Interview with Maynard Eaton, March 8, 2019

Collection: Two-Party Georgia Oral History Project

Dublin Core

Description

Maynard Eaton was born in Newark, New Jersey, and grew up in neighboring Orange. He graduated from Hampton Institute (now Hampton University) with a bachelor’s degree in mass media arts and Columbia University with a master’s degree in broadcast journalism. He began his journalism career as a reporter in Norfolk, Virginia, before moving to New York City and later Miami, Florida. Eaton relocated to Atlanta in 1977 when he joined WXIA-TV as a city politics and Black community reporter. He was Black Entertainment Television’s (BET) Southeast News Bureau chief in 1990 until 2008. In 2011, Eaton became the national communications director for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Eaton is currently a professor of journalism at Clark Atlanta University and chief editor of The Maynard Report. He resides in Atlanta.

Eaton discusses his family, childhood, and education before turning to his early interest in journalism. He talks about his work as a journalist and media consultant for Republicans and Democrats. Eaton reflects on the changing role of media in politics as well as the differences between print and broadcast media. He recalls his time working with the Atlanta Voice and Atlanta Tribune. Eaton then discusses the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and his work as the SCLC’s National Director of Communications. He also assesses Georgia politics and how it has changed since he moved to the state. The interview closes with Eaton’s thoughts on the future of the Democratic and Republican parties in Georgia.

Date

2019-03-08

Identifier

RBRL425TPGA-078

Coverage

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Files

Citation

Maynard Eaton and Katie Schank, “Interview with Maynard Eaton, March 8, 2019,” UGA Special Collections Libraries Oral Histories, accessed March 29, 2024, https://georgiaoralhistory.libs.uga.edu/RBRL425TPGA/RBRL425TPGA-078.