Author and media executive Amy DuBois Barnett has been named the new editor-in-chief of the women’s lifestyle magazine EBONY, according to the publication’s parent company.
Barnett comes to EBONY from Harper’s Bazaar, where she was deputy editor-in-chief. Previously, she was editor of the now defunct multi-cultural women’s magazine Honey, where she was credited with doubling that publication’s circulation. She is the former managing editor of Teen People, and was the first Black woman to head a magazine of that size and reputation.
“I am extremely pleased to bring Amy DuBois Barnett on as part of the new leadership team,” Linda Johnson Rice, chairman and CEO of Johnson Publishing, said in a statement. “She brings with her a wealth of experience, a keen journalistic eye and solid editorial judgment which will serve to help redefine the EBONY brand within the ever-changing marketplace.”
Despite rumors earlier this year that the storied publication would be sold, EBONY continues under the leadership of Johnson Publishing. The magazine was a cultural touchstone of the Black community for decades, but has declined in recent years.
In a statement, Barnett said she looked forward to continuing the magazine’s legacy and attracting new audiences.
“EBONY has always represented the best of African-African achievement, society and culture, and I couldn’t be more honored to be at the helm as we enhance this icon for the 21st century,” Barnett said. “I’m excited to bring the EBONY brand to multiple media platforms and to engage new audiences who will surely be moved by its resonant, provocative and authoritative perspective on today’s African-American experience.”