Before the Byline: A Journalist's Roots

In this deeply personal memoir, Don Wycliff reflects on the unlikely path that carried him from a segregated childhood in East Texas to the editorial boards of some of America's most influential newspapers. Born in 1946 to devout Black Catholic parents who instilled in him resilience, faith, and ambition, Wycliff was part of a generation that came of age during the Civil Rights Movement and the nation's slow march toward equality.

The book traces his journey through transformative moments: winning a scholarship to the University of Notre Dame, living through the assassination of Fred Hampton and the Black Panther raid in Chicago, and discovering the power of journalism to reveal truth and hold power accountable. More than a chronicle of a journalist's life, Before the Byline is a meditation on family, faith, race, and democracy. It explores how one man's roots-in community, in church, and in history-nurtured a calling to tell stories that matter and to fight for a more inclusive America.

Don Wycliff has spent a lifetime in journalism, shaping public conversation at some of the nation's most influential newspapers. Born in Liberty, Texas, he graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1969 and launched his reporting career at the Houston Post. He went on to serve on The New York Times editorial board and later led the Chicago Tribune's editorial page, where his leadership helped earn a Pulitzer Prize. A columnist, teacher, and mentor, Wycliff continues to be recognized as a leading voice in American journalism.