Black History

Malvin Russell: Goode Black Radio Reporter Who Covered Cuban Missile Crisis

Malvin Russell Goode (1908–1995) ignored the cultural roadblocks preventing minorities from entering and having success in the field of journalism.

Published

3 years ago

November 3, 2023

Oakland Post

Malvin Russell Goode had been a steelworker, probation officer and YMCA director before entering the field of journalism at age 40. Public domain photo.

By Tamara Shiloh

About 80% of Black adults expect that national news stories will be accurate. About 53% feel connected to their main news source overall. One in three say they have a lot of trust in the information they get from local news organizations. These facts aside, Black people have historically been underrepresented in the newsroom.

Malvin Russell Goode (1908–1995) ignored the cultural roadblocks preventing minorities from entering and having success in the field of journalism.

After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh in 1931, Goode continued his employment as a steelworker for five years. He then worked at various jobs: a probation officer, director for the YMCA, manager for the Pittsburgh Housing Authority, and eventually in the public relations department of the Pittsburgh Courier, where, at age 40, he moved into the position of reporter.

He later took a leap into radio broadcasting, beginning with a 15-minute, twice-weekly commentary for KQV Radio in Pittsburgh. His popularity began to soar.

After 13 years in broadcasting, Goode was hired by ABC in 1962, making him the national news network’s first African American correspondent. He dove at the chance to present all sides of news coverage.

Seven weeks into Goode’s network career, the Cuban Missile Crisis developed. The lead ABC correspondent for the United Nations was on vacation, so Goode reported on the entire story for the network. He continued to cover the U.N. until his retirement in 1973.

Throughout his career, Goode also reported on political conventions, and civil and human rights issues during the 1960s.

Goode was jailed many times in attempts to harass and intimidate him for his involvement with civil rights issues. He was active with the NAACP and traveled across the country to give speeches for more than 200 local chapters.

He knew and interviewed many prominent civil rights leaders and athletes such as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Jackie Robinson.

Post retirement, he worked for the National Black Network, again covering the U.N., civil rights, and politics, a move that proved challenging.

Goode was born in White Plains, Va. His grandparents had once been slaves, and their history informed Goode’s entire family life, giving them ambition and determination.

His mother attended West Virginia State University, and often stressed the importance of education to her children. Goode would remember these lessons for the rest of his life. This can be seen by his determination and his interest in events that affected the world.

About Goode, former ABC anchor Peter Jennings, who considered him a mentor, once said: “Mal could have very sharp elbows. If he was on a civil rights story and anyone even appeared to give him any grief because he was black, he made it more than clear that this was now a free country.”

Goode died of a stroke on Sept. 12, 1995, in Pittsburgh.

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of May 6 – 12, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of may 6 – 12, 2026

Published

4 days ago

May 10, 2026

Oakland Post

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Activism

On the Frontlines of Hate: NAACP Links Victims to Critical Support

The NAACP CA/HI has a long and well-established record of supporting victims of discrimination and hate crimes — providing critical referrals and, when necessary, direct assistance through legal advocacy and other forms of support. Beyond responding to incidents, the organization continues to advocate on broader civil rights issues, including voting rights and legal protections. It has also worked to counter efforts at the state and federal levels that could weaken the voting power of communities of color.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 1, 2026

Oakland Post

NAACP members at a recent advocacy day in Sacramento urging lawmakers to protect voting rights. Photo courtesy of California Black Media.

By Joe Kocurek
California Black Media

The California/Hawaii State Conference of the NAACP (CA/HI NAACP) has expanded its efforts to respond to rising hate incidents and civil rights complaints across California, supported in part by funding from California’s Stop the Hate Program

Through that grant, NAACP CA/HI has strengthened its ability to connect individuals experiencing hate or discrimination with critical resources. This includes referring those who file complaints to the CA vs Hate hotline, a statewide, non-emergency hate crime and incident reporting hotline and online portal created to help counter a more than 50% increase in reported hate crimes in California between 2020 and 2024. The system helps ensure incidents are documented, and victims are guided toward appropriate support.

LaJuana Bivens says the work of NAACP is as urgent as ever. Photo by Regina Wilson, California Black Media.

LaJuana Bivens, who has served in a number of roles within the NAACP, said California has seen an increase in civil rights violations and hate-related incidents.

“We have 52 branches, and they are constantly receiving complaints,” she said. “So, without the Stop the Hate, we would not be able to refer those cases up to attorneys at the state level. A lot of the people would not have had an opportunity to be heard.”

Carmen-Nicole Cox helps survivors of hate with their legal options. Photo courtesy of Carmen-Nicole Cox.

Carmen-Nicole Cox, an attorney who works with NAACP CA/HI – as a part of California’s Stop the Hate Program – provides legal consultation to victims of hate incidents and discrimination through her legal practice, the Cox Firm for Law and Policy.

She said the complaints she receives span a wide range of issues.

“People are having home builders and landlords refusing to provide repairs, a student was denied promotion in an academic program, and targeted scrutiny at work,” she said. “It’s typically employment; it’s housing; it’s education.

“We’ll meet and they’ll share their experiences,” she said. “And then I make assessments about possible legal claims.”

According to the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), nearly 1,200 reports of hate against minority groups were submitted in 2024 through the CA vs Hate hotline and online portal for non-emergency incidents.

While the California/Hawaii State Conference of the NAACP, which has tens of thousands of members, does not directly investigate hate incidents or crimes, it plays a key role in connecting victims to the state’s reporting systems and support services.

Beyond responding to incidents, the organization continues to advocate on broader civil rights issues, including voting rights and legal protections. It has also worked to counter efforts at the state and federal levels that could weaken the voting power of communities of color.

Bivens recently traveled to Sacramento to speak with state lawmakers about voting rights during an advocacy day event hosted by the organization.

“It’s just so hard for communities of color to be up to date because of all of the confusing information coming from the federal level,” she said. “I love our great state of California because here it is possible to vote by mail and to vote early.

“And I’m seeing that trying to be eroded. So, I’m here to urge continued support for vote by mail and early voting.”

When Texas moved to redraw congressional districts in ways critics said would dilute minority voting strength, NAACP CA/HI supported the passage of Proposition 50 in California. The organization also intervened in United States v. Shirley Weber, where federal officials sought access to unredacted California voter records, including Social Security numbers, raising concerns about misuse and voter intimidation.

Cultivating the advocacy and leaderships of young people is central to NAACP’s mission to fight racism and dismantle inequality. Photo courtesy of California Black Media.

A federal district court dismissed that case in January 2026.

The organization’s current work builds on a long history of civil rights advocacy. Today, Bivens says, the organization’s mission remains as urgent as ever.

“We are the oldest, boldest, most feared Civil Rights organization,” Bivens said. “What we do every day is fight for better housing, education, economic development and political inclusion. We take it on because there are just so many people who need that support.

“You would be amazed that our phones ring every single day.”

Get Support After Hate:

California vs Hate is a non-emergency, multilingual hotline and online portal offering confidential support for hate crimes and incidents. Victims and witnesses can get help anonymously by calling 833-8-NO-HATE (833-866-4283), Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. PT, or online at any time. Anonymous. Confidential. No Police. No ICE.

This story was produced in partnership with CA vs Hate. Join them for the first-ever CA Civil Rights Summit on May 11. More information at www.cavshate.org/summit.

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