About me
Jonathan Franklin is a Washington, D.C.-based journalist whose reporting focuses on race, identity, justice and breaking news. Over the course of his career, he has covered a wide range of local and national stories, bringing audiences thoughtful, people-centered reporting that highlights the impact of major events on communities across the country.
Most recently, Jonathan served as a national correspondent at NPR, where he covered race, identity, culture, justice and breaking news. During his time at NPR, he reported on some of the nation's most consequential stories, including the Tops Friendly Markets mass shooting in Buffalo, New York; the Waukesha Christmas parade attack; the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade; and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. His work appeared across NPR's digital, social and audio platforms, including Morning Edition, All Things Considered and NPR News Now.
Before joining NPR, Jonathan worked as a digital multimedia journalist for WUSA9, the CBS affiliate in Washington, where he covered the COVID-19 pandemic, racial justice protests following the murder of George Floyd, the 2020 presidential election and the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
A frequent contributor to The Right Time with Bomani Jones podcast, Jonathan's reporting spans breaking news, enterprise and feature storytelling. His work is distinguished by strong sourcing, compelling narratives and a commitment to centering the voices of the people most affected by the issues he covers. He holds a master's degree in journalism from Georgetown University and undergraduate degrees in English, digital media, and African and African American studies from Wofford College. He is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, the Washington Association of Black Journalists, the Online News Association and the Society of Professional Journalists.
