Tatsha Robertson named editor in chief of The Root

Tatsha Robertson

G/O Media today named award-winning journalist and author Tatsha Robertson as editor in chief of The Root, one of the nation’s preeminent digital media outlets for Black news, politics, culture and opinion, effective immediately. She has served as the site’s deputy editor since 2021.

Robertson’s journalism career is substantial: She is a former senior editor at People Magazine, where she led that magazine’s coverage of the Newtown and Boston Marathon tragedies. As deputy editor of Essence, she established the magazine’s Washington, D.C., bureau and was one of the first journalists to interview President Barack Obama after his inauguration. Prior to joining Essence, she was the New York City bureau chief for The Boston Globe. Her contributions to the Globe’s Pulitzer Prize-winning series on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church were acknowledged by Marty Baron, the paper’s editor in chief at the time, on the day the Spotlight investigative team won the Pulitzer Prize. Members of The legendary Spotlight team also mentioned her contributions to them in "Betrayal: The Crisis in the Catholic Church," which chronicled the reporting of that landmark series. 

“Tatsha Robertson has done a stellar job at The Root — she more than deserved this promotion,” said Merrill Brown, editorial director of G/O Media. “Her leadership and guidance have made a positive impact on the site, and I’m excited to see where she takes it next.” 

"I'm thrilled to become editor in chief of The Root as we enter an extremely important election cycle," said Robertson. "I look forward to building upon this important brand's incredible legacy as a go-to source for unique political content and thought leadership for the Black community."

Robertson is also the co-author of "The Formula: Unlocking the Secrets to Raising Highly Successful Children," with Harvard professor Ronald Ferguson. She’s a NYT-bestselling ghostwriter and she just completed a novel that she’s worked on for a decade. She also co-authored "Media Circus" with Kim Goldman, sister of Ron Goldman, whose brutal murder, and the subsequent trial of O.J. Simpson, captivated the world. She is the recipient of 10 awards for news coverage from the National Association of Black Journalists, and was a finalist for Time Inc.’s Henry Luce Award for Reporting.

She joins The Root as it celebrates its 15th year anniversary, establishing its bonafides as one of Black media’s most resilient players. Since its founding, The Root has delivered standout reporting, analysis and a singular Black point of view on the issues that matter most to the Black community. Robertson will spearhead the annual Root 100 list of the most influential African Americans, as well as The Root Institute, an annual gathering of the leading Black thought leaders. 

About G/O Media:

G/O Media reaches more than a third of all Americans online each month with over 100 million unique visitors, including its extended network. This collection of digital-first brands serves a young, diverse audience with content that reflects their shared values and passions, including category-leading sites focused on tech and science (Gizmodo); pop culture and entertainment (The A.V. Club); sports news (Deadspin); car culture (Jalopnik); modern women’s interests (Jezebel); gaming (Kotaku) food and drink (The Takeout); African American news and culture (The Root); humor and satire news (The Onion); business (Quartz); and e-commerce (The Inventory).