Michel Martin

Contributor
National Public Radio

Watch Martin's most recent appearances on Washington Week

Michel Martin is joining NPR to host a new afternoon public affairs and cultural program focusing on stories of importance to African Americans, slated to launch in late 2006.

Martin serves as contributor to and substitute host for NPR programs while developing the new project, to be produced by NPR in partnership with the African American Public Radio Consortium (AAPRC).

Michel Martin spent more than a decade covering politics and policy for the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post before she joined ABC News in September 1992. She has received one Emmy Award for her ABC News reporting and has been nominated for two others.

Her primary assignment is ABC News Nightline, where she has contributed a number of reports for the ongoing "Nightline" series, "America in Black and White." One report in this series was nominated for an Emmy Award, cited by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism for excellence in coverage of racial and ethnic issues, and received special notice from TV Guide in its "cheers" column for its candid look at racial stereotyping in news coverage. Ms. Martin has also covered a wide range of stories for "Nightline," including the government budget battles, the challenges of bereaved families during the holidays, the embassy bombings in Nairobi and the earthquakes in Turkey.

Before joining "Nightline," Ms. Martin reported for the ABC News magazine program, "Day One," where her reports ranged from an investigation into investments by members of Congress; to her Emmy-nominated report, with Robert Krulwich, on children's racial attitudes; to a segment on the international campaign to ban the use of land mines, for which she was awarded an Emmy.

Ms. Martin has also contributed to a number of other ABC programs and specials, including an hour-long documentary on the Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas controversy for ABC's "Turning Point"; an hour-long, critically acclaimed special on AIDS anchored by Barbara Walters; "Cedric's Story," about the challenge of being a brilliant student in a tough inner-city school; and special political coverage, including party convention reports and election night analysis.

She has also reported on a broad spectrum of personalities and achievers, including Emmy-winning actor Dennis Franz, famed conductor Sir George Solti, legendary golf instructor Harvey Penick; and Anthony Griffin, an African-American civil rights attorney in Texas, who took on the challenge of representing the Ku Klux Klan in a First Amendment case.

Before joining ABC News, Ms. Martin covered state and local politics for the Washington Post and national politics and policy at the Wall Street Journal, where she was White House correspondent.

She has earned numerous awards, including the 1992 Candace Award for Communications from The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, and the 1995 Joan Barone Award for Excellence in Washington-based National Affairs/Public Policy Broadcasting given by the Radio and Television Correspondents' Association. Ms. Martin recently completed her term as a member of the board of Archbishop John Carroll High School in Washington, D.C. She was also a member of the board of St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire for six years, where she was part of the third class of girls to graduate from the formerly all-boys school. She has done graduate work at Wesley Theological Seminary.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Ms. Martin was graduated cum laude from Radcliffe College at Harvard University in 1980. She is married to attorney William "Billy" Martin and they are parents of infant twins and two adult daughters.

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