Gil Robertson IV
{{short description|African-American journalist and author (born 1964)}}
Gil Robertson IV (born August 13, 1964, in Los Angeles, California) is an African-American journalist and author. He is president of the African American Film Critics Association.{{Cite web |last=Kilday |first=Gregg |date=2016-01-14 |title=Oscar Nominees Include Zero Nonwhite Actors |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oscar-nominees-include-zero-nonwhite-855751/ |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}
Early life and education
Robertson attended South Park Elementary School in Los Angeles. He earned a B.A. degree in political science from California State University, Los Angeles.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=National Press Club {{!}} The HistoryMakers|url=https://www.thehistorymakers.org/taxonomy/term/45409|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-13|website=www.thehistorymakers.org}}
Career
Robertson is known for his contributions to numerous publications that include: the Los Angeles Times, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Black Enterprise and Essence Magazine among others. He is also founder and editor of the Robertson Treatment Syndicated Column (RTSC), one of America's most widely read urban lifestyle columns targeting the African American demo.
As an author, Robertson has contributed to the anthology Souls of My Brother and is a frequent contributor to the African American Almanac. His first book, Writing As A Tool of Empowerment, was published in 2003. On December 1, 2006, Agate Publishing released Not in My Family: AIDS in the African American Community, a collection of essays about the AIDS epidemic, edited by Robertson.
Robertson edited the anthology Family Affair: What It Means To Be African American Today,.{{cite book |title=Family affair : what It means to be African American today |editor=Gil L. Robertson IV. |publisher=Bolden Books | location=Chicago |year=2009 |pages=xv, 407 |isbn=978-1-932841-35-0 |oclc=234438028 |lccn=2008045716}}{{cite news |url=http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2009/04/20/2_FAMILY_AFFAIR.ART_ART_04-20-09_D3_6JDJB4U.html?sid=101 |title=Editor hopes collection of essays stirs dialogue |last=Williams |first=Sherri |date=April 20, 2009 |work=The Columbus Dispatch |access-date=January 20, 2010 |archive-date=January 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200126182428/https://www.dispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2009/04/20/2_FAMILY_AFFAIR.ART_ART_04-20-09_D3_6JDJB4U.html?sid=101 |url-status=dead }}
Robertson became involved in the 2016 controversy surrounding the all-white list of Oscar nominees in the acting category. The president of the Academy Cheryl Boone Isaacs,{{cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/2013/20130730.html |title=Cheryl Boone Isaacs Elected Academy President |publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |date=July 30, 2013 |access-date=August 2, 2013}} the first African American and third woman to lead the Academy,{{cite web|url=http://www.goldderby.com/news/4617/cheryl-boone-isaacs-oscars-ampas-film-news-13579086.html |title=Cheryl Boone Isaacs elected first African-American head of Oscars |publisher=Goldderby.com |date=July 31, 2013 |access-date=August 2, 2013}} denied in 2015 that there was a problem. When the nominations for acting were all white for a second year in a row, Robertson called it "offensive," and a repeat of the previous year's failure to recognize actors of color.[https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/16/movies/oscar-ballot-is-all-white-for-another-year.html Another Oscar Year, Another All-White Ballot] Cara B Buckley, The New York Times, Jan 15, 2016 He called for changes across the board in the Academy.[https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2016/01/14/oscars-academy-awards-nominations/78785484/ Oscars: Acting races are an all-white field] USA Today, Jan. 15, 2016 Robertson did not call for a boycott of the Oscars, as some activists have. He noted that his organization is working with other professional groups to correct the lack of diversity in Hollywood and at the Oscars.{{Cite news |last=Poole |first=Shelia |date=January 21, 2016 |title=Film critic: Don't boycott the Oscars, but keep pushing diversity |url=http://www.ajc.com/news/lifestyles/film-critic-boycott-the-oscars-no-but-dont-stop-pu/np8d5/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123021941/http://www.ajc.com/news/lifestyles/film-critic-boycott-the-oscars-no-but-dont-stop-pu/np8d5/ |archive-date=January 23, 2016 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}
Robertson is a member of the National Press Club. Robertson resides in Los Angeles and Atlanta.
Awards and nominations
- NAACP Image Award
- 2006: Nominee-Best Literacy Nonfiction-Not In My Family
- African American Literacy Award
- 2007: Nominee-Best Non-Fiction-Not In My Family
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.thebody.com/content/art46702.html HIV Frontlines -- U.S. Edition: An Interview With Journalist Gil Robertson]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090106103838/http://www.greatblackspeakers.com/speakerprofiles/gilrobertson.html Great Black Speakers]
- [http://aafca.squarespace.com/meet-the-cofounders Meet the Founders] - AAFCA
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Category:American male journalists
Category:California State University, Los Angeles alumni
Category:African-American non-fiction writers
Category:American non-fiction writers
Category:American male non-fiction writers