In '04, nationally syndicated columnist Leonard Pitts Jr. won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. He was awarded for his 'vibrant columns that spoke, with both passion and compassion, to ordinary people on often divisive issues.' Born and raised in Southern California, Pitts started at The Miami Herald as a pop music critic and later began writing about pop culture, social issues and family life in his own column. His book, Becoming Dad: Black Men and the Journey to Fatherhood, was a best-seller.
Joe Drape
Joe Drape
Award-winning sportswriter New York Times Joe Drape started his career as a Dallas Morning News night cops reporter. He moved to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as a national correspondent and transitioned to sports coverage during the '96 Olympics, integrating news and sports. Drape is also the author of several books, including Black Maestro, the little-known story of Jimmy Winkfield, an African American jockey who was a two-time Kentucky Derby winner and European horseracing superstar.