Victor Blackwell

Victor Blackwell (born 1981) is an American journalist and television news anchor best known for New Day Saturday and Sunday on CNN, based in Atlanta, GA.

Early life
He was class president of his high school graduating class at Milford Mill Academy in 1999. Blackwell earned a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism from Howard University in Washington, D.C. While in college, he worked at Howard University’s public television station WHUT-TV. After college, Blackwell worked as a reporter and fill-in anchor at WHAG-TV in Hagerstown, MD. He also worked as a reporter and weekend anchor at WTLV/WJXX in Jacksonville, Florida. Blackwell was also the first black main anchor at WPBF in West Palm Beach, Florida. Blackwell joined CNN in 2012 as a correspondent, based at CNN’s southeast bureau. In 2013, Blackwell’s exclusive reporting on the mysterious death of Georgia teenager Kendrick Johnson led to investigations by the Office of Secretary of State of Georgia and the US Attorney for Georgia’s Middle District. In January 2014, Blackwell was promoted to co-host of New Day Saturday and Sunday with Christi Paul.

Personal life
In November 2007, Blackwell announced that he’d secretly undergone laparoscopic surgery to combat his life-long struggle with his weight. Blackwell is gay.

Awards and honors
In 2009, Blackwell received a Regional Emmy Award for Outstanding Feature Reporting. He was also nominated for a Regional Emmy in 2007, 2008, and 2011. Blackwell also received a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for his reporting on the Stop Snitchin’ phenomenon and its impact on inner-city crime. Blackwell received the Unity Award from the Radio Television Digital News Association in 2007 for his reporting on the high school graduation rate of black boys.