When retired journalist Dorothy Butler Gilliam heard about the mass layoffs at the Washington Post in early February, the news stunned her. The Post hired Gilliam in 1961 as its first Black woman reporter, and the newspaper remains dear to her heart for many reasons.
“It made me very sad, even upset, because I know many people read the Post and depend on the Post, and this certainly is one of those times when we need some balance in the information that’s available,” she says.
The veteran reporter, who is 89, felt compelled to act, sending a donation of $10,000 to a GoFundMe created for laid-off Washington Post Guild members. Her gift ties two other $10,000 donations for the fundraiser’s top givers—one by journalist Kara Swisher and another by an anonymous patron. So far, the campaign has raised nearly $594,000…