Dolores Barclay | Columbia Journalism School

Dolores Barclay

Adjunct Faculty

Writing

Dolores Barclay is an author and former National Writer and Arts Editor of The Associated Press, and sits on the Advisory Board of City University Center for the Arts. She worked for AP first as a reporter covering city hall, federal and criminal courts, and the police beat for the New York City bureau. She became a feature writer and later a national writer and investigative reporter until moving into culture coverage as a writer and critic. She expanded AP's culture beat as Arts and Entertainment editor, and took a leave from her management position to work on the investigative series "Torn From the Land," which was awarded the Aronson Prize for Social Justice Journalism, the APME Enterprise Award, and the Griot Award of the New York Association of Black Journalists and was submitted for a Pulitzer Prize.

Barclay, who has taught feature writing at Rutgers University, is the author of two inspirational books, and co-author of "A Girl Needs Cash" and "Sammy Davis Jr. My Father." She also worked with Diana Ross on her best-selling memoir, "Secrets of a Sparrow." A graduate of Elmira College, Barclay was honored with the Alumni Association’s Outstanding Achievement Award in 2011. She is also a recipient of The Multiple Sclerosis Award for Excellence in Communication. She is currently working on her first novel and a publishing and video project with supermodel Frederique van der Wal, host of FYI's "Homegrown Makeover." She is a producer on a documentary about legendary film producer Sam Spiegel ("Lawrence of Arabia" and "On the Waterfront").

When not working, Barclay sails, fishes, snorkels, travels, gardens and cooks. She enjoys theater, film, music, art, ballet and comic books.

She writes: Today's world is complex and often uncaring. Facts are muddled in a stew of misinformation, ignorance and untruths. At the same time, some reporters have become marginalized, some have abandoned their once high standards and have grown lazy. Others have forgotten how to communicate and how to dig deep to uncover the news. Fortunately, there are still excellent reporters working around the globe, sometimes in dangerous and compromising situations. We continue to have a mandate to observe, record, and present an accurate, fair and compelling account for our readers and viewers. Journalism -- good journalism -- still matters, now more than ever.

 

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