Our History

In 1903, W.E.B. DuBois wrote, “The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line.”

In 1998, the color lines were still drawn when Race Forward published the inaugural issue of Colorlines magazine. Colorlines quickly rose to national prominence as the go-to print publication on the issues of race, culture, and power. When mainstream media shied away from reporting on race, we called out systemic racism in all its manifestations. Colorlines led the way in quality, race-focused journalism that centered people of color and marginalized voices.

In 2010, Colorlines evolved into a daily digital news site covering events as they unfolded – bringing audiences the most urgent news on racial justice issues and the context in which to understand them. Our award-winning journalism structurally shifted the way national media reported on immigration and race. 

In the aftermath of the 2020 Uprisings and during the COVID-19 pandemic, the reality of the world we lived in was placed starkly in front of us.

At Colorlines, we knew that this moment required something different from us. We asked our audience how we can most effectively offer the critical questions and stories at the intersections of race, power, and democracy. Our community expressed a need for more in-depth analysis, tools to support their activism and ways to connect with other justice seekers. We listened and reimagined Colorlines as a multimedia platform for rigorous analysis, shared learning and meaning-making.

Get acquainted with the values that guide our work.