Jonetta Barras

I am a 2018 National Fellow an an award-wining journalist and 2016 inductee into the Society of Professional Journalist DC Pro Chapter Hall of Fame. I have more than 25 years experience reporting and commenting on national social, political, and cultural trends. My opinion-editorials have frequently appeared in various publications including The Washington Post and The Washington Examiner. My investigative articles and news reports have been featured in the Washington Times, USA Today, the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Essence magazine, the New Republic, the American Enterprise magazine, the Washingtonian, and Crisis magazine, among others. In 2009, I was celebrated by Washington City Paper as one of the best local columnist in the District of Columbia, and in 2001 the Washingtonian Magazine selected me as one of the Top 50 Journalists in the nation’s capital. ​I am also the author of Bridges: Reuniting Daughters and Daddies (Bancroft Press 2005), the bestseller Whatever Happened to Daddy's Little Girl: The Impact of Fatherlessness on Black Women (Ballantine 2000, hardcover—2001, paperback), The Last of the Black Emperors: The Hollow Comeback of Marion Barry in the New Age of Black Leaders (Bancroft Press 1998), and The Corner Is No Place For Hiding (Bunny and the Crocodile Press 1996).My short stories, poems and essays have appeared in numerous anthologies including Amazing Graces (Paycock Press 2012) and It’s All Love: Black Writers on Soul Mates, Family, and Friends. I have hosted my own radio show and served for more than six years as the political analyst for NPR affiliate WAMU-FM radio, where more than 75,000 individuals listened each week. I also appeared as an analyst on such national programs and networks as CBS, C-SPAN, CNN, PBS as well as on such local stations as WUSA-TV (CBS-owned and -operated), NBC-TV 4 (the network owned and operated affiliate in Washington, D.C.), and WHUT-TV. Currently I produce and host my own television show, THE BARRAS REPORT, which airs on the University of the District of Columbia Cable TV Station. I also write a blog which has the same name as the TV show. AN award-wining journalist and 2016 inductee into the Society of Professional Journalist DC Pro Chapter Hall of Fame, I have more than 25 years experience reporting and commenting on national social, political, and cultural trends. My opinion-editorials have frequently appeared in various publications including The Washington Post and The Washington Examiner. My investigative articles and news reports have been featured in the Washington Times, USA Today, the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Essence magazine, the New Republic, the American Enterprise magazine, the Washingtonian, Crisis magazine, among others. In 2009, I was celebrated by Washington City Paper as one of the best local columnist in the District of Columbia, and in 2001 the Washingtonian Magazine selected me as one of the Top 50 Journalists in the nation’s capital. ​ I am also the author of Bridges: Reuniting Daughters and Daddies (Bancroft Press 2005), the bestseller Whatever Happened to Daddy's Little Girl: The Impact of Fatherlessness on Black Women (Ballantine 2000, hardcover—2001, paperback), The Last of the Black Emperors: The Hollow Comeback of Marion Barry in the New Age of Black Leaders (Bancroft Press 1998), and The Corner Is No Place For Hiding (Bunny and the Crocodile Press 1996).My short stories, poems and essays have appeared in numerous anthologies including Amazing Graces (Paycock Press 2012) and It’s All Love: Black Writers on Soul Mates, Family, and Friends. I have hosted my own radio show and appeared for more than served for more than six years as the political analyst for NPR affiliate WAMU-FM radio, where more than 75,000 individuals listened each week to her. I also appeared as an analyst on such national programs and networks as CBS (60 Minutes), C-SPAN, CNN, PBS (This is America with Dennis Wholey and Think Tank with Ben Wattenberg), and Fox News Channel’s The O’Reilly Factor, as well as on such local stations as WUSA-TV (CBS-owned and -operated), NBC-TV 4 (the network owned and operated affiliate in Washington, D.C.), and WHUT-TV. A highly sought after speaker, I have traveled throughout the United States and Europe, discussing historical, political and cultural issues. Some people have called me one of the freshest voices in America, particularly around the issue of African American familand fatherlessness While a resident of the District of Columbia, I still call her native New Orleans home.