| Human Profile | |
| Name: | Don Lemon |
| Birthday: | March 1, 1966 (age 59 years), Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
| Height: | 6'0" (183 cm) |
| Education: | Baker High School (Diploma (high school)) Louisiana State University (Dropped Out) Brooklyn College (BA), Broadcast Journalism |
| Subscribers: | 1.21M |
| Views: | 326,175,719 |
| YouTube Revenue: | $326.2K - $1.6M |
| Videos: | 3649 |
| Channel Created: | January 2024 |
Overview
Don Lemon is an American journalist, news anchor, and author of African-American and Creole ancestry, widely recognized for his extensive career in national news, including hosting CNN’s Don Lemon Tonight, his subsequent independent media venture, The Don Lemon Show, and as one of the few openly gay Black men in television news.
Latest News (Feb 5, 2026): appeared on *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* on February 2nd to describe being arrested by a dozen federal agents in a Beverly Hills hotel, an interview segment that has since amassed over 1.5 million views on YouTube. He is currently facing federal civil rights charges related to his independent coverage of an anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church and remains defiant, asserting his role as a journalist during recent appearances at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.
Early Life and Education
Don Lemon was born on March 1, 1966, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to Katherine Lemon Clark. He grew up with two sisters, Yma and Leisa. Lemon is of African-American and Creole ancestry. He attended Baker High School in Baker, Louisiana, where he was voted class president his senior year.
After high school, Lemon attended Louisiana State University. He later moved to New York and graduated from Brooklyn College in 1996 with a degree in broadcast journalism. While attending college, he gained early experience as a news assistant and intern at WNYW in New York City. In his 2011 memoir, Lemon disclosed that he was a victim of sexual abuse as a child.
Career Beginnings in Local News
After graduating from college, Don Lemon began his journalism career in local television markets. He worked as a weekend anchor for WBRC in Birmingham, Alabama, and as an anchor and investigative reporter for KTVI in St. Louis. He also held positions as a weekend anchor and general assignment reporter for WCAU-TV in Philadelphia. During his early career, he also worked for Fox affiliates in St. Louis and Chicago.
Rise to National Prominence at NBC and CNN
Lemon’s career advanced to the national level when he joined NBC News. He served as a correspondent for programs such as Today and NBC Nightly News. At NBC, he also worked as an anchor on Weekend Today and on MSNBC. His reporting covered significant events, including the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster and the SARS outbreak. In 2002, he received an Edward R. Murrow Award for his reporting on the capture of the D.C. area snipers. He has also won several regional Emmy Awards.
In September 2006, Lemon joined CNN as a correspondent. He gained significant prominence as the host of the primetime news program CNN Tonight with Don Lemon, which began in 2014. The show was later retitled Don Lemon Tonight. As a host and correspondent, he reported on numerous major breaking news stories, including the death of Michael Jackson, the Boston Marathon bombing, and the inauguration of President Barack Obama.
Departure from CNN and Digital Venture
In 2022, Lemon’s role at CNN shifted when he became a co-host of the new morning show, CNN This Morning, alongside Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins. Following a series of on-air controversies and reports of alleged misogyny, CNN parted ways with Lemon in April 2023.
After his departure from CNN, Lemon launched an independent media venture. He hosts The Don Lemon Show, a program broadcast on his YouTube channel and other social media platforms. As an independent journalist, he livestreams and reports on various events. In early 2026, his coverage of a protest at a Minnesota church led to a legal challenge when the Justice Department sought to press charges against him; a judge ultimately rejected the prosecutors’ attempt.
Personal Life and Publications
Don Lemon publicly came out as gay in his 2011 memoir, Transparent, becoming one of the few openly gay Black men in television news. In the book, he also discussed his childhood experiences with sexual abuse. He is married to real estate agent Tim Malone. Lemon is also the author of the book This Is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism. He resides in New York.