Dallas Morning News hires first Black executive editor

The Dallas Morning News named veteran journalist Katrice Hardy as its executive editor, making her the first Black person to hold the top job.

Hardy, who is also the first woman to hold the position, will assume her new role on Aug. 12, the Dallas News Corporation said in a statement.

“A news organization serves no purpose if it’s not producing work that makes a difference in the lives of those it covers,” Hardy said in a statement. “And that’s what I’m excited about doing more of with the talented staff at The News.”

The Dallas Morning News has named Katrice Hardy, a veteran journalist whose newsrooms have a track record of award-winning reporting, to be its next top editor.https://t.co/xgqYHZrEdY

— Dallas Morning News (@dallasnews) July 21, 2021

Hardy will be joining The Dallas Morning News from The Indianapolis Star, where she is executive editor.

The IndyStar won a Pulitzer Prize this year for national reporting for an investigation into K-9 units, which was done in collaboration with The Marshall Project, Alabama Media Group and the Invisible Institute.

Hardy is also the Midwest regional editor for USA Today Network, overseeing two dozen other newspapers and 300 staffers across three states.

Amalie Nash, senior vice president for local news and audience development for the USA Today Network, told The IndyStar that Hardy “made a significant impact” on the newsroom.

“It’s no surprise the Star won journalism’s biggest prize during her time there. We know she’ll make an indelible impact on Dallas and throughout our industry in the years to come,” Nash said.

In her role for USA Today, Hardy oversaw The Louisville Courier Journal, which was named a finalist for a 2021 Pulitzer Prize in the breaking news and public service categories for its coverage of the police killing of Breonna Taylor.

Before joining Gannett, she spent 20 years working at The Virginian-Pilot, where she worked her way from an intern to managing editor, a role she held from 2014 to 2016 prior to joining Gannett.