Gerald Boyd was the first black managing editor of The New York Times. He died earlier this week of lung cancer. Boyd was diagnosed with lung cancer in February and was keeping unwell for most of the year. However he kept his condition private from his friends and colleagues.
Boyd is credited for his ability to mobilize a reporting team and surround a story to capture every important fact. He was tough and demanding and had a huge heart. And while he left the paper under sad circumstances, he also left as a well-respected newsman.
Boyd became managing editor in 2001 and resigned in 2003 after the discovery that reporter Jayson Blair had plagiarized material, invented quotes, and wrote stories using datelines of places he’d never seen. The scandal resulted in discontented staff members who lost confidence in Boyd’s leadership. Boyd was forced to resign two years after his appointment. After his resignation, Boyd became involved in several projects and found himself writing a column for Universal Press Syndicate. His goal was to help people understand how newsroom decisions are made.
Boyd is survived by his wife and 10-year-old son. He was 56 and dies of lung cancer.
