John Fountain - Journalist Profile | Connect with top journalists

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Biography

A native son of Chicago's West Side, John W. Fountain is an award-winning columnist, journalist, professor, publisher and author of True Vine: A Young Black Man's Journey of Faith, Hope and Clarity; and Dear Dad: Reflections on Fatherhood. A tenured full professor of journalism at Roosevelt University since 2007, he has written a weekly Sunday column for the Chicago Sun-Times for the past 13 years. As a journalist, Fountain has chronicled the story of murder for 30 years, mostly in Chicago. He was a 2021-22 Fulbright Scholar to Ghana, where taught at the University of Ghana at Legon and conducted a research project: "Africa Calling: Portraits of Black Americans Drawn to the Motherland" He has been a professor of journalism for the last 19 years.In July 2022, Fountain won a 1st Place National Association of Black Journalists' "Salute To Excellence Award" for Feature News Series for newspapers under 100,000. In June 2022, he was named 1st Place winner in Social Justice commentary from the ¬National Society of Newspaper Columnists; and a 1st place winner for column writing for the Illinois Press Association Media Editors 2021 newspaper contest. Fountain was formerly a national correspondent for The New York Times and a staff writer at the Washington Post and the Chicago Tribune, where he was once that newspaper's chief crime reporter. Throughout his career, Fountain has received numerous awards for his work. His essay, "The God Who Embraced Me," penned for National Public Radio's series, "This I Believe," appears in the corresponding book.He was previously a tenured full professor of journalism at his alma mater, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and is a graduate of Providence St. Mel School, Chicago

Content

Total articles 550

• Available on paid plans

  Telling Our Own West Side Story; A Celebration of Life, Survival and Success From Boyz To Men

  By John Fountain Verified

  Apr. 18, 2025

• Available on paid plans

  Paradise And Spring Not Lost; West Side Conservatory In Full Bloom

  By John Fountain Verified

  Apr. 12, 2025

• Available on paid plans

  After 'Volunteer Slavery,' In The Words of Langston Hughes, Fountain: 'I'm Still Here'

  By John Fountain Verified

  Apr. 10, 2025

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Company Info

Chicago Sun-Times

The Chicago Sun-Times is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, launched in February 1948 from the merger of the morning Chicago Sun and the evening Times. It has a rich history, tracing back to the Chicago Evening Journal, which was published from 1844 until 1929. The newspaper has changed ownership several times, with the most recent acquisition by ST Acquisition Holdings in 2017. The Chicago Sun-Times provides extensive news coverage, including local, national, and international events. Its content encompasses politics, crime, education, and community news, along with in-depth sports analysis of Chicago teams like the Cubs, White Sox, Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks. The newspaper also features entertainment reviews, opinion pieces, and business news, catering to a diverse audience in the Chicago metropolitan area.