Armond White (born ) is an American film and music critic who writes for National Review and Out. He was previously the editor of CityArts (2011–2014), the lead film critic for the alternative weekly New York Press (1997–2011), and the arts editor and critic for The City Sun (1984–1996). Other publications that have carried his work include Film Comment, Variety, The Nation, The New York Times, Slate, Columbia Journalism Review, and First Things. White is known for his provocative, idiosyncratic and often contrarian reviews, which have made him a controversial figure in film criticism. As an African-American, gay, and conservative film critic, he has been referred to as a "minority three times over in his profession." Early life White was born in Detroit, the youngest of seven children. His family was the first African-American family to move to a primarily Jewish neighborhood on the city's northwest side, where he grew up. Raised Baptist, he later became Pentecostal, and identifies himself as "a believer." His interest in journalism and film criticism began as a student at Detroit's Central High School, when he first read the book Kiss Kiss Bang Bang by film critic Pauline Kael, whom he cites for "her willingness to go against the hype," along with Andrew Sarris, for his "sophisticated love of cinema," as being a major inspiration on his choice of professional career. White received a Bachelor of Arts in journalism at Wayne State University, followed by a Master of Fine Arts degree in film from Columbia University's School of the Arts in 1997. Career White was the arts editor for The City Sun, where he wrote film, music and theater criticism, for the span of its publication from 1984 to 1996. He was hired by New York Press in 1997 and wrote for the paper until it ceased publication in August 2011. He then assumed the editorship of its sister publication CityArts starting in September. White is a member of the National Society of Film Critics and New York Film Critics Online. He was the three-time chairman of the New York Film Critics Circle (1994, 2009 and 2010), and has also served as a member of the jury at the Sundance Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival and Mill Valley Film Festival and was a member of several National Endowment for the Arts panels. He has taught classes on film at Columbia University and Long Island University.