January 2015

Celebrating the Legacy: Happy Birthday, MLK!

As we celebrate Dr. King’s birthday, we must have made a huge impact. celebrate the fact that his legacy remains alive The Honorable Barack Obama became the and strong today. Many groups and individuals nation’s first Black president in the United continue to work for changes that Dr. King so States. Dr. Ben Carson is a pioneer in pediatric diligently fought for. Dr. King left the legacy neurosurgery and made history in 1987 with an of a lifetime and we look forward to honoring operation to separate a pair of Siamese twins. that legacy on the third Monday of January as Oprah Winfrey is a household name both in As Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is we celebrate the life and work of a born leader, the U.S. and abroad. From her beginnings commemorated throughout the nation, it is hero and champion. as a reporter and anchor to her meteoric rise natural to take a moment to reflect on what to becoming the head of a communications his presence in the world has meant. Dr. King The overall message that we should keep in empire and her OWN network, Oprah is a gave voice to injustices and atrocities taking mind is that at any given point in history, every trailblazer among Black business leaders. These place in his lifetime. He was one of the most person has the power to improve and rise higher. great strides were achieved because leaders important and prolific leaders of the Civil Today, African Americans have broken barriers like Dr. King took the time to take a stand Rights movement; and his message continues and have established themselves as leaders in and pave the way. to resonate and influence the Black community many social, economic and political arenas. to this day. From politics to medicine to communications, Thank you and happy birthday, Dr. King!

The Skanner Reader to Host 29th Black PR Wire Welcomes Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. New Team member Breakfast on January 19th in Black PR Wire welcomes a new Portland, Oregon team to better serve YOU! Simone The Skanner Reader, a website and newspaper published in Portland, Cook has joined the firm as an Account Oregon, and , Washington, will host its 29th Annual Martin Coordinator. In this role, Simone will Luther King, Jr. Breakfast on Monday, January 19, 2015. The event assume responsibility for preparing client takes place from 8:30 am —10:30 a.m. at the Oregon Convention service agreements and posting press Center, 777 NE Martin Luther King Junior Blvd., in Portland. The releases. She will also oversee client keynote speaker is the Rev. Benjamin Chavis, executive director of the relations. National Newspaper Publishers Association and a former assistant to the Simone is a graduate of Florida Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. International University where she received her B.A. in Communications. At the age of 24, Chavis became one of the Wilmington 10, a She has several years of professional group of teenagers and civil rights activists wrongly convicted of experience in the Communications field. firebombing a grocery store in the city in 1971. A pastor in the United This wide scope of experience makes Church of Christ, Chavis served as vice president of the National Simone very acclimated to the many Council of Churches in 1988; and was elected the youngest executive different tasks she performs at Black PR director of the national NAACP in 1993. Wire and a valuable asset to the team.

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Power Profiler: Benjamin Chavis

Dr. Benjamin Franklin Chavis, Jr. is a civil Man March, and the Founder and CEO of rights leader born in Oxford, . the National African American Leadership In his youth, Dr. Chavis was an assistant to Dr. Summit (NAALS). Since 2001, Dr. Chavis Martin Luther King, Jr., who inspired him to has been CEO and Co-Chairman of the Hip- work in the civil rights movement. Hop Summit Action Network in , which he co-founded with hip-hop mogul At the age of 24, Dr. Chavis rose to . international prominence as the leader of the . After the conviction of In 2009, Dr. Chavis joined with Ezell Brown the entire group that would be overturned on and established Education Online Services appeal, Dr. Chavis received a sentence of 34 Corporation, headquartered in Coral Springs, years in prison. Along with the other members Florida. In 2011, Dr. Chavis collaborated with of the Wilmington Ten, Dr. Chavis walked to multi-platinum music producer and author his freedom in 1980 after the federal appeals Sahpreem A. King on “Surviving the Game: court overturned the convictions and cited How to Succeed in the Music Business.” Dr. “prosecutorial misconduct.” Upon his release Chavis is credited as author of the foreword and from prison, Dr. Chavis returned to the field of technical advisor. civil rights, and he became a Vice President of the National Council of Churches. On June 24, 2014, Dr. Chavis became the interim president and CEO of the National The board of the NAACP elected Dr. Newspaper Publishers Association, an African- Chavis as the Executive Director of America’s American organization which focuses on oldest civil rights organization. Dr. Chavis later supporting and advocating for publishers of the served as the National Director of the Million nation’s more than 200 black newspapers.

Calendar of Events OUR TEAM Bernadette A. Morris This section is designed to keep you in the know and on the go. President/CEO Check out some of the latest happenings in Black communities throughout the country this month. [email protected]

Ricardo F. Reyes Dr. Martin Luther MLK Festival of 2015 Eagle Awards AVP/Creative Director King Jr. Laughs 2015 1-17-15 [email protected] Day of Service 1-16-15 – 1-17-15 Orlando, FL Tanisha Coleman Various Dates James L. Knight Center Xavia Sullivan Marketing Manager Various Locations Miami, FL [email protected] www.mlkday.gov www.jebapresents.com “Raisin’ Cane: A Renaissance Odyssey” Starring Jasmine Guy * Simone Cook Account Coordinator Chante Moore Avery Sharpe Trio [email protected] 1-2-15 1-24-15 Washington, DC Fairfax, VA Teodoras Vitkauskas www.headzup-events.com Webmaster Zora Neale Hurston [email protected] Mo’Nique Festival of the Erica Brown 1-10-15 Arts and Humanities Graphic Designer Baltimore, MD 1-24-15 – 2-1-15 [email protected] www.headzup-events.com Eatonville, FL

For Faor complete a complete listing listing of of events, events, please visitvisit www.blackprwire.com www.blackprwire.com

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