NNPA, Washington to celebrate Black Press Week
Hazel Trice Edney/NNPA Editor-in-Chief
Issue date: 3/15/09 Section: Politics
WASHINGTON (NNPA) - Black Press Week, the annual celebration of the birth of the Black Press of America on March 16, 1827, will salute America's first family, celebrate civil rights champions and honor a political pioneer during its annual Newsmaker of the Year Award Dinner.
"Black Press Week promises to be the most exciting ever," said Dorothy R. Leavell, chair of the NNPA Foundation, unveiling this year's honorees, selected by member publishers. "The pride of our profession gladdens our hearts as we acknowledge the first African-American president and replay the role of the Black Press over these 182 years."
The top honoree is the Newsmaker of the year, which will go to the entire first family of President Barack Obama, in celebration of their historic impact on America as a family and as public servants. They include the president, First Lady Michelle Obama, and their daughters, Sasha and Malia.
The year's glitzy awards reception and dinner will be held March 19 at The Fairfax at Embassy Row, a Luxury Collection Hotel.
The Lifetime Achievement Award will go to civil rights icon, the Rev. Joseph Lowery, co-founder and former president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, who recently rendered the benedictory prayer at the presidential inauguration.
Two Outstanding Community Service Awards will go to Xernona Clayton, president and CEO of The Trumpet Foundation, and the Rev. Al Sharpton, president and CEO of the National Action Network, and radio talk show host.
A special Political Leadership Award will be given to U. S. Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), who, as House majority whip, is an example of the "wisdom and influence that has been so closely intertwined with the Black Press over centuries of activism and accomplishment,'' said Leavell.
During the Black Press Week celebration, held this year March 18-20, publishers from around the nation visit with Democratic and Republican congressional leaders in the spirit of the first editorial printed on the front page America's first Black newspaper, Freedom's Journal, founded by Samuel Cornish and John B. Russwurm in 1827 in New York City. It stated, "We wish to plead our own cause. Too long have others spoken for us." It continues, "Too long has the public been deceived by misrepresentations in things which concern us dearly…."
The publishers will also participate in an annual ceremony in the Browsing Room at Howard University's Founder's Library, which houses Black press archives and a shrine honoring deceased heroes and heroines of the Black Press, said Leavell.
"We are looking forward to our celebration of our founding in 1827 by Samuel Cornish and John Russwurm and other distinguished publishers of note such as Frederick Douglass, Ida B. Wells, The Murphys of Baltimore, Robert S. Abbott and John H. Sengstacke of Chicago, The Jervays of North Carolina, The Vanns of Pittsburgh, The Youngs of Virginia, Dr. Carlton Goodlett of California and many, many more that understood the importance of the Black press and sacrificed personal fortune to give a voice to the voiceless."
"Black Press Week promises to be the most exciting ever," said Dorothy R. Leavell, chair of the NNPA Foundation, unveiling this year's honorees, selected by member publishers. "The pride of our profession gladdens our hearts as we acknowledge the first African-American president and replay the role of the Black Press over these 182 years."
The top honoree is the Newsmaker of the year, which will go to the entire first family of President Barack Obama, in celebration of their historic impact on America as a family and as public servants. They include the president, First Lady Michelle Obama, and their daughters, Sasha and Malia.
The year's glitzy awards reception and dinner will be held March 19 at The Fairfax at Embassy Row, a Luxury Collection Hotel.
The Lifetime Achievement Award will go to civil rights icon, the Rev. Joseph Lowery, co-founder and former president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, who recently rendered the benedictory prayer at the presidential inauguration.
Two Outstanding Community Service Awards will go to Xernona Clayton, president and CEO of The Trumpet Foundation, and the Rev. Al Sharpton, president and CEO of the National Action Network, and radio talk show host.
A special Political Leadership Award will be given to U. S. Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), who, as House majority whip, is an example of the "wisdom and influence that has been so closely intertwined with the Black Press over centuries of activism and accomplishment,'' said Leavell.
During the Black Press Week celebration, held this year March 18-20, publishers from around the nation visit with Democratic and Republican congressional leaders in the spirit of the first editorial printed on the front page America's first Black newspaper, Freedom's Journal, founded by Samuel Cornish and John B. Russwurm in 1827 in New York City. It stated, "We wish to plead our own cause. Too long have others spoken for us." It continues, "Too long has the public been deceived by misrepresentations in things which concern us dearly…."
The publishers will also participate in an annual ceremony in the Browsing Room at Howard University's Founder's Library, which houses Black press archives and a shrine honoring deceased heroes and heroines of the Black Press, said Leavell.
"We are looking forward to our celebration of our founding in 1827 by Samuel Cornish and John Russwurm and other distinguished publishers of note such as Frederick Douglass, Ida B. Wells, The Murphys of Baltimore, Robert S. Abbott and John H. Sengstacke of Chicago, The Jervays of North Carolina, The Vanns of Pittsburgh, The Youngs of Virginia, Dr. Carlton Goodlett of California and many, many more that understood the importance of the Black press and sacrificed personal fortune to give a voice to the voiceless."
Be the first to comment on this story