Lorraine Branham

{{short description|Journalist and Dean of the Newhouse Communications School at Syracuse University}}

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| name = Lorraine Branham

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| birth_name = Lorraine Elizabeth Green

| birth_date = {{birth date|1952|12|7}}

| birth_place = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2019|4|2|1952|12|7}}{{cite news |title=Lorraine Branham Obituary (2019) |url=https://obits.syracuse.com/obituaries/syracuse/obituary.aspx?n=lorraine-branham&pid=192134676 |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=Syracuse Post Standard |language=en}}

| death_place = Fayetteville, New York, U.S.

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| occupation = Dean of the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University

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| spouse = Mel Williams

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| alma_mater = Temple University
Stanford University

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| influences = Ed Bradley

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| workplaces =University of Texas at Austin
Syracuse University

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Lorraine Elizabeth Branham (December 7, 1952 {{endash}} April 2, 2019) was an American newspaper editor and the Dean of the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She was considered one of the most important African American academics in journalism and was well known for her mentoring of young journalists.{{cite news |last1=Darnell |first2=Gabe |last2=Stern |first3=Jordan |last3=Muller |first4=Kennedy |last4=Rose |first1=Casey |title=Newhouse School Dean Lorraine Branham dies of cancer |url=http://dailyorange.com/2019/04/lorraine-branham-dean-sus-s-newhouse-school-public-communications-dies-cancer/ |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=The Daily Orange |date=2 April 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Allen |last2=Gavle |first2=Erin |last3=Mason |first3=Lawrence |first1=Jo |title=Students, alum remember Newhouse dean's remarkable legacy |url=https://www.thenewshouse.com/campus-news/newhouse-school-dean-lorraine-branham-legacy-tribute/ |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=The NewsHouse |date=3 April 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Berry |first1=Karin D. |title=Lorraine Branham showed me that a black woman could succeed in journalism |url=https://andscape.com/features/lorraine-branham-syracuse-dean-showed-me-a-black-woman-could-succeed-in-journalism/ |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=Andscape |date=3 April 2019}}

Early life and education

Branham was born on December 7, 1952, in Philadelphia to Jesse Williams and Leona Green. After her parents split up early, she was raised by her mother and her stepfather, Henry Walls. She was the oldest of her 13 siblings.

She graduated from Overbrook High School in Philadelphia and majored in radio, television and film at the Klein College of Media and Communication of Temple University, graduating in 1976.{{cite news |last1=Rooney |first1=Shannon |title=Remembering Lorraine Branham, KLN '76 |url=https://klein.temple.edu/news/2019/04/remembering-lorraine-branham-kln76 |access-date=6 February 2021 |work=Klein College of Media and Communication |date=11 April 2019 |language=en}}

Branham was married to Norris Branham, with whom she had a son before divorcing. During her college years, she was a single mother.{{cite news |last1=Weissman |first1=Sara |title=Temple University Scholarship Honors Journalist Alumna |url=https://diverseeducation.com/article/155940/ |access-date=6 February 2021 |work=Diverse: Issues In Higher Education |date=September 27, 2019 |language=en}} She married Melvin Williams in 1997. She kept her surname when she married Williams.{{cite news |last1=Seelye |first1=Katharine Q. |title=Lorraine Branham, Journalism Dean and Mentor, Dies at 66 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/11/obituaries/lorraine-branham-dead.html |access-date=6 February 2021 |work=The New York Times |date=11 April 2019 |language=en}}

Branham was a John S. Knight Fellow at Stanford University in 1986.{{cite web |title=Class of 1986 |url=https://jsk.stanford.edu/fellows/class-of-1986/ |publisher=Stanford JSK |access-date=7 February 2021}}

Print journalism career

Branham began her professional career in 1976 as a reporter with The Philadelphia Tribune.{{cite news |last1=Jones |first1=Ayana |title=Lorraine Branham, 66, Philly native, Syracuse dean of communications |url=https://www.phillytrib.com/obituaries/lorraine-branham-66-philly-native-syracuse-dean-of-communications/article_2a3d47b7-e9d6-5622-b540-c1b5cb73c307.html |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=The Philadelphia Tribune |date=April 2, 2019 |language=en}} She held reporting and editing jobs at Camden Courier-Post in New Jersey, The Philadelphia Bulletin, and The Baltimore Sun.

From 1987 to 1996, Branham worked for The Philadelphia Inquirer. She rose through the newspaper's management ranks, including stints as New Jersey editor and city desk in Philadelphia, before being named associate managing editor for features.{{cite news |last1=Cook |first1=Bonnie L. |title=Lorraine Branham, 66, respected editor and Syracuse journalism dean |url=https://www.inquirer.com/obituaries/lorraine-branham-journalist-dean-syracuse-university-newhouse-20190403.html |access-date=6 February 2021 |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=April 3, 2019}}

In February 1996 Branham was hired as the executive editor of The Tallahassee Democrat in Tallahassee, Florida, where she was the first woman and first African-American in that position. She was forced out for editorship at Democrat in October 1999 over declining readership.{{cite journal |last1=Nicholson |first1=Joe |title=Top Black Woman Editor Forced Out |journal=Editor & Publisher |date=23 October 1999 |volume=132 |issue=43 |page=6 |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_editor-publisher_1999-10-23_132_43/page/6/mode/2up |access-date=7 February 2021 |publisher=Duncan McIntosh |language=English}}{{cite news |last1=Inman-Crews |first1=Dorothy |title=Editor's departure offends many in black community |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69565096/ |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=Tallahassee Democrat |date=17 November 1999 |pages=19 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}{{cite web |last1=Prince |first1=Richard |title=When the Editor Is Black, It Can Get Complex |url=http://www.journal-isms.com/2019/04/when-the-editor-is-black-it-can-get-complex/ |website=journal-isms.com |access-date=7 February 2021 |date=April 16, 2019}} She took a position as assistant to the publisher at The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where she worked until 2002.{{cite news |last1=Dobson |first1=Byron |title=Lorraine Branham, first female and African American editor at Tallahassee Democrat, dies at 66 |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2019/04/03/lorraine-branham-syracuse-university-dean-and-former-tallahassee-democrat-editor-dies/3349211002/ |access-date=6 February 2021 |work=Tallahassee Democrat |date=April 3, 2019}}

Academic career

During her newspaper days, Branham taught reporting and writing at Temple University. She also taught in the summer program for minority journalists at the University of California, Berkeley. She was a Hearst Visiting Professional-in-Residence at the University of Missouri, the University of Florida, and the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California.

After spending 25 years in professional ranks, Branham became the director of School of Journalism and the G.B. Dealey Regents Professor at the University of Texas at Austin from 2002 to 2008.{{cite magazine |last1=Seale |first1=Avrel |title=The Uncertain Times |date=March 2008 |publisher=Emmis Communications |magazine=The Alcalde |location=Austin, TX |page=42 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=huQDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA42 |access-date=7 February 2021 |language=en}}{{cite press release |title=Director of Journalism School Appointed Dean of Newhouse School at Syracuse |url=https://news.utexas.edu/2008/03/12/director-of-journalism-school-appointed-dean-of-newhouse-school-at-syracuse/ |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=UT News |date=12 March 2008}}{{cite news |last1=Hanson Jr. |last2=Branham |first2= Lorraine E. |last3= Sylvie |first3= George |first1=John L |title=Remembering Dr. Lorraine E. Branham, Dean Of Communications School At Syracuse University |url=https://www.kut.org/life-arts/2019-06-05/remembering-dr-lorraine-e-branham-dean-of-communications-school-at-syracuse-university |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=KUT |date=5 June 2019 |location=Austin, TX |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Golter |first1=Graysen |title=UT-Austin school of journalism remembers former director Lorraine Branham |url=https://thedailytexan.com/2019/04/21/ut-austin-school-of-journalism-remembers-former-director-lorraine-branham |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=The Daily Texan |date=April 21, 2019 |language=en}}

=Newhouse School=

Branham was chosen from a field of 300 applicants to be dean of the Newhouse School effective July 2008.{{cite news |last1=Mariani |first1=John |title=Two candidates remain for Newhouse dean |url=https://www.syracuse.com/news/2008/01/two_candidates_remain_for_newh.html |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=Syracuse Post-Standard |date=15 January 2008 |language=en}} She replaced David Rubin, who had served in the same post for previous 18 years.

During Branham's tenure, the school established the Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship[http://www.newhousestartups.com/ Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship] the Diane and Bob Miron Digital News Center, the Peter A. Horvitz Endowed Chair in Journalism Innovation,{{cite news |last1=Loughlin |first1=Wendy S. |title=New endowed chair in Newhouse School will support journalism innovation |url=https://news.syr.edu/blog/2012/06/28/new-endowed-chair-in-newhouse-school-will-support-journalism-innovation/ |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=SU News |date=June 28, 2012}} and the W2O Group Center for Social Commerce.[https://socialcommerce.syr.edu/ W2O Group Center for Social Commerce] Branham championed the development of the student-produced news website The NewsHouse.[https://www.thenewshouse.com/ The NewsHouse] Under her leadership, the Newhouse School created its sports communications emphasis and the Newhouse Sports Media Center.[https://newhousesports.syr.edu/ Newhouse Sports Media Center] She also helped establish satellite campus programs, Newhouse in New York and Syracuse University Los Angeles Semester.{{cite news |last1=McMahon |first1=Julie |title=Syracuse University Newhouse dean dies after battle with cancer |url=https://www.syracuse.com/syracuse-university/2019/04/newhouse-school-dean-dies-after-battle-with-cancer.html |access-date=6 February 2021 |work=Syracuse Post-Standard |date=2 April 2019 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Message from Chancellor Kent Syverud |url=https://news.syr.edu/blog/2019/04/02/message-from-chancellor-kent-syverud-5/ |access-date=6 February 2021 |work=SU News |date=April 2, 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Zilcosky |first1=Katie |title=S.I. Newhouse School Dean Lorraine Branham Passes After Battle With Cancer |url=https://www.waer.org/post/si-newhouse-school-dean-lorraine-branham-passes-after-battle-cancer |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=WAER |date=April 2, 2019 |language=en}}{{cite magazine |last1=Levin |first1=Christina |title=Face Time with Dean Lorraine Branham |url=https://jerkmagazine.net/9mfehhs6kt2vag7aqn19w0hd2b5dka/face-time-with-dean-lorraine-branham |access-date=7 February 2021 |magazine=Jerk Magazine |date=May 10, 2011}}

Branham oversaw an $18 million fundraising campaign for the renovation of Newhouse 2 and creation of multiple new facilities.{{cite news |last1=Tobin |first1=Dave |title=Syracuse University's Newhouse renovations bring Dick Clark legacy and Oprah together |url=https://www.syracuse.com/news/2014/09/syracuse_universitys_newhouse_renovations_bring_dick_clark_legacy_and_oprah_toge.html |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=Syracuse Post-Standard |date=27 September 2014 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Lorraine Branham, Syracuse University dean and former Baltimore Sun reporter, dies |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/obituaries/bs-md-ob-branham-20190411-story.html |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=Baltimore Sun |agency=AP |date=April 11, 2019}} In September 2014, Oprah Winfrey was the guest of honor during dedication of the new Newhouse Studio and Innovation Center, featuring Dick Clark Studios and the Alan Gerry Center for Media Innovation.{{cite news |last1=Appelo |first1=Tim |title=Oprah Winfrey Cuts Ribbon at $18 Million Newhouse/Dick Clark Studios at Syracuse U. |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/oprah-winfrey-cuts-ribbon-at-739774 |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=9 October 2014 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Brauder |first1=David |title=Dick Clark to have Syracuse University studio named for him |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2013/0606/Dick-Clark-to-have-Syracuse-University-studio-named-for-him |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=Christian Science Monitor |agency=Associated Press |date=6 June 2013}}{{cite news |last1=Eisenstadt |first1=Marnie |title=Oprah Winfrey offers advice to a crowd of thousands at SU ribbon cutting |url=https://www.syracuse.com/news/2014/09/oprah_winfrey_offers_advice_to_a_crowd_of_thousands_at_su_ribbon_cutting.html |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=Syracuse Post-Standard |date=29 September 2014 |language=en}}

She was also determined to make the school more diverse. Amy Falkner, who succeeded Branham as the acting dean, said that during Branham's tenure the percentage of faculty members of color increased to 25 percent from 17 percent, and the percentage of women on the faculty increased to 45 percent from 35 percent. A quarter of the student body is now people of color, and two-thirds of the students are women.{{cite journal |last1=Walker |first1=DeArbea |title=A 'Drum Major' for Excellence |journal=National Association of Black Journalists |date=2019 |pages=20–22 |url=https://nabjonline.org/blog/summer-fall-2019-issue-how-sarah-glover-led-nabj-to-solvency-success/ |access-date=7 February 2021 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Rubin |first1=David M. |title=Commentary: Newhouse dean steered school through media turbulence |url=https://www.syracuse.com/opinion/2019/04/lorraine-branham-steered-newhouse-school-through-turbulent-media-landscape-commentary.html |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=Syracuse Post-Standard |date=5 April 2019 |language=en}}{{cite web |last=Palmer |first=Annie |title="Women of Distinction" featuring Gabrielle Union |url=http://dailyorange.com/2012/10/gabrielle-union-panel-discuss-black-women-achievements/ |website=The Daily Orange |access-date=7 February 2021 |language=en |date=28 December 2012}}{{cite press release |last1=Stewart |first1=Kanya |title=NABJ Mourns the Loss of Distinguished Educator, Journalist Lorraine Branham |url=https://www.nabj.org/news/444814/NABJ-Mourns-the-Loss-of-Distinguished-Educator-Journalist-Lorraine-Branham.htm |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=National Association of Black Journalists |date=April 2, 2019}}

After her death, Amy Falkner served in the interim capacity until Mark J. Lodato was appointed to the position in March 2020.{{cite news |last1=Breidenbach |first1=Michelle |title=Syracuse University's Newhouse journalism school appoints new dean |url=https://www.syracuse.com/syracuse-university/2020/03/syracuse-universitys-newhouse-journalism-school-appoints-new-dean.html |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=Syracuse Post-Standard |date=23 March 2020 |language=en}} Donald Newhouse, whose father founded the Newhouse school, was grateful for her service to the school and profession, and said that Branham had taken "a great school and with a monumental effort remolded it to keep it relevant to a world that is constantly in flux".

Awards

2011 Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists Trailblazer Award{{cite news |last1=Booker |first1=Bobbi |title=Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists 6th Annual Awards Ceremony |url=http://onpointcomms.com/2011/06/14/philadelphia-association-of-black-journalists-6th-annual-awards-ceremony/ |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=Tribune / On Point Communications |date=14 June 2011 |archive-date=14 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214063035/http://onpointcomms.com/2011/06/14/philadelphia-association-of-black-journalists-6th-annual-awards-ceremony/ |url-status=dead }}
2011 Temple University School of Communications and Theater Gallery of Success Award
2017 Alumni Hall of Fame Honoree at Klein School of Temple University

She served as a juror for the Pulitzer Prize journalism awards,{{cite web |title=Finalist: Jane Healy of The Orlando Sentinel |url=https://www.pulitzer.org/finalists/jane-healy-0 |website=www.pulitzer.org |access-date=7 February 2021 |language=en |date=2007}} the Selden Ring Award for Investigative Journalism, the Scripps National Journalism Awards, and many other journalism award committees.{{cite web |title=Lorraine Branham |url=https://lewkleinawards.com/hall-of-fame/lorraine-branham/ |website=Lew Klein Awards |access-date=7 February 2021}}

Death and legacy

Branham, who lived outside Syracuse, died of uterine cancer on April 2, 2019.

Syracuse University and the Newhouse School established two scholarship programs in her memory to recruit and support Newhouse students from socioeconomically disadvantaged populations and other underrepresented groups.{{cite news |last1=Loughlin |first1=Wendy S. |title=Newhouse School Establishes Scholarship Program in Memory of Late Dean Lorraine Branham |url=https://news.syr.edu/blog/2020/10/23/newhouse-school-establishes-scholarship-program-in-memory-of-late-dean-lorraine-branham/ |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=SU News |date=October 23, 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Alessandrini |first1=Sarah |title=Newhouse establishes scholarship in honor of late dean Lorraine Branham |url=http://dailyorange.com/2020/10/newhouse-establishes-scholarship-honor-late-dean-lorraine-branham/ |access-date=7 February 2021 |work=The Daily Orange |date=22 October 2020}}