Carolyn with Milan Zban (left) and Roland Queen

Former BJ sportswriter Carolyn White passed away Sunday, April 7 in Cleveland.

Carolyn was at Ol’ Blue Walls from 1977 to 1985. She left the BJ for USA Today, where she remained into the early 2000s.

She was the first female African-American sportswriter at the BJ and was one of two African-American sportswriters at USA Today.

Former Mizell Stewart managing editor Mizell Stewart is on the USA Today staff today as senior director of news strategy. 

Mizell responded to me:

"Charlene Washington, newsroom office manager for USA TODAY, said White joined the staff in 1986, covering high school sports and the America's Cup, among other topics, and made a mean peach cobbler. "Just a really sweet woman with a big heart," Washington said."

 

In 1986, Carolyn, Roland Queen and the late Milan Zban shared an award for their story on sports financing. Carolyn also won an award for her story on scarcity of African-Americans in Akron area high school coaching.

Carolyn was arrested while trying to cover the Washington Redskins Super Bowl parade in 1988, even though she had press credentials. The charges were dropped.

Carolyn once wrote an article about trying out for the Cleveland Cavs' Teddy Bears cheerleaders.

There has been no obituary and funeral arrangements published for Carolyn yet.

Marilyn Paulk first tipped me off. Ken Krause and Mike Williams provided me photos of Carolyn.