Free Press, Detroit News writer Betty DeRamus, 84, dies

• Betty DeRamus is a former Detroit Free Press and Detroit Information journalist identified for her compelling tales and cultural perception columns.
• Betty has gained quite a few awards and was inducted into the Michigan Journalism Corridor of Fame.
• In response to her former colleagues, Betty was a “gold commonplace” author, a full of life storyteller, and a pleasure to work with.

Betty DeRamus, a former reporter and columnist for the Detroit Free Press and Detroit Information identified for her compelling and highly effective tales, died on the age of 84.

All through her profession, she advised the tales of on a regular basis Detroiters and traveled the world writing in regards to the election of Nelson Mandela in South Africa and the riots in Los Angeles. She additionally wrote two books telling the love tales of enslaved individuals.

She gained dozens of awards throughout her profession and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. She was admitted to the Hall of Fame for Michigan Journalism in 2015.

Felecia Henderson edited the community-based, slice-of-life columns that DeRamus wrote in her remaining years at The Detroit Information. She mentioned DeRamus was the “gold commonplace” of writing and essentially the most gifted author she has ever labored with.

“She was curious, quiet and unassuming, however her writing left a robust impression in your soul,” Henderson mentioned. “She was such a full of life storyteller. Her prose drew you into the scene and made you’re feeling such as you have been there.”

Judy Diebolt, a longtime colleague of DeRamus at each Freep and The Detroit Information, mentioned modifying DeRamus’ tales was the simplest job she’s ever had as a result of her writing was so thorough and exquisite.

“She was terribly soft-spoken, however she had an incredible wealth of information in regards to the metropolis,” Diebolt mentioned. “I at all times noticed her as an unbelievable information for readers, taking them into the streets and neighborhoods the place she advised the tales of the individuals who lived there. And she or he may carry a neighborhood to life like nobody I’ve ever identified.”

DeRamus, a founding member of the Detroit chapter of the Nationwide Affiliation of Black Journalists, not solely dug into uncared for tales however mentored different journalists to do the identical, mentioned Detroit NABJ President Vincent D. McCraw.

“Betty DeRamus was a trailblazer not just for the tales she advised on tales that too typically missed the mainstream information media, but in addition for the handfuls of journalists she mentored — particularly Black ladies,” McCraw, a former colleague at The Information, mentioned in an announcement to the Free Press. voices of our group have been heard, listened to and acknowledged.”

Cassandra Spratling mentioned she admired DeRamus earlier than they met and finally grew to become her colleague and pal.

“As a younger journalist, there weren’t many African-American journalists in newsrooms, and once I began at Freep over 40 years in the past, there weren’t many,” Spratling says. ‘Her phrases have been like honey, smooth and candy, and in addition like hearth when essential. That is what I admired about her.’

DeRamus was not solely an ideal author, but in addition an ideal pal and individual, Sprattling mentioned. Sprattling, DeRamus and a gaggle of their associates typically dined collectively at African eating places round metro Detroit. Certainly one of their favourite locations earlier than the closure was referred to as Stylish Afrique, Sprattling mentioned.

“It was a pleasure to dine there with others, and it grew to become not only a place to go and eat, however a spot to go and share our love of the tradition,” Sprattling mentioned. “The homeowners grew to become like associates and so they at all times knew to anticipate us. After the restaurant closed, we went to the proprietor’s home, and he or she fed us. We began speaking about all the things, politics and cultural points.”

DeRamus was beneficiant to different reporters within the newsroom, sharing information on subjects she had beforehand lined and serving to with connections, Diebolt mentioned. DeRamus cherished to chuckle.

Diebolt recalled that when DeRamus’ father died, a number of of her associates and colleagues got here to her dwelling to assist her. DeRamus wrote thank-you notes for everybody that have been “essentially the most stunning, gracious issues” Diebolt mentioned she had ever learn.

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DeRamus was quiet, however she cherished vogue and expressed herself within the flamboyant method she dressed, Diebolt mentioned.

DeRamus graduated from Wayne State College and commenced her journalism profession on the Michigan Chronicle. She was a reporter after which editorial author on the Detroit Free Press from 1972 to 1987, when The Detroit Information employed her as a columnist. She retired from The Information in 2006, in keeping with her Michigan Journalism Corridor of Fame profile.

After DeRamus retired from the Detroit Information, she wrote the books “Forbidden Fruit” and “Freedom by Any Means: Con Video games, Voodoo Schemes, True Love and Lawsuits on the Underground Railroad,” telling the untold tales of what enslaved individuals endured for love.

DeRamus was identified for drawing readers into the story, whether or not she was highlighting traits like individuals spraying their faces with water to take away make-up, choosing up an article for Essence journal, sharing the tales of individuals going hungry in South Africa or reporting on individuals wrongly imprisoned, youngsters being abused and residents preventing crime.

“She was excellent at capturing the sensation,” Diebolt mentioned. “She had an incredible sense of place in her writing. She took you to the spot and put you there. It felt such as you have been proper subsequent to her.’

Sprattling ended with an analogous beat as DeRamus for Common Folks. Sprattling mentioned DeRamus by no means advised her to cowl these tales, however confirmed her their significance in the best way she wrote them.

Though DeRamus retired earlier than the “Black Lives Matter” motion took its title, DeRamus’ work embodied the phrase, Sprattling mentioned.

“Betty lived and wrote that her entire life,” Sprattling mentioned. ‘That is what she did. And she or he demonstrated this in her books and journal articles and her work at Freep and The Information.’

DeRamus’ good pal, writer Denise Crittendon, confirmed DeRamus’ death in a Facebook post on February 6. In response to the report, her funeral shall be personal at her request and a memorial service shall be held within the spring. Greater than 200 individuals have responded with their condolences and DeRamus tales.

“I’ve labored with a whole lot of writers all through my profession. She was the one I not often had questions on as a result of she was so expert, so ready, and her work was simply excellent,” mentioned Henderson. “She was each editor’s dream.”

Find out how to learn DeRamus’s work

Her books can be found at shops resembling Barnes & Edel and on Amazon.

Her columns may be discovered within the Detroit Free Press archives at Newspapers.com and Detroit Information archives at detroitnews.newsbank.com.

Contact Natalie Davies at ndavies@freepress.com.