Veteran journalist Goldie Taylor discusses new memoir, grief and the death of Tyre Nichols

Veteran journalist and human rights activist Goldie Taylor says when she became a journalist more than 30 years ago, she always wanted to talk about issues that she lived.

Taylor said over the years, she talked about her family’s personal story but there was one that she hadn’t talked about until now.

In her new book, “The Love You Save: A Memoir,” Taylor writes about growing up in Saint Louis and experiencing the death and grief of her father, rape and suicide idealization.

Ahead of her upcoming talk at the Atlanta History Center, on Wednesday’s edition of “Closer Look,” Taylor talked with show host Rose Scott about her memoir and going and growing through life experiences.

“I decided that I’d write the book, one to be my own witness to tell myself what happened—but then to allow space, safe harbor for others to tell theirs,” said Taylor. “Only then, when we recognize and see what they call [the dirty laundry] out in the street, we can decide to do something about it.”

During the conversation, Taylor also talked about meeting James Baldwin and how anti-Blackness permeates society and her recent op-ed in response to the police killing of Tyre Nichols.

“They beat that boy because they thought they could,” said Taylor. “They beat him because they thought they could get away with it.”