Carter to be Inducted into the NABJ Hall of Fame

Leon H. Carter, an award-winning editor and tireless advocate for newsroom diversity, will be inducted into the National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame in August at the organization's national convention in Cleveland. 

Carter, who serves as Editor-at-Large at The Athletic, has left an indelible mark on journalism through his editorial excellence and transformative mentorship. Alongside Sandy Rosenbush, Carter helped launch the Sports Journalism Institute in 1992  with a bold mission: to increase diversity in newsrooms. Over the past three decades, more than 400 SJI alumni have entered the field, many rising to leadership roles. 

“I thought Leon was already in the NABJ Hall of Fame,” said SJI co-founder Sandy Rosenbush. “But this is truly great news for a great editor and friend who has been one of my favorite people to work with in the 30-plus years of the Sports Journalism Institute.”

Carter’s journalism journey began at Norfolk State University, where he wrote and edited for the Spartan Echo, the student newspaper. It also was at Norfolk State where Carter was the Freedom Forum's first journalist-in-residence in 1992 and he began laying the foundation for SJI. His professional career includes roles at the Louisville Courier Journal, Newsday, the New York Daily News and ESPN. While sports editor at the Daily News (1999-2010), the sports section won numerous national awards and was often recognized as one of the best in the country.

“This Hall of Fame induction is not just about what Leon accomplished in newsrooms, but about the doors he opened for others,” SJI Director Greg Lee said. “His vision and perseverance created a pipeline that didn’t exist before—for people like me and so many others.”

Carter has been involved with the NABJ since 1981, when he attended his first NABJ national convention, which was held that year in Louisville, where Carter worked with the Louisville Courier-Journal. Carter reconnected with David Squires, also attending his first NABJ national convention that year, after the two had met at a college media workshop in Norfolk.

Later, Squires helped recruit Carter to Newsday, where he became that newspaper’s first Black sports copy editor.

“Leon was always known as a sharp editor and a respected leader,” said Squires, now an SJI editing coach and board member, who has assisted with the program since its inception.

“Leon has always been involved in newsroom diversity, even before SJI,” Squires added. “It’s good to see him honored for his longtime dedication for bringing talent to newsrooms. He’s among the legends – like Black List creator Larry Whiteside and NABJ Hall of Famer Garry Howard – who played key roles in diversifying sports desks and sports press boxes.”

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In 2022, Carter became only the third Black journalist to receive the Red Smith Award from the Associated Press Sports Editors, generally regarded as the highest honor in sports journalism. Most recently, The Athletic established the Leon H. Carter Newsroom Internship Program in 2024 to carry forward his legacy of mentorship.

Carter’s NABJ Hall of Fame induction cements his status not just as a leader in sports journalism but as a visionary advocate who changed the face of the profession.

“Leon has always said it’s not enough to succeed—you have to lift others as you climb,” Lee said. “That’s exactly what he’s done, and this honor is richly deserved.”

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