About Todd Johnson

Todd Johnson is the Chief Content Officer at theGrio.com. Todd first joined the site as a reporter and video journalist shortly after its launch in June, 2009. He’s covered a variety of important news events, including trips to Haiti reporting on the devastating earthquake, as well as several reports on the impact of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans and Ferguson protests. He's previously served as theGrio's Managing Editor, as well as the Editorial Director for NBCBLK, a division of NBC News Digital. He is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, where he received both his bachelors and masters degree.

All Articles

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.
November 15, 2013

Exclusive: Key and Peele reveal plot details for new movie

theGRIO VIDEO – Comedy Central’s Key and Peele revealed exclusive plot details for their new film to theGrio.com…
Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.
November 15, 2013

Key and Peele address SNL's lack of black female cast members

theGRIO VIDEO – Comedians Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele talked with theGrio.com’s Todd Johnson about ‘Saturday Night Live’s’ lack of black female cast members…
Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.
November 13, 2013

Ken Burns says Bill de Blasio agrees to settle 'Central Park Five' suit

theGRIO REPORT – This week, documentary filmmaker Ken Burns said New York City’s next mayor will settle the longstanding civil suit filed by the ‘Central Park Five’…
Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.
November 12, 2013

Is justice coming 70 years later for executed teen George Stinney?

theGRIO REPORT – On June 16, 1944, 14-year-old George Stinney Jr. became the youngest person executed in the 20th century…
Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.
November 8, 2013

Tony Dungy didn't draft Incognito because of his 'reputation'

VIDEO – Former NFL head coach and current football analyst Tony Dungy said he passed on the opportunity to draft Richie Incognito back in 2005 because of his ‘reputation’…
Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.
November 6, 2013

New film explores fathers raising their kids 'against the odds'

theGRIO REPORT – Twenty-four million children in America are living in homes without their biological fathers present…
Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.
November 4, 2013

Exclusive clip: JFK's famous phone call to Coretta Scott King

VIDEO – Next week, PBS will air JFK, a four-hour, two part special on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy…
Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.
October 30, 2013

Arian Foster: 'I feel like I'm the best running back in the league'

theGRIO REPORT – Don’t worry, Arian Foster isn’t calling anyone out. He’s just reminding everyone his team’s slow start and his own injury concerns haven’t shaken his confidence…
Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.
October 29, 2013

Darrell Wallace: NASCAR win 'means everything'

VIDEO – He just turned 20 but Darrell Wallace Jr. is now a household name. Wallace became the first African-American driver to win a national NASCAR series event since Wendell Scott’s victory in 1963…
Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.
October 28, 2013

Utah Jazz tweet out fan dressed as Karl Malone in blackface

theGRIO REPORT – A NBA team was quick to apologize Sunday night after retweeting a picture of one of its fan in blackface…
Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.
October 28, 2013

LeBron James trains with Miami fans in new Nike ad

VIDEO – There’s something about the eve of a new NBA season and a fresh LeBron James commercial…
Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.
October 23, 2013

Northwestern awards senior walk-on a basketball scholarship

VIDEO – The video of the touching moment has more than 220,000 views as of Wednesday morning…
Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.
October 18, 2013

Erik LaRay Harvey breaks out in new season on ‘Boardwalk Empire’

theGRIO VIDEO – Erik LaRay Harvey plays menacing gangster “Dunn Purnsley” on HBO’s acclaimed series ‘Boardwalk Empire’…
Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.
October 18, 2013

Cory Booker: Senate victory ‘shows how far we’ve come’

VIDEO – This week, Cory Booker became the fourth African-American ever to be elected to the U.S. Senate. The former Newark mayor defeated Republican candidate Steve Lonegan, garnering nearly 56 percent of the vote to Lonegan’s 43 percent…
Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.
October 16, 2013

LeBron ‘would love’ to sit down and talk with Jordan

theGRIO REPORT – LeBron James told ESPN The Magazine’s Chris Broussard he ‘would love’ to sit down and talk with Michael Jordan about the game of basketball. It just hasn’t happened yet…
Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.
October 15, 2013

Columnist Phil Mushnick rips Adrian Peterson’s decision to play in game

OPINION – New York Post columnist Phil Mushnick strikes again. This time, he is focusing on Adrian Peterson…
Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.
October 13, 2013

‘American Promise’ doc focuses on the education of black boys

theGRIO REPORT – It wasn’t easy – but Idris Brewster and Seun Summers made it through. The two best friends made it through from the age of five to high school graduation with cameras documenting their every move…
Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.
October 11, 2013

Timothy Bradley: ‘You don’t have to like me, but respect me’

theGRIO REPORT – It sounds like a broken record – but undefeated boxer Timothy Bradley is still looking for respect. He’s undefeated. He boasts a controversial win over Manny Pacquiao in 2012 and, more recently, a unanimous decision victory over Russian Ruslan Provodnikov…
Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.
October 11, 2013

theGrio’s NFL update: Quarterback edition

theGRIO VIDEO – The 2013 NFL season opened with nine African-Americans starting at quarterback, reportedly the highest number in league history…
Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.
October 8, 2013

Allyson Felix talks ‘Active’ schools campaign, keeping sports clean

theGRIO VIDEO – This week, Allyson Felix showed her commitment to education and fitness as a participant in NBC’s fourth annual ‘Education Nation’ Summit in New York City…