Last Updated on March 3, 2026 by Author
Profile
Marion Brooks Biography
Marion Brooks is an American working in the field of journalism as an anchor and reporter for WMAQ NBC 5 Chicago. She came to Chicago in 1998 as a weekend anchor after working as an anchor and reporter at WSB-TV in Atlanta, Georgia, for 2 years.
Marion Brooks Height
Brooks stands at a rough height of 5 feet and 6 inches.
Marion Brooks Age
Brooks keeps her birthdate and year away from the limelight; thus, it is unknown when Brooks celebrates her birthday. Nonetheless, we will update this information once available.
Personal Life
Marion Brooks Relatives and Family
Brooks is a native of Vancouver, British Columbia, where she was raised in Portland, Oregon, but keeps information regarding her family and relatives away from the public eye. However, we will update this information once it’s available to the public.
Marion Brooks Spouse and Children
Brooks manages to keep her marital and relationship status private; thus, it’s unknown if she is in any relationship. She has a daughter named Brooks Hawkins and a step-daughter named Sydney Hawkins. On February 1, 2018, she posted a photo of her and Sydney on her Facebook account, captioning, “So excited to have my fabulous step daughter Sydney shadowing me over the next few days!! Maybe you’ll see her breaking stories ine day!!”
Brooks was born on June 2, 2006, and is 19 years old. On June 2, 2023, she posted Brooks on her Instagram account and captioned “This little girl, truly “Sassy since birth” just turned 17! So proud to be her mom! Love you baby!!”
Marion Brooks Education
Brooks received her high school diploma before enrolling at Spelman College. After finishing her undergraduate studies, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.
Professional Life
Marion Brooks Career
Brooks works as an anchor and reporter for WMAQ NBC 5 Chicago. Before working for NBC 5 Chicago, she worked as an anchor and reporter at WSB-TV in Atlanta, Georgia. She has worked in a couple of regions and market sizes in the country. She launched her career at the Sarasota Herald Tribune in Sarasota, where she learned the advertising side of journalism in a management training program for the New York Times Newspaper Group.
Brooks began her broadcasting career in radio, where she served WGST in Atlanta. There, she was exposed to the long hours, hard work, and adrenaline rushes of newsgathering. She says that experience helped cement her desire to be a journalist. In addition, she had her first TV job in the Mississippi Delta. She then worked in markets around the country, including stops in Jacksonville, St. Louis, Atlanta, and eventually Chicago. During her career, she has provided coverage for everything, including natural disasters, consumer issues, health, two Olympic Games, as well as crime and courts. She serves as a member of the National Association of Black Journalists.
Brooks has also received awards from organizations like the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) Midwest Chapter, National Mental Health Association, Illinois Mental Health Association, Chicago Association of Black Journalists, Illinois Broadcasters Association, Associated Press, and Alliance for Women in Media. The Radio Television Digital News Association has hnored ehr with 7 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards. Also, she has won a national Emmy Award and the 2005 National Vernon Jarrett Award from the Institute of Advanced Journalism Studies at North Carolina A&T State University.
Marion Brooks WMAQ NBC 5 Chicago
Brooks works as an anchor and reporter for WMAQ NBC 5 Chicago. In this capacity, she anchors NBC 5 News at 11 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on weekdays and serves as a member of the NBC 5 Investigates team. Since 2017, she has worked as the co-host of the NBC 5 production of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
Brooks has a passion for reporting and storytelling. Her investigative work has focused on social and criminal justice issues. This inspired her to revise and add context to Emmett Till’s story in The Lost Story of Emmett Till: The Universal Child documentary. After the racial unrest following the murder of George Floyd, she led NBC 5’s Race In Chicago initiatives, which included a series of TV stories, a reading of the names of people who passed away in racially motivated killings, and Say the Word, Say the Name, a digital series of first-person accounts of experiences with racism. That project earned her and her co-producers national recognition from the National Alliance for Women in Media (Gracie).
Brooks delivered a sequence of reports on Sex Trafficking in Chicago, earning her multiple awards, including a national Gracie and the Radio Television and Digital News Association (RTDNA) Regional Edward R. Murrow Award. Her investigations into sexual violence issues prompted NBCChicago.com’s Survivor’s Project. That project highlighted brave survivors of sexual violence as they shared their experiences, perseverance, and grew strong enough to own the narrative of their experience. The RTDNA recognized the project with a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award. Also, she received the Illinois Broadcasters Association’s Silver Dome Award.
Marion Brooks Net Worth
Brooks has garnered a net worth ranging from $1 million to $6 million during her successful career as a journalist.
Marion Brooks Salary
Brooks receives an approximate annual salary of $110 000, which she earns working as an anchor and reporter for WMAQ NBC 5 Chicago.
Marion Brooks Social Media
Brooks has active social media platforms, i.e., Facebook, X(previously Twitter), and Instagram. She has a following of over 37K on Facebook, a following of over 3K on Instagram, and a following of over 6.8K on X.
