After a distinguished journalism career of more than 50 years, Sam Ford retired as the D.C. bureau chief of WJLA-TV. Ford has been recognized with awards from the Associated Press, the National Academy of Arts & Sciences and many other organizations. In 2023, he was inducted into the D.C. Pro Chapter Hall of Fame by the Society of Professional Journalists.

Ford is extremely interested in history and genealogy. He is a descendant of slaves owned by Cherokees and a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Interviews with his great grandmother appear in the WPA Slave Narratives and the Indian Pioneer Papers. He has produced television documentaries about his African and Cherokee roots.