The AFRO, the oldest Black-owned business in D.C., Maryland and Virginia, announced the addition of Ashleigh Fields as their new assistant editor.
“Ashleigh Fields is a dynamic media professional, devoted to engaging the community and keeping the public informed with compelling, accurate news stories,” said a statement from the AFRO.
Fields, who graduated from Howard University on Saturday with a degree in Journalism, served as editor for The Hilltop, the University’s newspaper, and the oldest Black collegiate newspaper in the United States. She has made an immediate impact for the AFRO, covering local news in Washington D.C., and stories with an industry-wide lens. Notable pieces to date include coverage of Vice President Harris’s speech at Howard University, and an on-the-ground report from the White House Correspondents Dinner.
“Fields, a two-time self-published author, hails from the Queen City of Charlotte, N.C., and moved to Washington, D.C. to attend Howard University and hone her skills as a writer and editor,” per Fields’ official bio. “Fields has a passion for politics, education and health news with a primary focus on the Black population.”
In her full-time role, Fields will continue to lead the AFRO’s Washington D.C.-related coverage, a crucial area of influence for the newspaper. Additionally, her reporting will explore the intersection of politics and the Black community throughout the United States.
Alexis Taylor, Executive Editor for the AFRO, added “Ashleigh has truly hit the ground running in her new role! Her passion for the field is evident and we are honored to have her begin her professional career at the AFRO. I personally look forward to working with Ashleigh as we elevate the quality of the publication and develop outstanding reporters to cover the D.C. area and beyond.”
To learn more about the AFRO, visit: https://afro.com
About the AFRO
The AFRO is the oldest Black-owned business in D.C., Maryland and Virginia,, and the 3rd-oldest in the United States. For over 130 years, the AFRO has offered a platform for images and stories that advance the Black community, fulfilling the vision of John H. Murphy, Sr., a former enslaved man who founded the publication with his wife, Martha Howard Murphy. Today, through the leadership of Murphy’s great-granddaughter, Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper, the AFRO remains the Black Media Authority, providing readers with good news about the Black community not otherwise found.
