Inspirational:

INSIDE Story of STEVE OSUNSAMI, Nigerian broadcasting ‘kid’ riding on the wings of ABC News in America for 25 years

*Reigns as a senior national correspondent contributing for World News with David Muir, ‘Good Morning America’

*Born into a poor family of Nigerian immigrants’ parents, graduated from University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana

*Started journalism as an Illinois Broadcasting Association intern and writing for ‘The Daily Illini’ helped launch media career

*Worked at WREX-TV in Rockford, Illinois, WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and at KOMO-TV in Seattle before becoming a correspondent for ABC News

*Covered riots in Baltimore and Ferguson Missouri to the 2000 United States presidential election recount in Florida, and the shooting deaths of nine black parishioners at the Charleston church shooting in 2015

*Subject of political debate as an African-American reporter who showed emotion live on the air on the night of the election of the nation’s first black president, Barack Obama

*Celebrated media practitioner has won or been nominated for many awards, including a 2016 National Emmy Award

*BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/AMERICA Senior Investigative Editor

HIS NAME, STEVE OSUNSAMI, rings a bell among African American broadcasters in the United States.  Highly cerebral investigative journalist born to Nigerian parents in a poor family. He refused to allow his poor background to define him, as he set his eyes on his dream of building a huge legacy in broadcasting in America. He has by dint of hardwork attained this feat. 

Osunsami is seen as a Nigerian-American journalist. He is a senior national correspondent for ABC News in Atlanta, Georgia, contributing reports to World News with David Muir, Good Morning America, and other station broadcasts and platforms since his start with ABC News in 1997

Osunsami was born in Washington, D.C., to parents who were Nigerian immigrants. He was reported to have shared that he came from poverty and is a graduate of the Head Start Program. He is a graduate of University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, where being an Illinois Broadcasting Association intern and writing for ‘The Daily Illini’ helped launch his career.

Osunsami started his career at WREX-TV in Rockford, Illinois, WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and at KOMO-TV in Seattle before becoming a correspondent for ABC News. 

His work has taken him all over the country, from covering riots in Baltimore and Ferguson Missouri to the 2000 United States presidential election recount in Florida, and the shooting deaths of nine black parishioners at the Charleston church shooting in 2015.

Osunsami was the subject of political debate after he was one of several African-American reporters who showed emotion live on the air on the night of the election of the nation’s first black president, Barack Obama. 

Amidst the political and racial unrest of 2020, Osunsami covered the killing of Rayshard Brooks and the murder of Ahmaud Arbery.

Osunsami wrote and hosted the ABC podcast “Soul of a Nation: Tulsa’s Buried Truth,” which explores the 1921 Tulsa race massacre through archival audio and conversations with historians. Speaking on his personal connection to the project, Osunsami said, “It shocks me, as a high school and college-educated Black American, that until recently, the details of the Tulsa massacre have escaped me, and I think that’s a shame. It says a ton about the way we, as Americans, record history that’s racist and ugly. We like to give it the silent treatment. And like a fight with someone in your family, simply ignoring the injury never makes it go away.”

An essay by Osunsami was featured in the book, “My America: What My Country Means to Me, by 150 Americans from All Walks of Life,” edited by Hugh Downs.

Osunsami has won or been nominated for many awards, including a 2016 National Emmy Award.

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