Black news anchors in Chicago have profoundly shaped the city’s media landscape with their unique perspectives and talents.
These journalists have informed and inspired us, from Terrell Brown breaking barriers at ABC News to Michelle Relerford’s work at NBC 5 Chicago.

Learn more about the histories, professional highlights, earnings, and personal lives of Chicago’s Black news anchors making a difference in the news delivery industry.
1. Samantha Chatman
Samantha Chatman is a morning anchor and investigative reporter at ABC 7 Chicago.
She holds a Broadcast Journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she also minored in African American studies.

Chatman began her career as a fill-in anchor at WEEK-TV in Peoria, Illinois.
She is an Emmy award-winning consumer investigative reporter known for exposing scams and advocating for consumers through investigative reporting on ABC 7 Chicago’s I-Team.
While specific figures for Samantha Chatman’s salary are not publicly available, her significant role at ABC 7 Chicago suggests a competitive salary.
She keeps her personal life private but often shares glimpses of her family and friends on social media.
2. Hosea Sanders

Hosea Sanders started his media career at Henderson State University, graduating with a Journalism and Oral Communications degree.
After graduating, he was employed by KARK-TV in Little Rock, Arkansas. He then went on to work as an anchor at KDFW-TV in Dallas and KCBS-TV in Los Angeles.
In 1994, Sanders joined WLS-TV, the ABC affiliate in Chicago, where he has been a co-anchor for the morning and evening news broadcasts for over 20 years.
He is known for his talent in reporting local stories and covering entertainment news. He is the co-anchor of Eye Witness News on The U newscast, which airs at 7 p.m. on weeknights on WCIU-TV in Chicago.
Sanders has been open about his battle with prostate cancer, taking a leave of absence from the news to undergo treatment. However, he has kept details about his personal life, including his marital status.
3. Terrell Brown

After graduating, he joined CBS News in 2009 as an anchor and correspondent, covering major stories like the Boston Marathon bombing and the BP Gulf oil spill.
2014, Brown joined ABC 7 Eyewitness News in Chicago as a news anchor and reporter.
He currently anchors the ABC 7 Chicago Eyewitness newscasts from 4:30 to 7:00 a.m. and the 11 a.m. weekday newscasts.
Before this, he worked at the NBC station in Richmond, Virginia, from 2005 to 2009.
Brown has been recognized for his exceptional journalism, winning a national Emmy Award for his work in the search for individuals responsible for the Boston Marathon bombing.
He is also known for his active lifestyle and often shares his adventures and family moments on social media.
4. Brian Jackson

Brian Jackson’s interest in journalism was sparked in 6th grade when he met a local sportscaster named Jim Rose, who lived across the street from his school.
While studying at Rich South High School, Jackson started writing for the school magazine.
He holds a journalism degree from Carleton University and has a technology and science journalism background.
Jackson is known for his in-depth investigative reporting on sports. He is currently a morning Sports anchor at Fox 32 in Chicago, Illinois.
His role at a major Chicago station suggests a competitive salary, although the exact figures are not publicly available.
Jackson prefers to keep his personal life private, focusing on his professional achievements and community involvement.
5. Evrod Cassimy

Evrod Cassimy is a multi-talented TV news anchor and reporter for NBC 5 Chicago. He currently anchors the 10 p.m. news and studied television broadcast journalism at Columbia College Chicago.
In addition to his journalism career, Cassimy is a singer-songwriter and philanthropist who has raised more than $100,000 for charitable organizations through his music.
Cassimy has an extensive background in television news, having served as an anchor and reporter at various stations across the United States.
His previous positions include working at WDIV Local 4 News in Detroit, KCNC CBS Denver, NBC12 in Richmond, Virginia, News 13 Orlando, and WMTV NBC 15 in Madison, Wisconsin.
When he’s not at work, Cassimy enjoys spending time with his wife and their three kids.
6. Michelle Relerford

Michelle Relerford is a weekend evening news anchor for NBC 5 Chicago.
She graduated from Whitney Young High School before studying journalism and English at the University of Connecticut.
While in college, Relerford interned for the NBC Chicago Investigative Unit. She first worked for WNDU in South Bend, Indiana, followed by a stint at WEWS in Cleveland, Ohio.
She later anchored weekends and reported for WHDH-TV, the NBC affiliate in Boston. After returning to Chicago, Relerford worked as a fill-in anchor for NBC 5 News.
In 2016, Relerford was promoted to weekend evening anchor and was nominated for two Emmys for her reporting in Chicago. She currently co-anchors the NBC Morning News on weekdays from 4 to 7 am.
While Relerford’s exact salary is not publicly disclosed, anchors at NBC 5 News typically earn competitive salaries reflecting their experience and prominence in the industry.
Relerford is married to her long-term boyfriend, Chukwudi Okafor, and they have a son together.