Meet Our New Managing Editor — Fred McKissack

Ink Spot Staff Report

The murder of George Lloyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on May 25 sparked protests around the world including Fort Wayne. Although local protesters and Fort Wayne police clashed on the evenings of May 29 and 30, the daily demonstrations were peaceful and brought together groups of people to the County Courthouse grounds of different ages, races and socio-economic backgrounds.

Fred McKissack and his wife, Lisa Beringer, associate professor of sociology at Ivy Tech, moved to Fort Wayne from Madison, WI, 16 years ago. Their son Mark is entering his junior year at South Side High School. Fred has been working in journalism most of his life and we spent a few moments talking about his life and interests.
Fred’s parents, both 1964 graduates of Tennessee State University, loved books, art, film and music. His mother, Patricia, a teacher, and father, Fred, a civil engineer, eventually became children’s book authors winning numerous American Library Association awards including several Coretta Scott King Award and a Newbery Honor.

Fred remembers a vibrant and colorful childhood growing up in St. Louis full of experiences. He credits his parents for teaching him to explore all things in life. Fred remembers many newspapers, books and magazines around his house as he grew up.

Fred has nearly 30 years of experience. His first story was covering a high school football game as a free-lance writer for the St Louis Suburban Journal in 1990 for which he was paid $25. His first full-time job was with the St. Louis American, a vulnerable African American weekly.

Fred’s experiences as a writer are broad, from newspapers and freelance writing for magazines, as well as time spent in advertising and public relations. He has lived and worked many places and been able to explore and write on a variety of stories and historical events, including the 30th anniversary of the March on Washington and the Million Man March.

Fred’s first novel, Shooting Star, was published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers. Kirkus Review selected it to its top 10 books for young adult readers in 2010. His 2012 graphic novel, Best Shot in the West: The Adventures of Nat Love, was a 2012 BCCB Blue Ribbon Book and a 2013 Bank Street CBC Best Children's Book of the Year.

Fred says journalism has allowed him to inform as well as explore, as well as to get to know the people around us. “I can’t think of a better place to be in this time and place than Ink Spot,” Fred says.