Jerome DeLoach: A Legacy of Excellence in Photojournalism
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – If you look up the word “photojournalist” in the dictionary, there should be a picture of Jerome DeLoach.
For more than four decades, Mr. DeLoach has been a dedicated chronicler of news events for WLBT, bringing exceptional skill and vision to every newscast.
His work has inspired countless others along the way, making him an irreplaceable fixture in Mississippi journalism.
From the Front Lines of History
You’ve probably seen Jerome DeLoach out and about—behind the camera, recording history here and all over the state. He’s documented some of the most significant events of our time, both locally and nationally.
Hurricane Katrina: Witnessing Devastation
When Hurricane Katrina struck, Jerome was there, capturing the storm’s impact firsthand:
“Only one car, being us, going southbound, and I knew then that we were in for a run of our lives. Once we got there, the civil defense director called us into a special meeting, the media, that is, and he said This is a very dangerous storm. You can be killed. I’m like, killed? I want to go home. That was the last thing on my mind. So then, as it came ashore, seeing the devastation and the hurt, the position it left people in, I was just in the midst. I suffered with them.”
Making History: Obama’s Inauguration
Jerome was also present to witness and document the inauguration of the first African American U.S. President, Barack Obama—a moment he describes with awe:
“Unbelievable! It was very, I mean, just unbelievable, all the drama, the fanfare being there, and actually witnessing history in the making. We had to leave that hotel room at around 3 a.m. to be in position at 5 a.m. It was about 15 degrees. There were no restaurants, no anything open. We had to stand there and brave that weather for about 3 hours, but it was all worthwhile because to see that and be part of history like that was amazing.”
The Path to Photojournalism
Jerome’s journey to becoming one of Mississippi’s most respected photojournalists was unexpected. This Alabama native’s first love was actually aviation, inspired by the famed Tuskegee Airmen.
“I actually was approved for the school of aviation at Tuskegee. My ambition was to become a pilot, but I discovered early on that I had vertigo and that kinda discharged me from any hope of becoming a pilot at that time.”
Fresh out of college, Jerome answered a newspaper ad for a job at a Meridian television station owned by WLBT.
That decision led to a career spanning 42 years and counting. He became an award-winning, storied photojournalist—one of the first African Americans in that role in Mississippi, during a time when there weren’t many like him behind the lens.
The Early Days: Delivering Stories Across the State
Things were vastly different when DeLoach joined the WLBT team in 1982.
He and reporter Don Cross (now deceased) were, at one point, responsible for covering news events across the entire state—and sometimes out of state.
“Now, we have uplinks and downlinks all over the place, Zoom, and all that, but at that time, we had to physically go to wherever we were reporting from. For instance, if the story originated in the Delta, Greenville, Columbus, Biloxi, Gulfport, out of state, sometimes, Mobile, Birmingham, Louisiana, we had to find a way to get that story back, and the technology then was so limited that you really couldn’t count on anything other than driving it back.”
Yet Jerome DeLoach almost always got those stories back in time for the newscasts. It’s that kind of dedication and his eye for gathering interesting news stories that make DeLoach the go-to dependable teammate he is today.
Inspiring the Next Generation
While he wasn’t the first African American news photographer in Mississippi, Jerome’s impact on the field has been profound. He has inspired many aspiring young news photographers and journalists over the years.
“I would like to think so, in fact, I know I have touched a lot of young people to want to get into this business, and that would be one of the things they would always ask. What kind of diversity is there in this field? Are you accepted? And I would reply to them; I would tell them something my parents always told me, that color was something that came in a box of Crayola Crayons and treat everybody the way you want to be treated and respect everybody the way you want to be respected, so with that in mind, I felt like I was on even plane with everybody.”
The Whispers Mix-Up
If you’ve done a double-take thinking Jerome DeLoach looks familiar, you’re not alone.
For decades, people have mistaken him for one of the Scott twins from the hit R&B music group, The Whispers.
“The Whispers were in town quite a few years ago, and I was at the airport to rent a vehicle, and they had apparently just flown in earlier that day. So while I was at the reservation desk, I was getting ready to check the car out, and there were about 4 or 5 women that rushed over wanting autographs. I’m trying to explain I’m not one of the Whispers, and they said ‘He’s just saying that, yes, he is. He’s just being incognito,’ so they ran, followed me all the way out of the airport.”
Why Jerome Stayed in Jackson
Jerome DeLoach could have taken his immense skills to any news market in the nation. Yet he chose to remain at WLBT—and for good reason.
“TV-3 has been just an amazing place to be at. I don’t think there’s another station in America that could come close to being family like Channel 3, and I think if you ask and poll everybody there, I think most people would tell you the same thing. It’s like family away from home.”
A Mutual Feeling
And you can rest assured, the feeling of his WLBT family is mutual.
Jerome DeLoach is thankful he chose to stay—and his colleagues are equally thankful he did.
Jerome DeLoach continues to be an invaluable member of the WLBT news team, documenting Mississippi’s stories with the same dedication and excellence that have defined his 42-year career.
Want more WLBT news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please click here to report it and include the headline of the story in your email.
Copyright 2026 WLBT. All rights reserved.