The Citizen was launched in March 2007 by the publisher Robert Dickson, whose family also owns and operates the
Raeford News-Journal in
Hoke County, North Carolina, and Kirk Ross, who was the
Citizen's editor until May 2011. The press run was originally 5,000 copies and grew to 7,000. The paper won several North Carolina Press Association awards for excellence in journalism, photography and design.
The Carrboro Citizen also published
Mill, a monthly tabloid covering the arts, music and dining scene of the Carrboro/Chapel Hill area.
Mill was inserted into the
Citizen at the beginning of each month. In May 2009, the
Town of Carrboro approved a $50,000 loan at 2% interest to the paper. The loan was part of a revolving loan program that has been available to local businesses for several years. Alderwoman Jacqueline Gist said that the loan was a good idea because "
The Citizen is an integral part of our community, and the only newspaper that provides local coverage." Robert Dickson put up his condominium appraised at $240,000 as collateral. Dickson discussed the loan in detail in a May 28, 2009, editorial. In May 2011, Susan Dickson was named editor of the
Citizen. She is a graduate of the UNC School of Journalism and has worked as a staff writer for the paper for several years. Dickson is the daughter of publisher Robert Dickson. ==Awards==