The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is an organization of African-American journalists, students, and media professionals. Founded in 1975 in Washington, D.C., by 44 journalists, the NABJ's stated purpose is to provide quality programs and services to and advocate on behalf of black journalists. The organization has worked for diversity and to increase the number of minorities in newsrooms across the country.
The association's national office is on the main campus of the University of Maryland, College Park. The current president is Sarah Glover, Social Media Editor for NBC-owned television stations, and the executive consultant is Drew Berry. The NABJ states that it has a membership of 4,100 and is the largest organization of journalists of color in the United States. The organization was one of the four minority journalist member associations in the UNITY: Journalists of Color, Inc. until they seceded from the organization in Spring 2011.
The organization's annual Salute to Excellence Awards honors coverage of African-American people and subjects. Awards given include Journalist of the Year, Emerging Journalist and Lifetime Achievement; past honorees have included Ed Bradley, Carole Simpson, Byron Pitts, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Bernard Shaw, and Michele Norris. NABJ also maintains the NABJ Hall of Fame, which is designed to honor black journalists.
Annual Convention and Career Fair
NABJ annually holds the nation's largest journalism convention and career fair each summer with plenary sessions and workshops for career and professional development.
Recent speakers have included former U.S. President Bill Clinton, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Hillary Clinton then presidential candidate Barack Obama, and Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade. The convention features hundreds of recruiters and is among the best means of finding a journalism position in the industry.
The NABJ Career Fair encompasses the nations broadcast, print, and online media including recruiters from Gannett Corporation, NBC News, CNN, Bloomberg, Google, ESPN, The Huffington Post, The New York Times, and Tribune Company.
NABJ held its first convention in October 1976 at Texas Southern University, which at the time had recently established the second school of communications at a historically black college or university in the nation (the first was the School of Communications at Howard University).
Future locations of the NABJ Convention and Career Fair include Washington, D.C.; New Orleans, Louisiana and Detroit, Michigan.
In October 2014, CNN withdrew its support for the 2015 Convention and Career Fair after the NABJ criticized the network for its lack of diversity on air and its treatment of black employees.
Awards
During its Annual Convention and Career Fair, NABJ presents various awards at the annual Salute to Excellence Awards Gala.
1979 - Acel Moore, Philadelphia Inquirer, Les Payne, Newsday19801981 - Robert C. Maynard, Oakland Tribune, Max Robinson, ABC1982 - Gil Noble, WABC-TV, New York1983 - Joe Ogelsby, Miami Herald1984 - Morris Thompson, Newsday1985 - Kenneth Walker, ABC, Dennis Bell, Newsday1986 - Charlayne Hunter-Gault, PBS1987 - Andrew W. Cooper, The City Sun, Brooklyn, NY1988 - Michel duCille, Washington Post1989 - Bernard Shaw, CNN1990 - Maureen Bunyan, WUSA-TV, Washington, DC19911992 - Carole Simpson, ABC1993 - Bryant Gumbel, NBC Today1994 - Isabel Wilkerson, The New York Times1995 - Andrea Ford, Los Angeles Times [deceased]1996 - Ed Gordon, BET News, NBC1997 - Gary Fields, USA Today1998 - Clarence Williams III, Los Angeles Times1999 - Ron Allen, NBC2000 - Kevin Mérida, The Washington Post2001 - Gerald Boyd, The New York Times2002 - Byron Pitts, CBS2003 - George Curry, NNPA2004 - Hannah Allam (McClatchy Newspapers), Middle East Bureau Chief2005 - Andy Alford, Austin American-Statesman2006 - Cynthia Tucker, Atlanta Journal-Constitution2007 - Dean Baquet, Washington Bureau Chief, The New York Times2008 - Leonard Pitts, Miami Herald2009 - Michele Norris, National Public Radio2010 - Soledad O'Brien, CNN2011 - Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald2012 - Pierre Thomas, ABC News2013 - Roland S. Martin, TV One2014 - Stephen Henderson, Detroit Free Press, for his columns on the financial crisis facing his hometown of Detroit2015 - Nikole Hannah-Jones2005 - Acel Moore, The Philadelphia Inquirer2006 - Lawrence E. Young, The Press Enterprise2007 - Glenn Proctor, The Star-Ledger (Newark, N.J.)2008 - Evelyn Cunningham, The Pittsburgh Courier2009 - Leon Carter and Sandy Rosenbush, Sports Journalism Institute2010 - Paula Madison, NBC Universal2011 – Claire Smith (ESPN)2012 - Monica Pearson, WSB-TV (Atlanta)2013 - Theodore "Ted" Holtzclaw, WABC (New York) (Posthumous)2014 - Hugh Grannum, photographer (posthumously), Detroit Free Press2005 - Karen Clark, Langston University2006 - Kip Branch, Elizabeth City State University2007 - Robert Adams & James Highland, Western Kentucky University2008 - Nagatha Tonkins, North Carolina A&T State University(no 2009 award given)2010 - James Hawkins, Florida A&M University2011 – Bonnie Newman Davis, Virginia Commonwealth University2012 – Allissa Richardson, Morgan State University2013 - Michelle Johnson, Boston University2014 - Dr. Linda Florence Callahan, North Carolina A&T State University2007 - Eddie Cole, Jr., Tennessee State University2010 - Philip Lucas, Howard University2011 – Ashley Williams, University of Southern California2012 - Eric Burse, USC Annenberg School of Communications2013 - Marissa A. Evans, Marquette University2014 - Claudia Balthazar (Hofstra University’s graduate) and Averi Harper (Columbia University graduate)1997 - Joe Madison, WRC-Radio1998 - Gwen Tolbart, KTVT, Dallas, TX1999 - C. Ron Allen, Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel2000 - Andrew Humphrey, WRC-TV, Washington, D.C2001 - Angela Curry, Kansas City Star2002 - DeWayne Wickham, USA Today, GNS2003 - Yvonne Lewis-Harris, KTUL-TV, Channel 82004 - Mollie Finch Belt, The Dallas Examiner2005 - Derek Nathaniel Ali, Dayton Daily News [posthumous]2006 - DeMarco Morgan, WISN-TV, Milwaukee2007 - Linda Waller Shockley, Dow Jones Newspaper Fund2008 - Margaret Bernstein, The Cleveland Plain Dealer(no award given in 2009)2010 - Michelle Singletary, Founder of First Baptist Church of Glenarden, MD2011 – Stacey Tisdale, NBC, PBS and WowOWow.com2012 - Albert Knighten, 107.5 FM2013 - Dr. Shelley Stewart, The Mattie C. Stewart Foundation2014 - Michaela Pereira, CNN2003 - Issac Peterson III2004 - Theola Labbé2005 - Krissah Williams2006 - Errin Haines and Trymaine Lee2007 - Mara Schiavocampo2008 - Sarah Hoye2010 - Michael Feeney, Daily News in New York2009 - Cynthia Gordy2011 - Kimberley A. Martin, Newsday2012 - Gerrick Kennedy, LA Times2013 - Yamiche Alcindor, USA Today2014 - Wesley Lowery, Washington Post2015 - Brittany Noble-Jones, KMOV in St. Louis, MO2011 - Sheila Brooks, SRB Communications2012 - Janet Rolle, CNN2013 - Dawn Kelly, Prudential2014 - Tiffany R. Warren, ADColor, Omnicom Groups1978 - Mal Goode, ABC News1979 - Carl Murphy, Afro-American Newspapers1980 - Carl Rowan, syndicated columnist1981 - Lerone Bennett Jr., Ebony1982 - Ethel Payne, Sengstacke Newspapers1983 - Gordon Parks, Carlton Goodlett, San Francisco Reporter1984 - Albert Fitzpatrick, Knight-Ridder Inc.1985 - Lu Palmer, Chicago Sun-Times1986 - Jimmy Hicks, Amsterdam News [posthumous]1987 - John H. Johnson, Johnson Publishing Co.1988 - Armistead Pride, Lincoln University1989 - Peggy Peterman, St. Petersburg Times1990 - Vernon Jarrett, Chicago Sun-Times1991 - Sam Lacy, Afro-American1992 - Chuck Stone, UNC1993 - Luix Overbea, Christian Science Monitor1994 - William Raspberry, Washington Post1995 - Thomas Morgan III, The New York Times1996 - William Brower, Toledo Blade1997 - Samuel L. Adams, University of Kansas(no 1998 award given)1999 - Belva Davis, KPIX-TV, San Francisco2000 - Joseph A. Palmer Sr., Proud magazine [posthumous] and Dr. Ernest C. Withers Sr., The Withers Studio2001 - Charles Jackson, Oakland Tribune [posthumous]2002 - Robert McGruder, Detroit Free Press [posthumous]2003 - Greg Freeman, St. Louis Post-Dispatch [posthumous]2004 - Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune2005 - Ed Bradley, CBS News2006 - Earl G. Graves, Sr., Black Enterprise Magazine2007 - Bernard Shaw, CNN2008 - Harry Porterfield, WLS-TV, Chicago2009 - Michael Wilbon, The Washington Post/ESPN2010 - Paul Delaney, The New York Times2011 - Acel Moore, NABJ Founder & Pulitzer Prize Winner2012 - Les Payne, Newsday2013 - Gregory L. Moore2013 - DeWayne Wickham, USA Today, Morgan State University2014 - Sandra Hughes, former anchor, WFMY-TV, Greensboro, NC1989 – Zwelakhe Sisulu, New Nation, South Africa [1st winner]1994 – Zubeida Jaffer, Cape Town, South Africa1995 – Kenneth Best, The Daily Observer, Liberia1996 – Babacar Fall, Pan-African News Agency, Senegal1997 – Marie-Roger Biloa, Africa International magazine, Paris19981999 – Fred Mmembe, The Post, Zambia2000 – Rafael Marques, Angola2002 – Milkias Mihreteab Yohannes, Eritrea2003 – Geoff Nyarota, The Daily News, Zimbabwe2004 – Pius Njawé, Cameroon2005 – Michèle Montas, Haiti2006 – Deyda Hydara, and members of the Gambian Press Union (posthumous)2007 – National Union of Somali Journalists2008 – Imprisoned Journalists of Eritrea2011 – Jean-Claude Kavumbagu, Net Press2012 -2013 -2014 -2006 - The Indianapolis Recorder2007 - CNN2009 - The Chauncey Bailey Project2010 - NBC Universal2011 -2012 - TV ONE2013 - Washington Post2014 - Al Jazeera2015 - Buzzfeed2006 – Temple Association of Black Journalists2007 – University of Georgia2008 – Florida A&M University(LIST 1 - SAME NABJ SITE)
1997 – University of Georgia1998 – Boston Association of Black Journalists Student Consortium1999 – Penn State Association of Journalists for Diversity2000 – Atlanta Association of Black Journalists Student Consortium2001 – Carolina Association of Black Journalists2002 – Carolina Association of Black Journalists2003 – University of North Texas2004 – NABJ Chapter at the University of Oregon2005 – Northwestern University2006 – Houston Association of Black Journalists2007 – Washington Association of Black Journalists2008 – Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists(LIST 2 - SAME NABJ SITE)
1996 – Garden State (New Jersey) Association of Black Journalists1997 – Cleveland Chapter of NABJ1998 – Richmond Association of Black Journalists1999 – Atlanta Association of Black Journalists2000 – Wisconsin Black Media Association2001 – Detroit Chapter of NABJ2002 – Houston Association of Black Journalists2003 – San Diego Association of Black Journalists2004 – Black Journalists Association of Southern California2005 – Hampton Roads2012 – Atlanta Association of Black Journalists2013 – New York Association of Black Journalists2014 – Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists1993 - William A. Hilliard, The Oregonian1994 - Nancy Hicks Maynard, Oakland Tribune1995 - John Dotson, Akron Beacon Journal1996 - Bob Johnson, BET1997 - Vernon Jarrett, Chicago Sun-Times2000 - Patsy Pressley, National Association of Black Journalists2001 - Paula Madison, NBC2002 - Leonard Pitts, Jr., Miami Herald2003 - Richard Prince, The Washington Post2004 - Don Hudson, The Clarion-Ledger2005 - Monte Trammer, The Star-Gazette2006 - Ryan Williams, National Association of Black Journalists2007 - Rodney Brooks, USA Today2008 - Roland Martin, CNN2009 - Johnathan A. Rodgers, TV ONE2010 - Drew Berry, Drew Berry & Associates, LLC2011 - Johnathan A. Rodgers, TV ONE2012 - Sarah Glover, NBC10 (Philadelphia)2013 - Kelley L. Carter, EBONY, and Maureen Bunyan, WJLA2014 - Carol D. Ash, Kennedy King College and Vince Hill, KYW (Philadelphia)The organization also distributes more than $100,000 in scholarships to African-American college journalism students, places 14-16 students at paid internships and sponsors short courses for students at historically black colleges and universities.
Arts & Entertainment Task Forces - members who cover arts and entertainmentAssociate Member's - part-time journalists, educators, marketing and public relations professionalsCopy Editors - copy desk managers, news editors, design editorsDigital Journalism - members on the cutting edge transforming the media landscapeNABJ Founders - NABJ Founders, past presidents, and former national board membersLGBT Taskforce - lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender membersSports Task Force - sports reporters, correspondents and analystsVisual Task Force - photojournalists, design/informational graphicsYoung Journalists - journalists in their first few yearsWorld Affairs - promotes world-wide coverage of African/African-AmericansOn December 12, 1975, 44 men and women gathered at the Sheraton Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. (now the Marriott Wardman Park) to form the NABJ. The following are their names and where they worked at the time:
Twenty-one people have served as president of the National Association of Black Journalists:
