Barnett Wright, who has led Birmingham’s legacy minority newspaper for the past decade, announced this week that he is stepping down as executive editor of the Birmingham Times Media Group, effective Feb. 27.

Samuel P Martin, president and publisher of the weekly historically Black newspaper, said in a Times post that Wright joined The Birmingham Times 10 years ago, embarking on a journey with him at a pivotal moment.

“The newspaper had just changed hands, as the Foundation for Progress and Journalism (now known as the Bronze Valley Foundation) acquired The Birmingham Times from its founder, Dr. Jesse J. Lewis Sr.,” Martin wrote. “This transition of The Times marked the beginning of an era defined by vision, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to journalistic excellence.

“Wright brought with him a wealth of experience, over 30 years in the field of journalism, including more than 15 years at Alabama Media Group, which publishes AL.com and had produced The Birmingham News,” Martin continued. “He distinguished himself as a leading reporter covering local government. His reputation for thorough, insightful, and fair reporting followed him to our newsroom, instantly raising the standards and expectations for our publication.”

The publisher said Wright guided the newsroom as The Birmingham Times transitioned from its traditional format to a “reimagined, modern publication that both honored its legacy and embraced the future.”

“This evolution was not merely cosmetic,” Martin wrote. “It reflected an understanding of the evolving media landscape and a commitment to telling the stories of Birmingham and its people with integrity and relevance.”

During Wright’s time as executive editor, The Birmingham Times earned nearly 80 awards at both the state and national levels, including commendations from the Alabama Press Association, the National Newspaper Publishers Association and the National Association of Black Journalists, where Wright was a 2023 Salute to Excellence winner in The Newspaper Category.

Wright announced he’d be leaving The Times In a post on X (previously known as Twitter), that by early Sunday had garnered 2,782 views.

PERSONAL NEWS–It’s out. After 10 incredible years working alongside some wonderful people, I will be stepping down as Executive Editor of the Birmingham Times Media Group this month. Totally my call. The final chapter begins Selection Sunday. #gratefulhttps://t.co/lK0cGfsDF5

— Barnett Wright (@BarnettWright) February 12, 2026

No replacement for Wright has been announced, and he was not at liberty to reveal where he’ll be working next.

Responding to questions sent to him by BirminghamWatch, Wright said his time at the Birmingham Times was an absolute pleasure.

“I got a chance to write, report, take photographs, work with reporters, edit long form journalism, attend meetings and travel on behalf of the Birmingham Times, which allowed me to grow in a profession that I love,” he said.

A native of Philadelphia, Wright said the impact of the publication has been profound.

“I remember during COVID when homeless individuals couldn’t get vaccines and we wrote a cover story about the matter,” Wright said. “It got the attention of the medical professionals and the unhoused got the vaccines they needed.”

The impact was also felt in homes and communities, he said, when the paper wrote about the best of what Birmingham had to offer, whether through people profiles, Had Me At Hello columns, features on Birmingham City Schools students and stories out of City Hall and the County Courthouse.

Wright is stepping down from The Times during a challenging time for journalism across the country. He said he is optimistic about the state of journalism in Birmingham.

“With the number of freelancers and stories at sites like BirminghamWatch, WBHM (and) BhamNow, to name a few, to complement the work at many of the larger sites and TV stations, I think the future is bright,” Wright said. “My hope and dream is that we can continue to find ways to fund local journalism whether through philanthropy, grants, donations or even subscriptions.”