After Less Than a Year, Mitzi Miller Resigns as Ebony’s Editor-In-Chief

Reported by Liku Zelleke

Mitzi Miller has stepped down from her position as editor-in-chief of Ebony magazine, less than a year after taking the helm of Black America’s oldest publication.

Miller, who had taken the position in April 2014, will now pursue “a career in film,” a press release from the magazine stated.

“I’ve always subscribed to the principle of living in the present and remaining open to all of life’s opportunities. So, I believe that now is an exciting time to start a new chapter in my life,” Miller said within the statement.

Her resignation comes soon after the successful release of With this Ring, a Lifetime movie starring Regina Hall, Jill Scott and Eve. In 2006, Miller co-authored the book “The Vow,” upon which the movie was based. She is also the author of other books, including “The Angry Black Woman’s Guide to Life” and “Hotlanta,” a young adult series.

Before joining Ebony when Amy DuBois stepped down, Miller was the editor-in-chief of Jet, where she led a redo of the print version of the magazine as well as the redesigning and enhancement of its online versions. She has appeared on The Root 100 list of influential African-Americans and has been a guest on shows like “Good Morning America.”

“It will always be an honor to have been a part of the Johnson Publishing Company legacy,” she said in her announcement message. “Having served as the editor-in-chief for two of the oldest and most successful African American publications, I take pride in the issues the team was able to explore and expose to the readers. And now, I look forward to continuing to tell our dynamic stories in a new way with my next venture.”

The Johnson Publishing Company is the parent company of both Ebony and Jet magazines. So far, no one has been named as Miller’s successor. The statement released by the company read:

“Today, Mitzi Miller has resigned as the EIC of Ebony magazine. We were delighted to have Ms. Miller as a part of our family over the last four years. We wish Mitzi well as she pursues a career in film. We are proud of the role that many of our alumnae play in the entertainment industry.

“Mitzi has been on a personal leave for the last six weeks and our strong editorial bench has stepped in. The company will continue to take a look at assigning new talent to the publication as we develop new ways to increase the dominance of the magazine through digital, event activations and sponsorships.”