FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 29, 2021
NAHJ Appalled Over Use of Racist Language by New York Times Reporter Donald McNeil Jr.
(Washington, D.C.) – The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) is appalled to learn of past comments made by New York Times science and health reporter Donald McNeil Jr. while he was leading a Times-organized student trip to Perú, known as the “Student Journey” program in 2019. According to one news report, several students who participated in that trip allege that McNeil made racially offensive comments and used racial slurs throughout their trip. While the New York Times said it apologized to those students and reprimanded McNeil after receiving complaints and details about the events, the comments come to light after a year in which McNeil, a high-profile infectious disease reporter, and his coverage of COVID-19 have garnered much attention.
McNeil’s influence at The New York Times extends not only to the people he comes into contact with at work, such as the trip to Perú, but also to the audience he reaches through his journalistic work, including communities of color. The repeated use of racist or sexist language, especially the n-word, as McNeil is accused of, is unacceptable to anyone, let alone a journalist in that position of power.
“This kind of language is not only unprofessional but reprehensible,” says NAHJ President Nora López. “The rhetoric we use has the power to do real harm to those it seeks to degrade, and as journalists, we have a responsibility to be constantly cognizant. Discrimination and racist slurs have no place in journalism.”
The New York Times may have taken disciplinary action in the past over this particular incident. But, given McNeil’s role in a public health pandemic that disproportionately affects communities of color, and Black Americans in particular, NAHJ leaders insist that the Times investigate the incident more thoroughly, and that McNeil’s critical role in health and media is immediately suspended and reevaluated.
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About the NAHJ
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists is the largest organization of Latino journalists in the United States and dedicated to the recognition and professional advancement of Hispanics in the news industry. The mission of NAHJ is to increase the number of Latinos in the newsrooms and to work toward fair and accurate representation of Latinos in the news media. Established in April 1984, NAHJ created a national voice and unified vision for all Hispanic journalists. NAHJ has over 3,200 members, including working journalists, journalism students, other media-related professionals, and journalism educators. For more information please visit NAHJ.org or follow on Twitter @NAHJ.
Media Contact:
BA Snyder
Veritas Group for NAHJ
512.630.6337
BA@TheVeritasWay.com