Copyright The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As The Atlanta Journal-Constitution prepares to end its print edition, Ernie Suggs reflects on the newsroom and the sound that has marked every goodbye. Ernie Suggs, a reporter at the AJC since 1997, reviews a selection of articles he has contributed to during his time with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, as of Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Miguel Martinez/AJC) There’s a tradition here at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution called the “clap-out.” I’m not sure how unique the practice is — especially among other newsrooms or long-standing institutions — but here’s how it works: klaw pu denrut etubirt .emit ev’yeht yeht rieht rieht rieht rieht eht eht enoemos seriter dekcip lanosrep ,repap egap tuo tuo ro eno fo moorswen sevael tsal ni nettog tnorf ,gniward ,ksed evitaromemmoc denaelc ,egdab dna retfa revenehW ekiM hcivokcuL klaw pu denrut etubirt .emit ev’yeht yeht rieht rieht rieht rieht eht eht enoemos seriter dekcip lanosrep ,repap egap tuo tuo ro eno fo moorswen sevael tsal ni nettog tnorf ,gniward ,ksed evitaromemmoc denaelc ,egdab dna retfa revenehW ekiM hcivokcuL yaw klaw su pu ot ot ,hguorht yeht yeht rieht eht eht ,dnats semitemos elims tser ylteiuq fo fo ekam enil dnik .teltnuag mrof .rood yrc sa dna a eW sA yaw klaw su pu ot ot ,hguorht yeht yeht rieht eht eht ,dnats semitemos elims tser ylteiuq fo fo ekam enil dnik .teltnuag mrof .rood yrc sa dna a eW sA — — flesruoy eht eht taht .yrots llits semitemos kaos mees s’retroper elpoep fo fo reven .tnemom gnikam gnivil ,ti ni dessarrabme edoc edacsac yb yb lufituaeb drawkwa .esualppa dna a emoS srehtO s’tI — sraey esoht eht naht nees ,stnemeriter .serutsap ,repap ym erom reneerg rof tnuoc stuo-palc gnisahc nac stuoyub ta dna ev’I nI I 82 — sraey esoht eht naht nees ,stnemeriter .serutsap ,repap ym erom reneerg rof tnuoc stuo-palc gnisahc nac stuoyub ta dna ev’I nI I 82 Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Ernie Suggs moderates a conversation about Black culture in Atlanta during the AJC’s Unapologetically Black live event at The Gathering Spot on Wednesday, March 22, 2023. (Natrice Miller/AJC) — nehw er’ew ew thguoht eht ees tnirp gniraperp tuo eno no reven rof .noitide palc ehT noitutitsnoC-lanruoJ d’I I .ceD tuB atnaltA 13 — nehw er’ew ew thguoht eht ees tnirp gniraperp tuo eno no reven rof .noitide palc ehT noitutitsnoC-lanruoJ d’I I .ceD tuB atnaltA 13 ruoy lliw siht .repap repap .noitarepo no swen erom erom erom noitutitsni deniats-kni ni ylluf .sregnif .yawevird latigid emoceb a oN oN oN .naJ gninnigeB dlo-raey-751 ,1 ew gnikniht taht dnuor retroper eraperp fo rotnem peek remrof rof ,lanif gniohce ,esualppa dna tuoba .niknaR I lliB sA — ew .sniev ot hguorht snur ton moorswen yradnegel kni ni sih sih derih dleh eh ,rehtaf gnihtyreve .rotide rotide did yrc dluoc tuo-palc sa na nehW ,niknaR niknaR hplaR lliGcM ,yaM miJ nI noitutitsnoC s’lliB atnaltA CJA ,0691 ”,niknaR“ sraey ew saw .dlo ,mih llac sa 2 ew gnikniht taht dnuor retroper eraperp fo rotnem peek remrof rof ,lanif gniohce ,esualppa dna tuoba .niknaR I lliB sA — ew .sniev ot hguorht snur ton moorswen yradnegel kni ni sih sih derih dleh eh ,rehtaf gnihtyreve .rotide rotide did yrc dluoc tuo-palc sa na nehW ,niknaR niknaR hplaR lliGcM ,yaM miJ nI noitutitsnoC s’lliB atnaltA CJA ,0691 ”,niknaR“ sraey ew saw .dlo ,mih llac sa 2 Former Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Bill Rankin sits with his father and best man, Jim Rankin, a former editor and columnist at the newspaper, on his wedding day in February 1990. Together, he and his father gave more than 60 years to this paper. (Courtesy) dluow renniw ot ot neht eht eht ekat gniws strops ,noitces noitces .repap fo ni sih sih mih mih eh evag .semag tsrif yreve god deruoved yb ,yob dna a hceT reztiluP nosrettaP gnatsuM lliGcM aigroeG eneG sA dluow renniw ot ot neht eht eht ekat gniws strops ,noitces noitces .repap fo ni sih sih mih mih eh evag .semag tsrif yreve god deruoved yb ,yob dna a hceT reztiluP nosrettaP gnatsuM lliGcM aigroeG eneG sA eW“ suoinolehT“ I“ dekrow nehw dlot ot ”,ereht daer daer fo ym em gninetsil ti ti ti sih tog yreve yreve debrutsid ”.yad yad dad ssilb esuaceb dna syawla noonretfa yadsendeW niknaR syalP knoM I I ”.notgnillE ekuD pu hguorht eht etuor dekcip no denioj ni sih dereviled egelloc ,ekib rehtona dna ehT lanruoJ eH atnaltA CJA .9891 pu hguorht eht etuor dekcip no denioj ni sih dereviled egelloc ,ekib rehtona dna ehT lanruoJ eH atnaltA CJA .9891 — sraey sraey ,efiw ot siht eht eht eht naht llits ehs .deriter daer .repap repap revo ,gninrom erom ,retal .nehctik ni ni sih sih eh eh eh eh evag rehtaf ,ned eeffoc dna dna ,rehtegoT xis-ytrihT yrevE ,loraC 06 s’tI“ tuB“ ot ot eht .dias ton ti tenretni enigami dloh drah ”.emac gnieb ”,eromyna elba niknaR Bill Rankin (left) ended his career with a new kind of storytelling, hosting the AJC’s award-winning podcast “Breakdown.” Kevin Riley, the paper’s former editor-in-chief, joined as co-host for Season 6. (Bob Andres/AJC) gnitirw .llaw eht eht was no eH ”.nwodkaerB“ — — htiw ohw eht ,gnilletyrots seirots tneps emos gnitroper tsacdop fo fo wen tsom lagel dnik sti ni tnatropmi gnitsoh yrotsih sih dedne sedaced truoc reerac gninniw-drawa dna a niknaR CJA — — ,sraey lliw reverehw syaw ,oediv lievnu ot yeht eht eht eht eht srebircsbus noos evres seludehcs decuder .sredaer gnihcaer tnirp ,stsacdop fo fo fo srepapswen srettelswen ,swen wen elibom ekil ni sderdnuh buh rof gnidnif rovaf decnahne noitide-e dengised elbazimotsuc ,yrtnuoc gnikaerb .era ppa dna na ssorca a eW revO ,CJA ”.nwodkaerB“ — — htiw ohw eht ,gnilletyrots seirots tneps emos gnitroper tsacdop fo fo wen tsom lagel dnik sti ni tnatropmi gnitsoh yrotsih sih dedne sedaced truoc reerac gninniw-drawa dna a niknaR CJA — — ,sraey lliw reverehw syaw ,oediv lievnu ot yeht eht eht eht eht srebircsbus noos evres seludehcs decuder .sredaer gnihcaer tnirp ,stsacdop fo fo fo srepapswen srettelswen ,swen wen elibom ekil ni sderdnuh buh rof gnidnif rovaf decnahne noitide-e dengised elbazimotsuc ,yrtnuoc gnikaerb .era ppa dna na ssorca a eW revO ,CJA A special section rolls out at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's printing plant on Saturday, March 17, 2018, in Norcross. Beginning on Jan. 1, this 157-year-old institution will become a fully digital news operation. (Hyosub Shin/AJC) parw ew saw gniyrt ot llits gnihtemos ym dnim wenk .elbativeni dnuora lla m’I tuB ruoy uoy saw ot ot ot .emit .emit gnikniht neht eht eht eht eht rellams srepap gnikam ekam ti ni dah morf neve emac senob gib gib erofeb ta tuoba I .nuS-dlareH mahruD kcaB atnaltA dnA CJA 7991 Ernie Suggs has been a reporter at the AJC since 1997. Suggs has long covered civil rights and the many manifestations of race in politics, public safety and culture. (AJC File) tI“ retirw ohw desu ot ot eht dias trap fo repapswen rojam ”,tsilanruoj denioj otni ni noisnapxe laed gib eb eb sa sa a a a a ,kcuT ttenniwG .ytnuoC alegnA CJA 9891 krow ohw saw ot .emit eht eht eht ehs derever .retiurcer s’repap eno no fo ortem em em edam ,serih reh dah rof tsrif rotide gnignirb emoceb ta ehS ekiM ,gniK yB ,7991 krow ohw saw ot .emit eht eht eht ehs derever .retiurcer s’repap eno no fo ortem em em edam ,serih reh dah rof tsrif rotide gnignirb emoceb ta ehS ekiM ,gniK yB ,7991 erew keew ew t’nsaw ot ot siht eht taht desirprus gnittuhs ehs .loohcs tas .tnirp pukcip eno fo enil ni reh raeh nerdlihcdnarg teg morf nwod thguac sa ehS I alegnA One of the great traditions at the AJC is getting a coveted “Luckovich” by the paper’s Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Mike Luckovich. This is his 2015 drawing of former staffer Angela Tuck. (Mike Luckovich/AJC) uoY“ oN“ uoy lliw ohw s’tahw ,tahw ot ot ot ot ot eht eht naht troppus troppus llits os os ”.seniledis ees dias thgir deriter tcudorp enilno no no evitcejbo won on rettam kool .stsilanruoj msilanruoj s’ti ti si ni ni ni ”,tnatropmi tnatropmi woh evah evah syug gniog gniog rehtruf morf yletinifed eunitnoc reehc eveileb esuaceb dna ,gnitpada notgnihsaW ,kcuT m’I I I .5102 ,sraey .dlrow dekrow krow htiw saw ot ot neht eht eht naht ,ffats daerps nruter elpoep ruo no erom ,em ni derih laog rof wef lairotide .feihc suaerub uaerub sa dnuora dna ssorca a nehW htuoS htroN yM ,aigroeG aniloraC atnaltA alegnA 005 ,sraey .dlrow dekrow krow htiw saw ot ot neht eht eht naht ,ffats daerps nruter elpoep ruo no erom ,em ni derih laog rof wef lairotide .feihc suaerub uaerub sa dnuora dna ssorca a nehW htuoS htroN yM ,aigroeG aniloraC atnaltA alegnA 005 Ernie Suggs, a reporter at the AJC since 1997, reviews a collection of newspaper articles he’s worked on during his tenure, as of Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Miguel Martinez/AJC) .s05’ — dlrow htiw mohw saw ereht eht eht eht eht llits emos ecnis fo fo moorswen ebyam ynam dik stsilanruoj ni ni dah dellif neve tseb neeb a a I tuB ,s0691 gnitirw ohw saw saw .oot ,emit eht eht eht llits ecnis ecnis repap repap dik ereh eh dah dah ,tcaf neeb neeb ta ta ta a yelbiS nI namruF enitseleC tuB ,rehsiB .0591 .1491 — htiw erew litnu ot hguoht edur denruter ezilaer etalp tuo fo thgin reven em hcnul tfel krej eh dah .ffurg gniog morf tegrof rof neve rotide thgirnwod t’ndid gnisruc nekcihc dna ,tpurba a a emoS I I .)staE ll’I( — htiw erew litnu ot hguoht edur denruter ezilaer etalp tuo fo thgin reven em hcnul tfel krej eh dah .ffurg gniog morf tegrof rof neve rotide thgirnwod t’ndid gnisruc nekcihc dna ,tpurba a a emoS I I .)staE ll’I( An ATEX system computer sits in the foreground of the AJC newsroom in 1985, the same year the paper opened another printing press in Gwinnett. (AJC File) ,etirw erew ot yeht taht esnet thguat ,troper moorswen etagivan teem em ,edel woh .elitsoh poleved ,senildaed tfarc dluoc tnaillirb ,taeb eb dna dna dna a a a tuB dluow htiw ohw dlot ot ot eht thguat trats deppals daer tup gulp tuo ecno no dlo .sdoohrobhgien ym ym gniziromem em em evissam .spam tsuj otni woh yreve ksed salta dna gnola ,noonretfa a yleetS ,woN ,sirroM ekiM lanruoJ I breH eH .SPG atnaltA Mike Morris started at the paper in 1979 and remembers when the newsroom got its first shared computer. “It saddens me deeply to see the print edition of my old paper disappear,” he says. “But it was inevitable.” (AJC 2009) nehw eht detrats derahs srebmemer moorswen sti ni tog tsrif .retupmoc dna ekiM 9791 tI“ tuB“ saw ot eht ees .dias sneddas tnirp repap dlo fo ym em ti ”.elbativeni eh noitide ”,raeppasid ylpeed dekrow eht niam ni ni tsrif uaerub ta devirra nehW .tS atteiraM I I ,atnaltA 27 saw eht ,retroper spoc-thgin wen boj yug tsrif .taeb sa a yM nabru“ — hcihw .yadot yeht ,ereht eht deroliat llits ecnis ecar tuo otni yllaitini dloh rehgih yllanif ,noitacude ,noitacude erutluc derevoc gnivrac dellac erofeb taeb taeb dna dna ”,sriaffa a a etaneS 21-K ev’I I I ,llaH aigroeG morF blaKeD ytnuoC ytiC atnaltA dekrow eht niam ni ni tsrif uaerub ta devirra nehW .tS atteiraM I I ,atnaltA 27 saw eht ,retroper spoc-thgin wen boj yug tsrif .taeb sa a yM nabru“ — hcihw .yadot yeht ,ereht eht deroliat llits ecnis ecar tuo otni yllaitini dloh rehgih yllanif ,noitacude ,noitacude erutluc derevoc gnivrac dellac erofeb taeb taeb dna dna ”,sriaffa a a etaneS 21-K ev’I I I ,llaH aigroeG morF blaKeD ytnuoC ytiC atnaltA David Gibson (left) and Ernie Suggs stand outside the former home of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution at 72 Marietta St. In that old building, the most exciting time of day was between 5 and 6 p.m., when deadlines loomed, Suggs writes. (AJC File) — — dluow nehw saw emit ,neht eht eht taht ecnelis gnituohs esir gnignir setirwer sretroper senohp ,.m.p ,.m.p dlo fo fo moorswen tsom ,reduol .demool muh yllaudarg gniticxe srotide ,sksed senildaed yad gninialpmoc yb ,gnidliub neewteb dna dna .niaga ssorca tuoba ehT nI 7 6 5 — gnitirw t’ndluow ohw nehw ,keew saw ot ot siht eht taht taht deklat pets .tirips gnihtemos os ehs ehs ehs ehs emas dias moor tuo .eciffo fo denoitnem ni ,dnabsuh emoh sih reh dah ynnuf brutsid derutpac ,dellac kcoltihW nehW eaM s’tI I I yrtneG eW“ gnikrow desu ot emit eht ehs dias ruo .moorswen ni ni ”,soahc era tuoba eW“ gnikrow desu ot emit eht ehs dias ruo .moorswen ni ni ”,soahc era tuoba Mae Whitlock Gentry Mae, one of Ernie Suggs’ early editors, worked at the AJC for 23 years. She took a buyout in 2007. (AJC File) ”.B.A“ litnu elcnu .oot eht eht snur nar stnerap repap denwo repapswen lairtsudni ni ni reh ,rehtafdnarg dednuof enotsrenroc ,doolb rehtona dna a ,kcoltihW ehT ehT .tsewdiM .regnesseM s’eaM knI nI reH yraG notselrahC nworB kcalB ruhtrA ,naciremA ,0691 ,7291 )anaidnI( I“ erehw saw pu emit eht taht tneps ehs .dias gnidaer tcudorp fo ym ym hcum ”,gninrom efil ti ni ni ni gnidloh dnah werg dna a ”.B.A“ litnu elcnu .oot eht eht snur nar stnerap repap denwo repapswen lairtsudni ni ni reh ,rehtafdnarg dednuof enotsrenroc ,doolb rehtona dna a ,kcoltihW ehT ehT .tsewdiM .regnesseM s’eaM knI nI reH yraG notselrahC nworB kcalB ruhtrA ,naciremA ,0691 ,7291 )anaidnI( I“ erehw saw pu emit eht taht tneps ehs .dias gnidaer tcudorp fo ym ym hcum ”,gninrom efil ti ni ni ni gnidloh dnah werg dna a ,sraey dekrow koot eht eht gnitrats eno fo ym ni ni ni rof serutaef ,srotide rotide ylrae .tnemtraped ypoc tuoyub ta sa a a ehS ,eaM CJA 32 .7002 4891 Mae Whitlock Gentry started in 1984 as a copy editor in the features department. “We are used to working in chaos,” she says about her time in the newsroom. (Courtesy of Mae Whitlock Gentry) ehT“ I“ sihT‘ gnuoy sraey setirw ohw erehw erew erew saw denrut ,gnikniht sgniht eht ehs dias s’nosrep ”’.tuo dlo won sevil tsuj tsuj si tenretni ni reh spleh dah retaerg .nerdlihcdnarg gnitteg .emag ruof rof stide sdnamed ”,gnignahc erac emac skoob dna dna dna dna dna a ,dnalkaO ,eaM m’I I ,ainrofilaC 55 ev’ew tops tuo ruo fo gnivom gnidulcni ni ,emoh ruof tnereffid tnerruc dellac sgnidliub ,.tS ecniS .nwotdiM atteiraM 27 — .slley repsihw rieht rieht .ecaps .reteiuq senohp eno no fo won gnivil ni sdraug og enoyreve gniraeppasid ksed emoc .sllec tcudorpyb neeb dna dna lla a a ev’yehT oN enoyrevE senildaeD — — uoy dluow htiw nehw erew ew rednaw pu ot ,hguorht gninetaerht yeht eht dekcats sseltops gnihtemos rebmemer dlo eciffo .won .srepapswen reven reganam .denetsil erif selif sksed sedoc naelc tub era dna na tuoba yllanoisaccO I nevE ,sraey .etorw dessot meht meht yrots yltaen ym tsael delebal tsuj otni ni .sredlof ,tsrif tsrif delif yreve .reward deppilc ta a ,retaL I I I I roF tA 02 sknurt esoht ralimis fo ym ym ynam peek ni dloh egarag ruof seugaelloc ,spilc .sevihcra dna ,yadoT — — ruoy krow eht taht seirots llams gniees tnirp enilno .won ,won gnihton .derettam ni s’gnihtyreve t’nod yliad pilc enilyb staeb eromyna noitamriffa a I nevE tuB — — ruoy krow eht taht seirots llams gniees tnirp enilno .won ,won gnihton .derettam ni s’gnihtyreve t’nod yliad pilc enilyb staeb eromyna noitamriffa a I nevE tuB taht metsys hcraes kciuq ruo fo ylraen yrarbil ti evah did .senilyb sraeppa dna a I I CJA 000,3 As The Atlanta Journal-Constitution prepares to end its print edition, Ernie Suggs reflects on the newsroom and the unique sound marking each farewell. (Miguel Martinez/AJC) kralC“ saw ot tneduts-hsur ”.stseuqer dehsilbup no tsrif enilyb dia .tcO yM atnaltA :7991 ,51 stfiG“ ”.69’ seitisrevinu pot ot yrots no ,retal tsuj ni egap-tnorf tsrif syad emac lla .tcO yM yromE ,82 :7991 31 s’atnaltA“ — — saw eht yrots os sthgir ,snepoer denigamier txen muesum tsetal ”.noitareneg rof raf livic .voN yM 1A ,5 stfiG“ ”.69’ seitisrevinu pot ot yrots no ,retal tsuj ni egap-tnorf tsrif syad emac lla .tcO yM yromE ,82 :7991 31 s’atnaltA“ — — saw eht yrots os sthgir ,snepoer denigamier txen muesum tsetal ”.noitareneg rof raf livic .voN yM 1A ,5 — ew deppot eht srebircsbus llits detrats ylhguor .tnirp tnirp ,repap ni evah noitalucric ta tuoba nehW ,yadoT I .000,006 000,04 000,511 saw yrev metot esoht ,neht eht eht eht eht eht eht derunet ,ffats ,wohemos ,elop elpoep fo fo fo .moorswen rebmem tsal ni tsegnol-htruof mottob dniheb ta dna yproT ,nidrageeT ,woN ekiM .hcivokcuL m’I I eirraC lliB kcaB 005 saw yrev metot esoht ,neht eht eht eht eht eht eht derunet ,ffats ,wohemos ,elop elpoep fo fo fo .moorswen rebmem tsal ni tsegnol-htruof mottob dniheb ta dna yproT ,nidrageeT ,woN ekiM .hcivokcuL m’I I eirraC lliB kcaB 005 ot taht .erus llits os ,srehto ton ynam ekil denrael ti si evah ,deneppah dna .tpada niknaR ebyaM m’I I woH — gnitirw htiw hcihw nabru yletamitlu eht noisivelet erutangis ,gnitroper ylraluger gnicudorp s’repap no ym otni otni werg .esihcnarf devlove yreve seiratnemucod yad detaerc tnetnoc .rotatnemmoc ,skoob taeb sa gniraeppa dna dna ma gnola sriaffa a yllacitegolopanU LTAU ehT ,aipeS I I kcalB dnA ,LTA CJA Ernie Suggs wrote “The Many Lives of Andrew Young” after hours of interviews and decades following the ambassador’s life and career. (Jenni Girtman for the AJC 2022) eht detoor ereh .gnippalc ta llitS m’I tuB .CJA eht detoor ereh .gnippalc ta llitS m’I tuB .CJA .sraey gnitirw ev’ew ,yllufhturt rof rof latigid neeb lla tuB eht yrots yrots emas .tnirp detsop .enilno setunim s’ti s’ti si ni ,detide syad erofeb sevirra retfa a ,semitemoS ,semitemoS eht yrots yrots emas .tnirp detsop .enilno setunim s’ti s’ti si ni ,detide syad erofeb sevirra retfa a ,semitemoS ,semitemoS saw yrt deniart ot eht eht taht yrots .egap .moorswen s’ti si otni fi woh dedaeh tibah ylluf tnorf rof yreve latigid tfarc yrrac sa dna tahT ,llitS ll’I I I ”.nur“ lliw erehw siht yrots wonk t’nod I t’now htiw dessot selbat niats daerps ro otno nehctik ti .kni sregnif ,syawevird eb s’enoyna ssorca ebyaM t’now htiw dessot selbat niats daerps ro otno nehctik ti .kni sregnif ,syawevird eb s’enoyna ssorca ebyaM Ernie Suggs has been a reporter at the AJC since 1997. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC) lliw erehw ot spots enoemos gnillorcs ,neercs daer enohp no gnol evil .ti ti hguone a ebyaM — ev’ew ,yaw gniht eht taht gnillet seirots llits emas .rettam s’ti enod syawla rehtiE nehw ew .emit hguorht eht taht eno no ,moorswen erom wonk ti lanif seohce did palc s’raeY weN ll’I ,evE dnA
