ATLANTA — The Atlanta Journal Constitution announced a historic promotion Thursday, naming Leroy Chapman Jr. the first Black editor-in-chief in the newspaper's 155-year history.
Chapman replaces Kevin Riley, whom the paper said in a release was retiring. Chapman, according to the release, will "oversee the newsgathering, programming, features, and opinion teams as well as the editorial teams responsible for video, audio, newsletters and events."
Chapman currently is the managing editor at the AJC. He's been with the paper since 2011.
“The significance of this moment isn’t lost on me. This kind of opportunity is why African Americans come to Atlanta,” Chapman said in a statement. “Kevin has been excellent at being visible in our communities and hearing from people. I am looking forward to getting out into the community and understanding more about how the AJC can continue to serve audiences and improve our city.”
The paper's president and publisher, Andrew Morse, said Chapman is an "outstanding journalist, an inspirational leader, and an innovative thinker" who will be "leading our newsroom as we transform the AJC into a modern media company at the center of life in Atlanta."
