Cheryl Burton Bio - Biography

Name Cheryl Burton
Height
Naionality
Date of Birth 25-Dec-1962
Place of Birth
Famous for
Emmy award winning Cheryl Burton, co-anchors two of the #1 rated newscasts in Chicago. Burton co-anchors the ABC 7 News at 5 p.m. and is a contributing anchor of ABC 7's 10 p.m. newscast. The Chicago native joined ABC 7 as a weekend co-anchor and reporter in November 1992.

Burton's reporting has taken her to the heart of Chicago neighborhoods, across the United States and around the globe. Whether she's covering the historic opening of Oprah's school for girls in South Africa, exposing the plight of one of Illinois' poorest schools or assessing the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Burton brings compelling stories home to Chicago. She is dedicated to exposing racism and bringing the stories of the underprivileged to the forefront.

Burton has received many honors for her work including several Emmy Awards. She was the first recipient of the 2005 "Sisters in the Spirit" Award, given by Chicago area gospel singers to persons who exemplify a faith-based life. She was honored in 2005 and 2004 with the Thurgood Marshall Award. The Chicago Association of Black Journalist (CABJ) presented Burton with the 2004 Russ Ewing Award for the emotional story of a mother to daughter kidney donation. In 2003, Burton received the same award from CABJ for her coverage of the E2 nightclub tragedy. Her coverage of the Pope's visit to Canada in 2002 was lauded. She was recognized with a 1998 Kizzy Image and Achievement Award, which honors black women who have excelled in their professions. In1997, Burton won the Phenomenal Woman Award from the expo for Today's Black Woman. Her coverage of the Million Man March earned another CABJ award in 1995.

Before joining ABC 7 Chicago, Burton was a weeknight anchor for the 6 p.m. news at KWCH-TV in Wichita, Kan. While there, she was recognized for her role in a campaign that was instrumental in reducing the number of low birth weight babies and infant deaths. She also hosted the talk show "Viewpoint" (1990-92).

In 1990, Burton served as a general assignment reporter for WMBD-TV in Peoria, Ill. She began her broadcasting career at Chicago's WGN-TV as co-anchor of the nationally syndicated weekly series "MBR: The Minority Business Report" (1989).

Burton is very active in the Chicago community and gives much of her time to non-profit groups and charities. She is a volunteer for the Boys and Girls Club of America and serves as a motivational speaker for the Chicago Public Schools. She serves on the boards of the Life with Lupus Guild, the Multicultural Dance Center and City Year. She also participates in the Rush-Presbyteriain/St. Luke's fashion show.

In addition, Burton is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, the Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Black Journalists.

A graduate of Chicago's Robert Lindblom High School, Burton was the first alumnus to be inducted into the school's hall of fame in April, 2007.

Burton graduated from the University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana with a B.S. degree in Psychology and Biology. While there she was a member of the Marching Illini, one of the nation's premiere college marching bands and had the opportunity to march in the Rose Bowl and the Liberty Bowl. She lives in Chicago.

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