He’s interviewed Barack Obama, been named one of the most influential black Americans today and engages politicians every Sunday morning on cable TV.

In February, Roland Martin will be bringing his one-man commentator show to West Virginia University as he takes on the issues of American politics and how minorities and the media mix.

Martin, a nationally syndicated columnist and author, will speak Monday (Feb. 7) at 7 p.m. in the Mountainlair Ballrooms with a reception to follow. The event is co-sponsored by WVU’s Center for Black Culture and Research and the WVU student chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists. It is free and open to the public.

Martin is an analyst for CNN and commentator for TV One Cable Network, which airs the public affairs show “Washington Watch with Roland Martin.” He is a nationally syndicated columnist with Creators Syndicate and has authored “Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 perspectives on Faith,” “Speak, Brother! A Black Man’s View of America” and “The First: President Barack Obama’s Road to the White House as originally reported by Roland S. Martin.”

Chelsea Fuller, president of the WVU student chapter of the National Association for Black Journalists, said after meeting Martin at the association’s summer conference in San Diego, she knew the chapter had to bring him to WVU.

While Martin is perhaps best known for his role as a political analyst, he was a journalist in radio and newspapers long before and supports fellow journalists as secretary of the National Association of Black Journalists.

“He wears a lot of different hats,” Chelsea Fuller said. “He’s coming during Black History Month, but he will be addressing issues other than those that affect black people.”

A topic especially close to his heart is that of minorities working within the media and how the press portrays minorities.

“He is very passionate about making sure that people understand the actual role that minorities play in the media,” she said.

Marjorie Fuller, director of the Center for Black Culture and Research at WVU, described Martin as “one of our nation’s foremost journalists and political pundits.”

“The WVU Center for Black Culture and Research is proud to co-sponsor his visit with our student chapter of the National Association for Black Journalists,” she said.

“Ebony Magazine” has named Martin one of the 150 most influential Black Americans for the last three years. He was part of the CNN political team that won the network a Peabody Award for its 2008 election coverage, and he received the NAACP’s Image Award in 2008 and 2009 for Best Interview for his conversations with then Sen. Barack Obama and Michelle Obama.

The U.K.’s Daily Telegraph named Martin one of the top 50 political pundits in America.

-WVU-

dm/01/26/11

CONTACT: Marjorie Fuller, Center for Black Culture and Research
304-293-7029, Marjorie.fuller@mail.wvu.edu

Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.