Winter 2017 Issue: Powered by the Black Press

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WINTER 2017 ISSUE

POWERED BY THE BLACK PRESS How the new Museum of African American History and Culture pays homage to black journalists Here’s to all truth seekers

Your passion overcomes obstacles

Your craft reveals the true essence of who we are

Agency: Union Adworks AD: Wald Trim: 8.5" x 11"

Client: Jeep CW: Patton Live: 8" x 10.5" Jeep® NABJ Ad Publication: NABJ Journal Bleed: 8.75" x 11.25" Remembering Gwen Ifill 10 WINTER 2017 | Vol. 35, No. 1 Official Publication of the National Association of Black Journalists

NABJ Staff EXECUTIVE CONSULTANT Drew Berry MEMBERSHIP MANAGER Veronique Dodson FINANCE MANAGER Nathaniel Chambers SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER Kerwin Speight PROGRAM MANAGER Lisa Waldschmitt DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT JoAnne Lyons Wooten DEVELOPMENT CONCIERGE Heidi Stevens COMMUNICATIONS Enid Doggett STAFF ACCOUNTANT Sharon Odle NABJ Journal Staff PUBLISHER Sarah Glover Reporting a disaster George Curry's influence EDITOR 6 12 Zuri Berry DEPUTY EDITOR Shauntel Lowe COPY EDITOR Benét J. Wilson CIRCULATION MANAGER Veronique Dodson Black male anchors The black press influence DESIGN AND LAYOUT 15 18 Lisa Waldschmitt Contributors Danny Garrett Wayne Dawkins Kenneth Cooper Autumn A. Arnett Tené Croom Election lessons Ida B. Wells Society Maria Roberts 20 22 Dorothy Tucker

Greetings NABJ family!

On behalf of the NABJ Board of NABJ BOARD OF DIRECTORS Directors, I’m honored to present the PRESIDENT 2017 NABJ Journal winter issue. Sarah Glover In this meaningful edition, NABJ NBC Owned Television Stations highlights the pivotal role black journalists play in the exhibits at the VICE PRESIDENT/PRINT Smithsonian’s National Museum Marlon A. Walker of African American History and Atlanta Journal-Constitution Culture in Washington, D.C. There are notable lessons to extract from covering Haiti and the divisive U.S. VICE PRESIDENT/DIGITAL presidential election, which we Benét J. Wilson delve into. Aviation Queen LLC We are inspired by NABJ member J.A. Adande and the founders of the VICE PRESIDENT/BROADCAST Ida B. Wells Society who are working Dorothy Tucker to provide new opportunities for a new WBBM-TV wave of NABJ members to learn from their breadth of experience. SECRETARY We also remember two great pillars of the Cheryl Smith journalism community — Gwen Ifill and George Curry. I Messenger News Group Both Gwen and George touched many NABJ members and mentored scores of journalists across the country. George was a true champion of the black press and Gwen was a TREASURER talented journalist who broke barriers over three decades in journalism, most recently as Greg Morrison an anchor at PBS' "NewsHour." Bumper2BumperTV NABJ is fortunate to have founders who continue to empower our association. I applaud the work of NABJ founder DeWayne Wickham and his recognition by the Enoch PARLIAMENTARIAN Pratt Free Library’s African American Department in Baltimore for naming a special Dave Jordan collection after him. NABJ also thanks Wickham for leading a delegation of 20 people to WSPA-TV Cuba in January. The travelers included NABJ members, Morgan State representatives, journalists, professionals and students. DIRECTOR, REGION I I'm most proud of the work of the NABJ Media Institute this past year and the Johann Calhoun programming it has produced over the course of the year — regional conferences, skills- The Philadelphia Tribune based training, and a specialized digital leadership training at Poynter. Over the course of 2017, NABJ will publish reports outlining “The State of Black DIRECTOR, REGION II Journalists 2017” in broadcast, print and online. Black men are an endangered species Vickie Thomas among television anchors. Here, an essay serves as the first installment of this project, WWJ//CBS Radio which aims to tackle how well black journalists are faring in American journalism. As we seek answers, more questions may arise. NABJ will work with our partners to improve the DIRECTOR, REGION III status of black journalists which in turn improves the state of all newsrooms nationwide. Gayle Hurd Thank you to the NABJ Journal’s new editor Zuri Berry, deputy editor Shauntel Lowe WPTF-AM/NC News Network and the entire team who contributed to this important issue. DIRECTOR, REGION IV Marcus Vanderberg Yours In Service, Yahoo Sports

ACADEMIC REPRESENTATIVE Michelle Johnson Boston University Sarah Glover, NABJ President @sarah4nabj MEDIA-RELATED REPRESENTATIVE Tanzi West-Barbour SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: ADVERTISING ADDRESS ALL Policy Innovators for Education National Association of Black INQUIRIES: CORRESPONDENCE TO: STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE Journalists Advertising Inquiries: NABJ Journal 1100 Knight Hall, Suite 3100 (301) 405-0248 1100 Knight Hall, Suite 3100 Wilton Charles Jackson II College Park, MD 20742 College Park, MD 20742 Louisiana State University (301) 405-0248

Winter 2017 | www.nabj.org | National Association of Black Journalists | 5 LEADING THE WAY

REPORTING ON HAITI, HURRICANE MATTHEW SHOWS JOURNALISTS HOW TO COVER CATASTROPHES WELL By Danny Garrett

2 | National Association of Black Journalists | www.nabj.org | Winter 2017 he island nation of Haiti has a homes, polluted water sources and Hemisphere” across the exterior of its history just as fascinating as killed nearly 1,000 people. thorned crown. The moniker is a far it is revolutionary. Toussaint For many, the disaster triggered cry from its former title as the Jewel Louverture, and his keen memories of the 2010 earthquake of the Antilles, and its present status militaryT mind, fought for this country that struck the Caribbean country. as the country that counts as one of and called it home. Kingly and stately According to the Disasters Emergency its shining towns Jacmel, a place that Henri Christophe governed this land Committee, 220,000 people were bustles and flickers from its 35 art and called it the same. estimated to have died in the galleries to its murals, mosaics and Hopefully, one does not need to earthquake. (The Haitian government sculptures that line the commune’s venture far within the sprawling pages has those estimates much higher.) streets and walls. of history books to read the smooth More than 188,000 houses were badly Many economists look strictly at and silky prose of Jacques-Stephen damaged, and more than 105,000 were Haiti’s impoverished status through the Alexis, and the post-colonial fervor of destroyed. lens of its gross domestic product, but Jacques Roumain. It can be argued that For journalists covering Hurricane reading the country’s economic output one does not fully know the country Matthew, there were concerns this way is somewhat misleading. until one has read Langston Hughes’s about repeating faulty disaster Haiti’s GDP does not accurately “A Poem for Jacques Roumain,” which narratives about Haiti that triggered reflect that many of Haiti’s poor are immortalized the Haitian writer and a quick response from the American landowners, which provides much politician: public to donate tremendously, yet subsistence for extended Haitian indiscriminately. families, and opens wider participation Never will you become UConn professor of public policy to Haiti’s informal economy. From Anonymous. Thomas Craemer describes the disaster the Organisation for Economic Co- Never will your dust narrative as reinforcing views that operation and Development estimates, Become air – Haiti is this wholesale “poor, violent, Haiti’s informal economy accounts for overcrowded, and aid-dependent” roughly 90 percent of the country’s Then nothingness – nation, which can provoke a limited total labor market, which is not figured Invisible. number of responses from the into the country’s GDP measurements. Never will you become American public. One is to, “Donate, Therefore, if a journalist is tasked Less than a name – donate, and donate some more,” to to cover Haiti, the positive economic Or less than you. save a weak and poverty-stricken features of the country shouldn’t be Haiti from itself. Two is to raise the ignored. These words find rest in the minds question, “Why bother donating But something interesting occurred of the Haitian people and exemplify if nothing has changed within the when Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti. Haitian land. The mist- and green- country in decades?”— which is not Yes, there was the expected focus on covered mountains know the stories. true. The United Nations Development poor and suffering Haitians running for The turquoise waters and white Programme can attest to economic and their lives, demolished buildings and sands of Chouchou Bay and Kokoye educational improvements within the an “unorganized” response from local Beach recite the lines from memory. decade. Haitian governments. But, somewhat The Citadelle Laferrière, which sits Americans chose option one in 2010. unexpectedly, much of the U.S. atop Bonnet a L’Eveque and the Amid incessant images of rubble and national media ceased coverage of the Gingerbread homes of Port-au-Prince, suffering black bodies on TV screens, event within a week. in their Victorian and Caribbean glory, Americans joined the rest of the No longer was it false disaster give voice to the volumes. world in donating half a billion dollars narratives that were cause for concern, It is best to keep this picture of Haiti in aid to the Red Cross. It was one but coverage altogether. close, ingrained well within the mind. of the foundation’s most successful NABJ member and NPR TV critic Because in the United States, media fundraising efforts. But after an Eric Deggans was not surprised by outlets addicted to sensation will investigation by NPR and ProPublica, the quick and minimal coverage. He decimate this truth. When disaster has the two media outlets could not find calls the phenomenon the “tyranny struck Haiti, which has happened more where the nearly $500 million was of the broad niche.” Deggans argues than once in the past decade, we have spent. The Red Cross claimed that it that American media outlets mainly seen how detrimental false narratives provided homes for more than 130,000 pander to the “aspirational hopes of can be when journalistic fortitude is people, but NPR and ProPublica could the audience” and traffic in narratives lacking. only find six homes built. of “winners and losers” in the American The Red Cross fiasco was but one economy. That equates to focusing THE NARRATIVE OF A DISASTER glaring issue in Haiti which reinforced on the popular entertainment of an On Oct. 4, 2016, six years after a the poor, violent and disaster-prone American election, versus the crisis 7.0-magnitude earthquake shook the stereotype of the country that is unfolding in Haiti. island, Hurricane Matthew slammed neither helpful nor true. For years, into Haiti. The Category 4 storm, Haiti has been bestowed the title CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 packing winds of 145 mph, demolished of “poorest country in the Western

Winter 2017 | www.nabj.org | National Association of Black Journalists | 7 A Catholic church in Jérémie, Haiti, had its roof blown off during Hurricane Matthew. Photo courtesy of Miami Herald/Patrick Farrell.

Individual news consumers, Deggans Hurricane Matthew before, during struck an optimistic tone: “We are claims, can perhaps watch the BBC and after the storm. And she was 20 people at the office, CRS staff and and Al Jazeera to stay up-to-date on the only international reporter to members of the emergency operation international news, and even receive fly into Jérémie by helicopter with center. Until now we are feeling safe.” Google alerts on their smartphones interim president Jocelerme Privert Both organizations, CRS and Haiti’s about what is transpiring in Haiti. to complete extensive on-the-ground Civil Protection, provide helpful However, Deggans knows that this is reporting. information about Haiti’s emergency not the norm, neither for the average Early on, Charles reported on flood operation center and how residents are American, nor for our national media. waters from Les Cayes to Côtes-de- seeking shelter. For the latter, he says it is more so Fer, and mudslides from Anse du CBS correspondent Vladimir Duthiers about what consumers want, and more Milieu. Some of her early information covers Haiti with similar care. Duthiers precisely, what the buyers want the derived from initial Haitian radio was on the ground for Hurricane consumers to want. reports. But most importantly, she Matthew, with significant reporting interviewed local Haitians who done on Jérémie, where 80 percent of COVERING DISASTERS RIGHT experienced the impactful weather the buildings have been damaged or Luckily, many NABJ members have directly and the Haitians who were destroyed, according to figures from done their due diligence in covering there on the ground to organize CARE Haiti. He spoke to locals and Haiti and Hurricane Matthew with recovery efforts. More than 55,000 focused on recovery efforts, setting the care. The Miami Herald’s Jacqueline residents live in tents and makeshift bar for television coverage. Charles and CBS’s Vladimir Duthiers shelters in the country, according to Cholera is a major concern after are among those members. USA Today. With housing less than disasters in Haiti. The last outbreak Charles, the Caribbean optimal, it is imperative for observers killed at least 10,000 people and correspondent and senior reporter on to know how residents will protect sickened more. It should come as Haiti at the Herald, was part of the themselves amidst high winds and no surprise that Duthiers reported team whose work was recognized as a surging flood waters. Charles focused on the work that Doctors Without finalist in the breaking news category her interviews on people like Dr. Fonie Borders has done within the region, by the Pulitzer Prize committee for Pierre, head of Catholic Relief Services diagnosing and treating cases. Charles reporting on the 2010 earthquake. (CRS) in Les Cayes, and organizations has done the same in her reporting. She was one of the few international like Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency. And if it’s not medicine, it is perhaps journalists who reported on Haiti and When the storm first came, Dr. Pierre housing. Her work on UNOPS (United

8 | National Association of Black Journalists | www.nabj.org | Winter 2017 Worshippers at a church that lost its roof in Morne la Source, Haiti, because of Hurricane Matthew. Photo courtesy of Miami Herald/Patrick Farrell.

Nations Office for Project Services) reporting on Haiti and other disasters to not forget about them. They felt and their construction projects at can be executed well: it would be “the only sign of their Haiti’s Fort National deserves supreme existence for the rest of the world to recognition. • Include information from a know about them,” he said. diverse array of credible sources in your He continued to report on the THE WAY FORWARD reporting. For Haiti, sources like the desolate state of housing. One report For Duthiers, the way to keep National Hurricane Center, NASA and stood out. It was about a shelter left viewers, especially Americans, Haiti’s Civil Protection are pertinent. untouched by the hurricane, simply interested in stories about Haiti is to • Engage with residents and because it was constructed of concrete be a great storyteller and make those charities on the ground as much as and not tin. stories relatable. In terms of Haiti, possible. In the trip, he interviewed a nurse Duthiers recommended that reporters • Interview a variety of other from the region who channeled the could describe how Haitians fought in sources, including military officials, people of her country. “It’s a Sunday. the American Revolution or how Haiti’s historians and climate scientists. Journalists People are going to church. People are history is similar to the story of the cannot neglect a more comprehensive praying, and I really do believe that United States. treatment of disaster situations. Haiti’s what has sustained the Haitian people “They rejected a monarchy. They modern problems exemplify this. over the hundreds of years of, in many went up against a superpower like the • Make your stories as relatable as cases, lots of misery, is their faith United States,” the CBS correspondent possible to your audience. and their hope. And it is that that has explained. “Haiti’s history reflects the • Lastly, be curious, keep an open allowed them to not be wiped off the same path. They rejected an emperor, mind and be cautious of your own bias. face of the earth.” in this case Napoleon. They threw off They were words that encapsulated the shackles of tyranny and slavery AFTER THE AFTERMATH what should never be forgotten when to declare their independence. They Duthiers returned to Haiti nearly covering Haiti. It is, without a doubt, went to war against a much stronger two weeks after the hurricane struck, a nation filled with natural beauty and adversary. Most Americans can in both Port-au-Prince and Jérémie. residents that mirror such beauty in understand that. They can understand When he returned to Jérémie, their spirit and resiliency. wanting to be free.” residents surrounded him. They asked *** The pattern is clear. If just a few him to write their names down in his Danny Garrett is a freelance writer based journalistic guidelines are followed, reporter’s notebook. They asked him in Louisiana.

Winter 2017 | www.nabj.org | National Association of Black Journalists | 9 THE SPIRIT OF Gwen Ifill LIVES ON

By Kenneth J. Cooper n tarmacs in snow- nation’s capital. then embroiled in the divisive NABJ. TaNoah Morgan was one covered Iowa or New In 2013, Ifill and Judy politics of desegregation. of the students Ifill coached at Hampshire, Gwen Ifill Woodruff became the first She developed a professional the workshop. would emerge from all-female anchor team on friendship with Carmen Fields, “She was gracious, in that she Oa candidate’s plane and spot network television. Ifill’s on-air a reporter at the competing made you feel important and one of the few black journalists interviews with newsmakers Boston Globe. that she cared. And it never covering the 1988 presidential reflected her preparation — she “In those days, the newspaper mattered that I was 16, or just campaign. She always offered always did her homework — newsroom was a lonely place a kid,” recalled Morgan, who a smile and a warm greeting and well-cultivated skepticism for women in general and black later worked for The Baltimore in moments of genuine of opinions from all sides of an women in particular. We would Sun. “She always remembered professional camaraderie. She issue. “My job as a reporter,” talk fairly often — boosting me and made time for me, no was glad to see a fellow black she explained, “is not to know each other, comparing notes on matter what the issue was or journalist, especially in what what I think.” newsroom politics,” said Fields, how many years it had been were then two of the whitest Another current that ran a former Region I director of since we talked. What more states in the country. could a budding journalist That campaign, when she want?” covered Jesse Jackson and Pat In 1991, The New York Times Robertson for The Washington "The newspaper newsroom succeeded in its second attempt Post, was Ifill’s debut in to lure Ifill away from The reporting on national politics. Post and assigned her to the The subject would remain a was a lonely place for White House. She covered Bill passion and specialty in a 40- Clinton’s presidential campaign year career that culminated in women in general and in 1992. her work as a correspondent Ifill made her transition into at the White House for The broadcasting in 1994 when New York Times and Congress black women in particular." NBC recruited her to cover for NBC, moderator of two Congress. She had already vice presidential debates and begun appearing on the co-moderator of a presidential through Ifill’s career was her NABJ. weekend public affairs shows one, and co-anchor of the ability to develop mutually- In 1981, Ifill moved to The of the networks, including “NewsHour” and moderator of supportive relationships with Baltimore Evening Sun and was “Washington Week.” In 1999, “Washington Week,” both on other journalists, especially put on the city hall beat. At the PBS brought her into the fold PBS. black journalists. It did not paper, she met fellow staffer for the final stop of her storied Ifill, who died in November matter how much experience Rick Berke, who went on to The career. at age 61, sought out they had, or in the case of New York Times and Boston Along the way, Ifill frequented nontraditional roles for women aspiring student journalists, Globe and became a lifelong the annual conventions and African-Americans in didn’t have. friend. of NABJ, participating in journalism. At The Washington At Simmons College in While at The Sun, she served workshops, networking in Post, she once expressed Boston, she took a course in as secretary of the Baltimore hotel lobbies and hallways interest in covering defense broadcast journalism from chapter of NABJ, according to and reveling on the dance because at the time it was a Sarah-Ann Shaw, the first black DeWayne Wickham, who was floor during the Saturday night beat few women, or African- woman to be a TV reporter the chapter’s president at the parties. Americans for that matter, in the city and a stalwart of time. In 2012, NABJ inducted covered. the Boston chapter of NABJ. “She was active in our her into its Hall of Fame. That In 2004, she became the first (Shaw, a deep thinker, advised summer high school workshop was among many awards black woman to guide a vice Ifill not to go into TV, because and our efforts to increase and honors she collected, presidential debate, between local news was shallow, in her the ranks of blacks at The Sun including a Peabody Award, a John Edwards and Dick Cheney. opinion.) and Evening Sun,” recalled broadcaster’s highest honor, Four years later, she reprised As a student intern at the Wickham, a former NABJ for her coverage of the 2008 that role when Joe Biden and Bay State Banner, editor and president. presidential campaign. Sarah Palin squared off. publisher Melvin B. Miller had The Washington Post hired With her warmth, courage After she took over as such confidence in Ifill that he Ifill in 1984. She worked and will to pull along others moderator of “Washington assigned her to a big story in her way up from the metro as she pushed her way up, Ifill Week” in 1999, she changed 1976: a protest over busing desk, covering the Maryland made many friends at each the cast for the weekly and school desegregation suburbs, to a coveted spot stop in her career. Colleagues, roundtable discussion among that bore the famed attack by on the national desk. For a former colleagues, protégés, journalists. The guests had been young white thugs on a suited time, she was the paper’s only friends and relatives filled the mostly aging white men with black lawyer with the staff of black national reporter and Metropolitan AME Church white, if any, hair; she brought an American flag. The image of successfully advocated for the in Washington, D.C., for her in more women who were the assault by a Boston Herald hiring of others to join the staff. memorial service and funeral. younger. However, not many American photographer won a In the early 1990s, Ifill *** of her guests were African- Pulitzer Prize. volunteered as a mentor Kenneth J. Cooper, a Pulitzer Americans, which she blamed After graduating in 1977, Ifill and coach at the weekend Prize-winning reporter, is the on news organizations for not started her career at the Herald journalism workshop for high editor in residence at WGBH assigning more black journalists American, where she covered school students organized by News in Boston. to prominent beats in the the Boston School Committee, the Washington chapter of

Winter 2017 | www.nabj.org | National Association of Black Journalists | 11 PHOTO BY KEVIN WOLF/AP

By Tené Croom A CHAMPION OF THE BLACK PRESS Emerge editor was transformational journalist

eorge Edward Curry, the the covers “were effective because in Black newspapers – an industry that “Dean of the Black Press,” the minds of many Blacks disgusted Curry dearly loved and fought for all died in 2016 after a heart with Thomas’ voting record, that’s of his life as the 'Dean of the Black attack at the age of 69. exactly what he is. And we had the Press.' … As a journalist who asked a GIt was his second heart attack. temerity to say it.” lot of questions, Curry always asked Curry was a highly respected and Editors of Jet magazine wrote in white America and its segregated accomplished journalist – the editor of an obituary that "Curry was largely newsrooms, ‘why?’” the award-winning Emerge magazine thought of as an unapologetic steward In 2015, after reporting about and and two-time editor-in-chief of the and champion for the Black press and participating in the 50th anniversary National Newspaper Publishers frequently expressed the need for it in of “Bloody Sunday” in Selma, Alabama, Association (NNPA). the civil rights narrative." Curry had a heart attack. He wrote Curry’s rich southern tone of voice His NNPA column carried by more about his health scare and called on came through when he spoke, a than 200 Black newspapers was everyone to learn from it as he had. product of growing up in Tuscaloosa, hard-hitting. On Aug. 10, 2015, he “At the urging of ‘Uncle Mike’ Alabama. He was forced to learn early wrote, “The 50th anniversary of Fauvelle of Setauket, N.Y., I am writing about helping to take care of his family the signing of the Voting Rights Act about my second close call with death, when at the age of seven his alcoholic fell on the same day that Fox News hoping that it, too, will prompt you to father, Homer Lee, abandoned him, hosted two Republican presidential not only pay closer attention to your his mother, Martha, and three younger debates (August 6). But the landmark health, but be aware of the small signs sisters. His mother, a domestic, would legislation was never mentioned by the of trouble and do something about it later marry a second time to William questioners nor the candidates. And immediately if you sense something is Henry Polk, who drove a dump truck we know why … with the help of most awry,” he wrote. for the University of Alabama. of the Republican politicians currently Curry lived in Laurel, Maryland. Curry stayed in the South for his running for president, voting rights In 1977, he founded the St. Louis higher education, graduating from have been steadily rolled back in recent Minority Journalism Workshop, a Knoxville College in Tennessee. years.” program for high school students to Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton, You might say Erick Johnson, when learn about journalism. In that same after hearing of Curry’s death, tweeted, writing in the Chicago Crusader about year he wrote “Jake Gaither: America’s “He was a giant and trailblazer.” Curry’s death, channeled the esteemed Most Famous Black Coach.” Curry also could be defiant, especially journalist in his own prose, questioning He is survived by his partner, when challenged about his sometimes- how the mainstream media could lack Elizabeth “Ann” Ragland; his mother, controversial coverage of newsmakers. a black voice as he was memorialized. Martha Brownlee; two sisters, Sylvia Who could forget the Emerge stories “Even on journalist George Curry’s Polk and Susan Gandy; and son, about Supreme Court Justice Clarence obituary, The New York Times, The Edward. Thomas? One cover depicted Thomas Washington Post and many daily *** wearing an Aunt Jemima scarf; another newspapers still got the story wrong,” Tené Croom is co-chair of the NABJ Black showed him as a lawn jockey for the Johnson wrote. “While there were Press Task Force and president of Tené far right. Curry felt his magazine was facts about his life, there were no Croom Communications. speaking truth to power, writing that comments from professionals at

As a journalist who asked a lot of questions, Curry always asked white America and its segregated newsrooms:

WHY?Winter 2017 | www.nabj.org | National Association of Black Journalists | 13 A HISTORIC TRIP TO CUBA

In January, NABJ President Sarah Glover, NABJ founder and former NABJ President DeWayne Wickham and Global Journalism Task Force co-chair Rochelle Riley met with Inés Ford Fernández, Ambassador for the Republic of Cuba Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the United States, in Havana, Cuba (pictured below). Wickham (right) led the delegation of journalists, students and representatives from Morgan State University on the historic trip through his Institute for Advanced Journalism Studies. In a photo taken by NABJ member Jackie Jones, Cuban poet Nancy Morejón (bottom right) talked with the delegation.

14 | National Association of Black Journalists | www.nabj.org | Winter 2017 STATE OF BLACK JOURNALISTS 2017: BROADCAST Nothing has changed for black male anchors By Dorothy Tucker

he plight of the black male anchor has gone unchanged in group since the 1992 study. es him or herself in a market, they just 25 years. Current data on minorities in the in- don’t move that much, black or white,” Pluria Marshall, of the Na- dustry paint a more optimistic picture. said Wordlaw. Ttional Black Media Coalition, wrote The latest RTDNA/Hofstra University Today, Wordlaw points to a shrinking in 1992: “Black male anchors are in Annual survey finds the minority work- industry with fewer jobs and black men danger of being extinct.” force in TV news rose to 23.1 percent choosing other careers. At the same time, University of Mis- in 2015. That’s up almost a full point "A lot are going into the high tech souri professor Vernon Stone, known from a year ago and is the second high- stuff,” he said. “They’re graduating and for his research on blacks in the media, est level ever in TV news. finding jobs where they can make the added that the “number of black males At non-Hispanic stations, the minor- money. You aren’t going to command anchoring TV news is roughly propor- ity breakdown is: the money in TV today like you did tionate to their representation in the • 11.4 percent African-American — back in the day." TV news workforce, and that’s about 5 up from 11.1 percent A former weekend anchor in a middle percent.” • 6.7 percent Hispanic — up from market station, who prefers to be Today, little has changed. Black men 5.9 percent anonymous for fear of hurting his job still appear to be an endangered spe- • 2.7 percent Asian-American — prospects, says frustration often drives cies in the traditional TV news world. down from 2.9 percent black men and especially black male A visual count from the websites of • 0.4 percent Native American — anchors out of the business. the six top commercial TV stations in back up from 0.3 percent "I'm still doing weekends,” he said. New York in January 2016 showed a WHY SO FEW BLACK MALE ANCHORS “I’m still filling in, maybe I’m still do- dismal number of black male anchors. In the 1992 report, several news ing mornings. The pain is the lack of Out of 149 anchors, reporters and managers offered opinions. promotion, the extra hours, going in weather forecasters in the market, Dwight Ellis, who at the time was on weekends and holidays thinking there were seven black male anchors, vice president of human resource de- someone is going to give you a shot at roughly 5 percent of the workforce in velopment for the National Association the permanent spot and it never hap- the nation’s top market. of Broadcasters, described the industry pens. You start to ask yourself, why am In Charlottesville, Virginia, one of as one that did not embrace black men. I suffering?" the smallest TV markets in the country "Because of limited opportunities, The state of black male anchors (183) with three commercial TV sta- many black males become discouraged and reporters deserves a closer look. tions, the numbers are even worse. Of and leave television news for profes- Perhaps some regions of the country the 70 on air talent, only two are black sions with a better chance of advance- employ more black male anchors than male anchors, according to a visual ment and a bigger paycheck,” Ellis said. others, smaller markets may have high- count of their websites. That’s about 3 “That, in turn, diminishes the talent er numbers than larger ones or vice percent of the workforce. pool.” versa, or maybe a particular broadcast Clearly these are just two examples. Gary Wordlaw, currently the news company shows favor to black male However, it’s impossible to draw a director at WVLA/WGMB-TV in Baton anchors. More importantly, we need to true picture of black male anchors or Rouge, Louisiana, was news director find solutions to the problem. even black male reporters in TV news at WJLA in Washington, D.C., in 1992. *** because of a lack of research. We Back then, he blamed the problem on a Dorothy Tucker is NABJ’s Vice Presi- were unable to find any research from limited number of openings. dent of Broadcast and a reporter for the media organizations, institutes or "Generally, anchors reflect the mar- CBS Chicago. Follow her on Twitter universities who have focused on this ketplace, and once an anchor establish- @dorothyvpbnabj.

Winter 2017 | www.nabj.org | National Association of Black Journalists | 15 REGION 2 POWERS UP THE WINDY CITY

The joint Region II Conference and NABJ Media Institute on Finance attracted 225 attendees in Chicago in October 2016. The program included mentor ses- sions, drone journalism and digital training. The keynote address was given by Judge Greg Mathis, star of a reality TV court show.

POYNTER TRAINING THE NEXT DIGITAL LEADERS

The inaugural class of the Poynter- NABJ Digital Leadership Academy gathered at the journalism think tank's St. Petersburg, Florida, cam- pus in December 2016 to develop skills and strategies to improve their newsrooms.

16 | National Association of Black Journalists | www.nabj.org | Winter 2017 ASKING THE HARD QUESTIONS AT THE MEDIA INSTITUTE ON LEGAL AFFAIRS

NABJ members took part in training at the Media Institute on Legal Affairs Sept. 24, 2016. Photos courtesy of The American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section.

BRINGING BACK THE BASICS TO

#NABJBASICS Young journalists take part in one of NABJ's latest training seminars, the NABJ Basics Bootcamp in Birmingham, Alabama, Feb. 10-11, 2017. TRACKING DIGITAL ADVANCES AT #BLACKTWITTER17 NABJ members attended the #BlackTwitter17 conference Feb. 25, 2017, at the City University of New York in New York City.

Winter 2017 | www.nabj.org | National Association of Black Journalists | 17 Museum gets a piece of its spirit from black press By Zuri Berry

PHOTO COURTESY14 | National OF ALAN Association KARCHMER/NMAAHC of Black Journalists | www.nabj.org | Winter 2017 n the newly minted National Mu- obstacles,” Gates Moresi said. collection. What are the stories that seum of African American History The museum is peppered with the will be important for generations? and Culture, opened in September works of the black press, primarily What are the gaps? What were we not 2016 after a decades-long campaign through its photography, newsprint able to acquire? So, we’re kind of in the Ito build support for its creation and 13 and magazine covers. The works and midst of that planning. I can say pretty years following an act of Congress, the photos of famous abolitionists like confidently … it’s a process. But the black press’ contributions are substan- Frederick Douglass are coupled with movers and shakers like (George) Curry tial to the museum’s collections and exhibits featuring namesakes of the and (Gwen) Ifill will certainly be among exhibits. Johnson Publishing Company, the those people who we would be aiming This is a different kind of museum. It Philadelphia Tribune and Black Enter- to look at as well.” is the only museum dedicated to the prise. But there are also significant *** documentation of black life in America, artifacts, including a linotype machine Zuri Berry is the editor of the NABJ Journal. black culture and black history. Its from the Chicago Defender, a printing He serves as the deputy managing editor mission, in line and parallel with that plate and time clock from R.H. Boyd’s for news and multimedia at the Boston of the black press, leans heavily upon National Baptist Publishing Board and Herald. Follow him on Twitter @zuriberry. journalistic institutions. There are more a precious copy of the NAACP’s The than 36,000 artifacts in the museum Crisis from 1918. where the Smithsonian’s 19th institu- There’s a lot for journalists to take in. tion helps pay homage to pioneering "[Journalists will] be pleased to black journalists and news outlets who see both the black press integrated championed their communities. throughout the museum as well as the “That was one reason why we made callout for the role of the press as vital sure that when we focused on ‘Making to these stories," Gates Moresi said. A Way Out of No Way,’ we focused on The museum, Gates Moresi added, the press,” said Michèle Gates Moresi, has not completed its mission either. curator of collections at the museum After spending 10 years building out and co-curator of the “Making A Way the current exhibits, the museum’s Out of No Way” exhibit, the primary curators are now in a period of reflec- exhibit where the black press is on tion as they consider future collections display. and prominent individuals who have “That thematic exhibition was look- recently passed. ing at the institutions, the organiza- “As you can imagine, our priority was tions and the myriad of ways that the development of the exhibitions and African-Americans were basically, you collecting around that. So now we’re know, forging American life despite looking long-term for the permanent

Photographic print of Robert Scurlock holding a camera ca. 1940; Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Shaping the narrative Culture, Gift of the Scurlock family and to reflect the ups and downs” of By Autumn A. Arnett African-Americans, said John J. Oliver Jr., publisher of The Afro-American in he story of African-American Baltimore and Washington, D.C. history and culture cannot be “There’re so many lessons, there’re so told without also telling the many things that you can see that the story of the black press. In black press” recorded during key mo- Tthe words of Tené Croom, co-chair of ments in American history, said Oliver. NABJ’s Black Press Task Force, “We “Everybody was on the same level, have been shaping the community … because everybody felt the same level for decades and centuries.” of pain and affront, and we made the For a time, the narratives of the black affront national.” press and Black America were inter- “Beginning in 1892, most comfort- twined because there were no other ably, and more in depth during the outlets covering the African-American first three or four decades of the 20th experience — only the black press century, we were reflecting attitudes of carried the news, expressed the pain Paper cutter from The Baltimore Afro-American the black community while at the same Newspaper (1900-1920) Collection of the and outrage and joy and triumph of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American black community. CONTINUED ON PAGE 26 History and Culture, Gift of the Afro-American “Our role has been to chronicle Newspapers

Winter 2017 | www.nabj.org | National Association of Black Journalists | 19 PHOTO BY JASSON MICCOLO JOHNSON

After contentious election, the highlights and lowlights for black journalists

By Wayne Dawkins

t least a dozen black journalists a belligerent black sheriff from Wisconsin cocaine user.” played prominent reporting during an interview. At times, campaign analysis expanded and analytical roles in one Oh, and during a Sunday talk show, a GOP beyond disparaging words to threats of of the oddest and most pundit said she wanted to “wring the neck” bodily harm. Stephen Henderson, the contentiousA U.S. presidential elections of of a black newspaper editorial writer sitting Detroit Free Press’s Pulitzer Prize-winning the 21st century, culminating in the election next to her. opinion writer and the 2014 NABJ Journalist of Republican businessman Donald J. Trump, At one point, the plight of black journalists of the Year, was a guest on NBC’s “Meet who defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton, the and pundits covering the 2016 election was the Press” in March 2016 when he had the former secretary of state, U.S. senator and mocked on Comedy Central’s “The Daily following exchange with Republican pundit First Lady. Show” hosted by Trevor Noah. The five- Mary Matalin: For nationally recognized black minute segment included a clip showing journalists, the campaign and election Lemon interviewing Milwaukee County HENDERSON: There’s also a substantial were a mix of highs and lows, including The Sheriff David Clarke during the Republican credibility problem here. I mean, you have New York Times’ executive editor leading National Convention, which devolved into a Republicans saying, ‘Trump is not one of us,’ investigations of financial and sexual menacing rant by the black man in blue. In and yet a lot of the things that he’s saying are scandal allegations against Trump; a direct another clip, Morehouse College professor said in coded language by other Republicans. question to Clinton during the NABJ-NAHJ and CNN pundit Marc Lamont Hill sat [House Speaker] Paul Ryan said, ‘This is not convention that kept her trapped in a private stunned as Fox News anchor Bill O’Reilly a party that preys on people’s prejudices.’ email quagmire; the revelation of debate told the public intellectual he “kinda looked And yet, you can think of lots of examples moderator Lester Holt’s personal political like a cocaine drug dealer.” Seconds later, of Republicans doing exactly that. This goes affiliation; and CNN’s Don Lemon enduring Hill deadpanned that O’Reilly resembled “a on all the time in coded ways. Trump is saying

20 | National Association of Black Journalists | www.nabj.org | Winter 2017 some of these things more explicitly. And Washington. NewsHour” on PBS and moderator of that makes them, you know, uncomfortable Clinton agreed to speak to the joint “Washington Week,” moderated a spring too. convention of journalists of color on Aug. Democratic primary debate between Clinton MATALIN: No, it doesn’t make me 5. She had not given a news conference and Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, but uncomfortable; it just makes me want in months and the convention of more took leave in May because of illness. She to choke you [laughter] because it’s than 3,000 attendees, most of whom were returned to co-anchor with Judy Woodruff ridiculous and a creation of Trump. Because working journalists, was an opportunity to coverage of the political conventions. Six conservatives do not consider themselves answer questions and provide clarity on days after the election, Ifill, 61, died from a bigots or homophobes or misogynists, OK? campaign issues. During a Q&A segment, yearlong battle with cancer. This is not a race race, OK? Let’s not go there. Clinton apologized for her use of the private [READ MORE ON IFILL’S LEGACY ON PAGE HENDERSON: I think it is. I mean, I think email server again, reported McClatchy 10] there’s no question that what he [Trump] is News Service, and the candidate added that Indeed, the election was bizarre and doing is appealing to race. And Republicans have done that for a long time.

Dean Baquet, who in 2014 was named "This is the problem with the media. You guys the first black executive editor in the history of The New York Times, stayed largely took everything that Donald Trump said so out of the public eye until he became the subject of criticism from MSNBC host Joe literally. The American people didn't." Scarborough on his show, “Morning Joe.” Two days after Trump’s victory, Scarborough said Baquet, in August, announced that The she might have “short-circuited” during the bruising. Trump captured 304 electoral New York Times’ job was to defeat Trump. Fox News Sunday interview. votes, yet he is the fifth president to lose Baquet had said no such thing, and a week “I have said during the interview and on in the popular vote. Clinton’s popular vote later Scarborough said he “misspoke” and many occasions of the past months that margin surpassed Trump’s by more than 2.8 apologized for misreading a news account. what I told the FBI, which he [Director James million. Over the course of the election cycle, The Comey] said was truthful, is consistent with The tone of the campaign moved NABJ New York Times published noteworthy what I have said publicly,” Clinton said. President Sarah Glover on Nov. 11 to issue a exposés of Trump, including bombshell The video of Clinton speaking to NABJ- statement. reports that the business magnate had NAHJ conferences attendees was looped on “It was a long and often contentious election likely not paid taxes for nearly 20 years and all cable and network newscasts because the that required considerable attention to detail damaging allegations by a handful of women candidate resumed limited press appearances. and the very best reporting,” Glover wrote. “I that he had groped them and other sexual (Trump was invited to address the convention, know many of you are fatigued, and covering misconduct. too, but his campaign declined.) the campaign may have had an impact on you At the Republican National Convention as working journalists, media professionals in late July, Lemon interviewed Clarke, or students. I want to extend an NABJ hug to the Milwaukee County sheriff, who was members and hope you all catch up on badly a keynote speaker. Clarke said he had needed rest.” predicted the fatal shootings of Baton Five days later, on Nov. 16, 15 journalism Rouge police officers and accused Black organizations, including NABJ, urged the soon- Lives Matter demonstrators of inciting the to-be president to respect the 300-plus-year lethal violence. However, Clarke refused American tradition of press freedom. to answer follow up questions, and Since Trump's inauguration Jan. 20, 2017, he when Lemon thanked him and closed the and his staff have created several obstacles for interview, Clarke said, “They [Black Lives some media organizations trying to cover the Matter] teach vile and vitriol in the name of administration, from refusing to call on them at virtue.” White House briefings to blocking their access to Post-Labor Day, as the presidential briefings altogether." As he attempts to repeal race kicked into high gear, journalists who the Affordable Care Act, build a southwest received a lot of face time and provided border wall to block immigrants, and strip substantive reporting and analysis included or weaken business and environmental New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet Nia-Malika Henderson of CNN (a former regulations, the challenge for journalists — and Washington Post political writer); Errol especially black journalists — will be intriguing. Louis of Time Warner Cable NY1 News and Consider former Trump campaign manager Meanwhile, Clinton was dogged by Abby Phillip of The Washington Post. Corey Lewandowski’s curious critique of the reports that while serving as secretary of Just before the fall presidential debates, media during a Dec. 1 forum at Harvard’s state in the Obama administration she kept Trump complained that the moderators Kennedy School: “This is the problem with a large volume of email communications were all registered Democrats and therefore the media. You guys took everything that on a private server in her home, a possible would be biased against him. NBC’s Lester Donald Trump said so literally,” reported The violation of the law. Clinton repeatedly Holt was moderator of the first of three Washington Post. “The American people acknowledged the server was a mistake, debates. Just before the battle, news didn’t.” yet she managed to keep the embarrassing accounts revealed that Holt, the 2016 *** story alive by parsing her answers, as she NABJ Journalist of the Year, was in fact a Wayne Dawkins is a professor of professional did during a Fox News Sunday interview a registered Republican. practice at Hampton University Scripps Howard week before the NABJ-NAHJ convention in The late Gwen Ifill, co-anchor of “The School of Journalism and Communications.

Winter 2017 | www.nabj.org | National Association of Black Journalists | 21 A NEW SOCIETY INVESTIGATIVE he Ida B. Wells Society for March 2015. Investigative Reporting has “We all looked around and made a comment been created to train and bring that we were basically the entire black more black journalists into a beat contingent at the conference,” she said. Tthat has been historically hard for them to It was something the group had noticed break into. after years of attending investigative reporting By Benét J. Wilson The Society, launched in August 2016 at conferences, said Hannah-Jones. NABJ's joint convention in Washington D.C., “We decided we would start an organization was founded by Nikole Hannah-Jones, staff because we understood the particular obstacles writer at The New York Times Magazine; and barriers to becoming investigative Corey Johnson, a former staff writer at The reporters,” she said. “No existing journalism Marshall Project, who recently joined the organizations were particularly addressing that Tampa Bay Times; Ron Nixon, a Washington need. We appreciate the National Association correspondent for The New York Times; and of Black Journalists and all that it does. We’re Topher Sanders, a reporter for ProPublica. also members of IRE and appreciate what it Other board members include The Atlantic’s does. But the two groups weren’t meeting the Ta-Nehisi Coates, Pulitzer Prize-winning particular needs of black investigative reporters, investigative journalist Melvin Claxton, so we decided to step into that void and stop Emmy Award-winning reporter Renee waiting for other organizations to do something Ferguson, Hank Klibanoff, director of the about it.” Georgia Civil Rights Cold Cases Project at Wesley Lowery, a Pulitzer Prize-winning Emory University and Lawan Hamilton, an journalist for The Washington Post, said he executive producer at Scripps Howard’s immediately signed up for the association Washington bureau. because of the journalists involved. Along The society is named after the famous with NABJ, he says it’s incredibly important investigative reporter and journalist who to support organizations that focus on was among the earliest black publishers in underrepresentation. the United States. Wells became co-owner “Investigative teams often are among the and editor of the Memphis Free Speech and only groups in modern newsrooms routinely Headlight in 1889 and used it as a platform afforded the time and resources to do the type to investigate lynchings in the South. of deep, incubated reporting that can upend Hannah-Jones said the idea for the systems that are failing the public,” Lowery society came after the founders attended said. “Because of that, investigative reporters the Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) have the unique opportunity to speak out National Institute for Computer-Assisted and demand accountability on the behalf of Reporting (NICAR) conference in Atlanta in people of color whose voices and concerns may otherwise go spoken yet unheard. “As we continue to discover the depths to which inequities are baked into the foundation of our nation,” Lowery continued, “it is more important now than ever that there is a diverse set of storytellers choosing investigative targets informed by the black and brown American experience.” One of the goals of the organization is to count the number of black investigative journalists there are in the U.S. “Investigative reporters are a very specialized group,” Hannah-Jones said. “We know black journalists are underrepresented in newsrooms, but there is no count. That’s actually one of the things that we're hoping to do as an organization — try to get some sense of that number.” For black reporters, it’s not just about considering a career as an investigative journalist, said Hannah-Jones. “Like most things, it’s much easier to imagine ILLUSTRATION OF IDA B. WELLS BY LISA WALDSCHMITT yourself doing something when you've seen an

22 | National Association of Black Journalists | www.nabj.org | Winter 2017 FOR BLACK JOURNALISTS the veteran journalist looking to add new but just can’t find the talent.’ We are trying skills, said Hannah-Jones. to take away that excuse,” she said. “We “As we know, there’s a lot of newsrooms want to take away that excuse by saying "We decided we would that are not paying for trainings anymore. that we know what these people can do. We And if they do pay to send journalists to have trained and mentored them and they training, it’s often a very select group,” she are ready to meet the challenge.” start an organization said. “We are trying to democratize that by *** offering low-cost or free access to high- Benét Wilson is a freelance aviation journalist and because we understood quality training to those who otherwise owner of Aviation Queen. She is also NABJ’s vice would not be able to afford it.” president for digital and a board member for the the particular obstacles The first training was held October Online News Association. Follow her on Twitter at 21-22, 2016, at North Carolina Central @benet4nabj. and barriers to becoming University in Durham. For $25, attendees received training from the four founders investigative reporters." in areas including accessing public records, developing news apps and interactives and writing compelling investigative narratives. Kirstin Garriss, a broadcast journalist at Time Warner Cable News in Charlotte, example of it from someone who looks like you,” signed up for the training after she heard she explained. “And it’s very rare to see a black about the society at an NABJ mixer during person in that position. Investigative reporting the convention in Washington, D.C. is considered the premier spot at any news “There’s not enough people with these organization.” skills, especially among those of color, and I Journalists spend a long time doing investigative wanted those skills,” she said. stories, and they’re very expensive to do, said The trainers didn’t just give a PowerPoint Hannah-Jones. and send attendees on their way, said “Those of us who are investigative reporters Garriss. have to fight really hard to get into those “I learned about free websites and positions, since we weren’t groomed the way resources that most people don’t know other investigative reporters have been.” about. I also got free one-year membership Hannah-Jones’s first job as a reporter was in IRE, and that is priceless,” she said. “I felt doing shorter-term investigations. they gave us a real investment when they “I was always interested in accountability pulled out their black book of skills and reporting, making public records requests and shared them because they wanted us to get looking at data — just on a much smaller scale. better.” But I ended up just having to do what a lot of The Ida B. Wells Society is currently being journalists do have to do, which is working on run by four full-time journalists. bigger projects on my own,” she recalled. “I was “We understood that the first year out we squeezing in the time to work on them and then weren’t going to be able to offer members trying to write a couple of investigative pieces a ton of things,” Hannah-Jones said. “So we to catch the attention of my editor. It was a long didn’t want to charge for memberships until process.” we really felt we were up and running at full Steve Engelberg, ProPublica’s editor-in-chief, capacity and that members could really see wanted to hire diverse talent, said Hannah-Jones. the value. We also wanted to get the word “So he gave me a chance. Until then, there was out and generate interest.” no one who had ever seen me as a prospect for The founders are happy to work with being an investigative reporter,” she said. “It’s anyone who wants to help the organization, pretty common. We have the ability often to do said Hannah-Jones. much better work than what we are allowed to do “We are going to deliver on what we or are given the opportunity to do.” promised we’d deliver. And we’re going to Who should join the Ida B. Wells Society? be twice as good, which also happens to be “I don’t feel we have an ideal member. We look our motto,” she said. for those who are already journalists who have Five years from now, Hannah-Jones hopes been working for a couple of years and are ready that the Ida B. Wells Society will have a track to tackle bigger projects,” said Hannah-Jones. record of placing talent in newsrooms. The Society wants to offer a range of trainings “We don’t want to hear that ‘we’d love to ILLUSTRATION OF NIKOLE HANNAH-JONES BY LISA WALDSCHMITT that will reach the novice journalist, along with have your diverse investigative reporters,

Winter 2017 | www.nabj.org | National Association of Black Journalists | 23 relationship that we’re there, not as a part of their team, but as a part of our team. We’re journalists." Journal: How do you pitch covering baseball for young journalists of color, especially as we see fewer and fewer journalists of color covering the game? Smith: "I definitely pitch baseball as a sport that will help you develop your writing skills because you are definitely on a daily basis given an opportunity to write about character, personalities and stories that go way, way beyond balls and strikes. And the reason is there are so many games, that you just can’t write a game story. There’s so many avenues for readers and watchers to get the score, to see what happened, that by the time you go to print, or go on air, the game has already been seen or read about. And it’s practically old news. So you have to be so creative. You have to almost invent on a daily basis a new way to catch attention. "And how do you do that? You do that by really getting into the marrow of the team that you cover, to really look inside the seams, inside the athletes to see what makes them tick, to see what makes an organization work." Journal: What advice do you have for young female journalists who are still grappling with a very male-dominated Lessons from industry and are trying to make their way in the business? Smith: "I’ve had some very good friends who I cried inside for because I watched them fight every fight and react Claire Smith to every slight and I watched them be torn apart by that By Zuri Berry inwardly and outwardly. "My advice would be to fight the fights that are worth t is the highest honor bestowed on a journalist who has fighting and shrug off the ones that you think that you covered Major League Baseball with skill and longevity. can live with because you’re bigger and better. If you can Now, after 67 honorees, the Baseball Writers’ walk in a clubhouse and do your job, and ignore the tiny Association of America has recognized Claire Smith people, ignore the people that really, really at the end of Iwith the J.G. Taylor Spink Award, given to a journalist “for the day, just don’t matter, aren’t worth a damn and aren’t meritorious contributions to baseball writing.” Smith is the really stopping you from doing your job with dignity and first woman to receive the award and fourth black journalist professionalism, ignore them. Because, if you can do that, to be enshrined in Cooperstown, N.Y., at the National you’ve won. You really have won. Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, joining Wendell Smith, "My father told me something. He was referring to Sam Lacy and Larry Whiteside. She will receive her award what African-Americans all learn in this country. He said during Hall of Fame weekend ceremonies in July 2017. you have to always prove what you aren’t before you In a banner year, she will also be honored by The Jackie can prove what you are. I learned rather quickly that as Robinson Foundation with a ROBIE award for lifetime a female reporter that that really applies to us as well. achievement and by the Negro League Baseball Museum. You walk into a clubhouse and you have to immediately Smith, a news editor at ESPN who has previously earned shatter stereotypes and certain low expectations or NABJ's legacy award, shared some lessons from the beat insulting expectations, if you will. People assume you with the NABJ Journal. know nothing about the sport that you’re covering. Journal: What are some of the habits that younger journalists You have to prove what you aren’t. You’re not husband should have who want to emulate the achievements of shopping or worse. And then, at first it was insulting, and somebody such as yourself? then I went back to my rule one, and then it got to be fun Smith: "Younger journalists should recognize that when by just showering people with knowledge. they’re dealing with the athletes, they’re dealing with often "I know baseball. I can ask these questions and watch kids that are fresh out of college, or in the case of baseball, the faces before me change. And watch the respect, if kids that never went to college. And to never assume that you will, start flowing from not only the players that I’m they understand what we do, that they understand what our speaking to, or the managers or coaches, but also the purpose is. A lot of the conflict comes because the athletes peers, to my right or left. And then I get to prove who I assume that we are an extension of the public relations am, as opposed to what I’m not. department on their team and therefore they get bent out "So use that. Use it. Shatter those stereotypes. And of shape if it isn’t completely positive or glowing. … In have some fun doing it. Use it as a positive and just go in quiet moments, it really behooves them to explain what there and knock ‘em out with your knowledge and your we do. Why we do what we do. And to explain the working expertise and your drive to be the best at what you do."

24 | National Association of Black Journalists | www.nabj.org | Winter 2017 Alamy The Pew Charitable Trusts works to improve public policy, inform the public, and invigorate civic life. Contact us at [email protected] for more information about our work to conserve the environment, protect public health and safety, support scientific research, and encourage responsive, effective government.

Learn more at: pewtrusts.org The Pew Charitable Trusts @PewTrusts Even after integration, and with an CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 increasing interest from mainstream outlets on reporting on African-Ameri- time trying to ignite direction without can history and culture, the black press dictating,” Oliver added. “At the same remains one of the pillars of the com- time we were uncovering — by simply munity. But this has not come without disclosing — what various aspects of challenges. Changes to the industry, our culture existed, but also focusing including a shift to digital and a de- on threats.” cline in traditional print advertising, Croom said the role of the black have simultaneously made it difficult press was more than just a vehicle to to keep the black press thriving and carry information to African-Americans have created opportunities for differ- who, in the early days of the black ent kinds of ownership. The growth of press, were mostly living in rural south- the internet means anyone can put up ern communities and not big cities. It a property and cover the news — or was a tool to help organize movements share an opinion — but it also means and change the course of history in the more competition for advertising dol- nation. lars and readers. “It was the sounding board, it was “There is so much opportunity today in also the rallying cry,” she said. “By owning our narrative and being able to getting on the radio and being able distribute it by common and inexpensive to have activists, they were able to means,” said Jarrett Carter Sr., found- organize on the radio and the newspa- Frederick Douglass featured in Harper's Weekly: ing editor of the HBCU Digest. “But pers to say ‘we shall overcome’ and ‘no Journal of Civilization in 1883. the challenge remains in convincing an more.’ ” audience that is constantly exposed to People were made “stronger through him, only to be let down once he won mainstream content and marketing that their voices being served,” Croom said. the vote when he reversed decades of there is value in independent media. “I think that things happen because of federal policy regarding integration. “Content which isn't entertainment the black press being informative, and I “It was political trickery,” Oliver said. or celebrity news is very difficult to sell think because of us being informative, we “We were absolutely bent over back- to a big audience, and because of that, were able to precipitate understanding, wards with disappointment.” we have to be more strategic about responses” from the nation at large, said And so it went, from presidential what we write, how we market it and Oliver. elections, to shedding a light on the setting price points for advertising and Take, for instance, presidential elections. daily lynchings and Jim Crow practices subscriptions,” Carter added. “We did a series a couple years ago in in the South, race riots and even cover- Oliver said as a collective, black celebration of the second Obama inau- publishers — like the public they serve guration by republishing the articles of — “can’t afford to lose hope, because our coverage [of past presidential inau- "It was the sounding that’s the thing that kept us strong.” gurations]. Each week, it was a differ- “We speak as a loud voice and we ent presidential inauguration, and each board, it was also the let people know that we object” when week we talked about our position as things aren’t right, he said. “We’ve got covering each campaign, how we were rallying cry." to make sure that every time there’s a wooed or we weren’t … and what the misstep, we’ve got to scream. … We’ve immediate fallout of the results were. age of black athletes that showed their got to be loud, be consistent, and It shows a very interesting evolution,” humanity rather than portraying them vigilant. Make sure that we don’t let recalled Oliver. “Those early years were as moral-lacking brutes. The black [anyone] get away with anything.” tough.” press has been there to give voice to As the nation transitions to a period “We had the head of the AME Zion the African-American experience. It of uncertainty, Oliver vowed, “I’m going church, Alexander Walters, and he was Ida B. Wells-Barnett’s persistent to report every incident that I see or came knocking on the [Afro’s] door ... coverage of lynchings in the South that I’m made aware of so that we all can for purposes of encouraging the black is credited for forcing the federal gov- feel each other’s pain more and so that community [to exercise] its powerful ernment’s hand on anti-lynching laws. the rest of the world can understand vote in support of Woodrow Wilson. And credit can be given to the Chicago we’re back in the battle.” Up to that point, no Democrat had Defender’s coverage of Barack Obama, *** given black citizens any thought … so long before he was a candidate for Autumn A. Arnett currently serves as ed- when Woodrow came knocking, we U.S. Senate, for helping to propel the itor of Education Dive. She is also found- listened. We were flattered.” nation’s first black president into office, ing editor of Out of Bounds Magazine, The Afro editors at the time believed according to author Ethan Michaeli, and serves as president of XanJo Media the promises that Wilson made would who wrote the book on the esteemed LLC. Autumn can be reached via Twitter be good for the race and endorsed black newspaper. at @A2Arnett or at a2arnett.com.

26 | National Association of Black Journalists | www.nabj.org | Winter 2017

Adande is changing up the game By Shauntel Lowe

roll him on Twitter if you want to, say he hates your favorite team or claim LeBron James isn’t clutch, but J.A. Adande doesn’t Thave the time. He’s racking up points on ESPN’s "Around the Horn," dropping columns for The Undefeated or planning classes at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in Chicago. He’s an associate professor and director of the new sports media specialization graduate program there. J.A. Adande is an associate professor and director of sports journalism at Northwestern University's Medill And you? Well, now you’re blocked. School of Journalism, Media, and Integrated Marketing Communications. (Photo courtesy of Northwestern) “If you come at me and you’re wrong... that’s a block,” Adande says. “I just don’t go out into the field to cover live sporting Sports Task Force, who built the Journalism have time in my life to deal with people events and hear from guest speakers and Sports Program at Morehouse College. who are just wrong.” and alumni mentors. NABJ member and “Now you have to be a multimedia These are the words of a journalist Northwestern alumnus Michael Wilbon is journalist, and I think going to a school redefining busy after trading Los Angeles’ one of the program’s professors of practice, like Medill that supports that and teaches sunny days for the Midwest’s chilly nights contributing to classes and events in you that can really enhance your career,” to shake up his career and his life. Again. Washington and Chicago. Thomas says. “I didn’t realize until afterward that so Adande also wants his students to learn Adande, himself, is also a benefit, Thomas many things were preparing me for this,” about marketing themselves, the business says. Adande, 46, says. side of the industry and engaging on social “J.A. will be a living, walking role model Twelve years teaching at USC. Nine years media — the right way. for the black students who are there,” he reporting for ESPN after stops at The Los Reporting but not verifying, taking says, adding that white students, too, will Angeles Times and the Washington Post. others’ work without attribution or gain by learning firsthand from a black And “the best decision of my life,” he jumping to conclusions is “thoughtless and journalist—something they may not have a says: undergrad at Northwestern. irresponsible,” he says. chance to do in the almost entirely white It was 1992, and trolls weren’t on Gregory Lee, a past president of NABJ press boxes of all major sports. Twitter but instead lurking under fairy-tale and its Sports Task Force, says many Adande hadn’t announced his new role bridges and dazzling tweens with their students aren’t learning the right skills to in time to recruit at NABJ’s convention neon-colored hair. Then, as now, Adande be good journalists. They don’t understand in August, so he’s eager for the chance to was making moves, learning the writing, how to monetize content or navigate in New Orleans this year. The crux of his reporting and networking skills that would newsroom politics, he says, and many, pitch is that through this new program, he carry him coast to coast, print to TV and particularly minorities, don’t pick schools aims to put students in the best position to finally back to Chicago to craft a 21st with sufficient resources to properly launch succeed in an industry increasingly difficult century sports journalism program for their careers. to make a living in. students who weren’t even alive the last But Lee, who is on the board of directors That means bracing young journalists of time he had homework due. for the Sports Journalism Institute, which color for a world hostile to people of their But don’t let that framing make you label trains minority and women student complexion and profession. him old. Old school, sure. journalists, says Adande has always given “Journalism is under attack,” he says. “All “You have to be proficient and tech savvy back to young journalists “tremendously,” the excellent reporting in the world doesn’t in ways that you didn’t have to before, but and his new role at Medill is an extension have the impact that it used to.” you still have to know the fundamentals,” of that. Adande says he thinks of the pictures of he says, adding that he’s purposely “The sports journalism community will be young black girls trying to integrate schools maintaining his presence on ESPN and enhanced with his contributions,” Lee says. in the 1950s amid hateful, angry mobs. social media. “I don’t want to be someone Adande says Medill’s vast alumni network “You have to find the same level of who says, ‘We used to do this.’ I’m an and dedication to providing students the courage they did,” he says. “You might have example of adapting.” best all-around training makes the yearlong to fight some of the same battles they did It’s that mix of get-off-my-lawn principles graduate program worth the cost, with now. You have to be courageous.” and Facebook fluency that Adande hopes tuition around $60,000. Wilbon and ESPN’s *** will define this fledgling graduate program. Rachel Nichols and Adam Schefter are just Shauntel Lowe is deputy editor for special Students in the sports media specialization three of the high-profile media figures with projects at Bleacher Report. Follow her on will learn the nuts and bolts of reporting the school on their resumes. There’s also Twitter @shauntellowe. and digital storytelling in the classroom, Ron Thomas, one of the co-founders of the 28 | National Association of Black Journalists | www.nabj.org | Winter 2017 Speed. Accuracy. Impartiality. Insight.

The trusted global news source for 165 years. That’s Reuters. Where News Begins.

By Maria Pitts Roberts

eWayne Wickham has seen plenty in his nearly to the Enoch Pratt Free Library. 40-year career as a journalist. Watergate. The The desire to request his papers was years in the making. crisis in Cuba. He has covered eight presidents. “Someone approached [former] librarian, Carla Hayden He has dined with Fidel Castro. He traveled (currently head of the Library of Congress), about four withD Nelson Mandela on his eight-city tour in the United years ago, suggesting that we request his documents to States in June 1990. curate,” said Vivian Fisher, Enoch Pratt’s African American Having amassed a prolific career, Wickham’s path is a Department manager. “We thought it was a great idea blueprint for aspiring journalists. From writing his syndicated and invited Mr. Wickham to the library to propose it. The weekly column to teaching the next generation of Baltimore native was warm to the idea, with the condition communicators and storytellers, he still serves as a mentor, that his documents be made available to everyone. inspiration and resource for students and colleagues alike. “He insisted that access not be prohibited,” Fisher said. He still has stories to tell. Soon, you will be able to see how “We consider Enoch Pratt, ‘the people’s university,’ so we those amazing stories came to be. knew it would be a great fit and a much welcomed addition Wickham is an NABJ Founder and former President to our African American Collections. We welcome everyone (1979-1981). He also was a founder of the Association to see our collections.” of Black Media Workers in Baltimore, one of three NABJ Fisher also spoke to the magnitude of the collection. chapters that pre-date the founding of the association. He “This is an African-American man who wrote about is the founding dean of the School of Global Journalism and what he saw socially and politically for decades, spoke Communication at Morgan State University in Baltimore, his mind, and provided a wealth of information for all of now in its third year, providing degrees in multimedia us. This collection is virtually expanded diaries of what he journalism with various concentrations. Morgan State experienced while reporting these stories,” she said. “For is among a small number of historically black colleges students, regardless of academic affiliation or no academic and universities with a journalism school. In addition, affiliation at all, this is a look into the work of a journalist Wickham, in conjunction with Morgan State and NABJ, led a that has served significantly in bringing stories important to delegation of professional and student journalists to Cuba in us to the forefront across different platforms.” January 2017. Fisher’s personal favorites from the collection? Wickham’s And now, Wickham has further cemented his legacy by extensive files while covering Cuba under the late Castro’s donating selected works for a collection curated at the rule. central location of the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s African “DeWayne is an amazing storyteller and it really shows in American Department in Baltimore. his works,” Fisher said. The DeWayne Wickham Collection will include awards, Enoch Pratt will make the DeWayne Wickham Collection tapes, interviews, correspondences, CDs and notebooks available to the public in about two years. from past interviews during an esteemed career with outlets *** including USA Today, BET, CBS and others. He is the second Maria Roberts is the principal and creative director of RiaRob journalist (the first being H.L. Mencken) to donate his papers Media. Follow her on Twitter @RiaRob.

30 | National Association of Black Journalists | www.nabj.org | Winter 2017 #NABJCONGRATS PHILANA PATTERSON Patterson was named Money Editor NABJ at USA Today in February 2017 after previously serving as the publication’s interim Money Editor. Prior to her time MEMBERS at USA Today, she held positions at the Associated Press, Black Enterprise, ON THE Bloomberg and Dow Jones. MOVE ELENA BERGERON Bergeron has been named Editor-in- Chief of portal site SBNation.com, overseeing the Vox Media outlet’s more than 300 websites and video coverage. She previously served as executive editor at SBNation.com, Editor in Chief at Complex Media’s TriangleOffense.com and as a staff writer at ESPN The Magazine.

JEFF BALLOU Ballou was elected President of The National Press Club in December by the club's journalist members. He will serve as the National Press Club's 110th president after he was inaugurated at the "Club of Champions" gala in January 2017. Ballou serves as a news editor at Al Jazeera Media Network. He is the first African-American male to be president in the Club's 108-year history.

LORI WALDON Waldon, Hearst Television’s news director at KCRA-TV and KQCA-TV in Sacramento, was named regional director of news at the company in December 2016. She now has oversight of the news operations at Hearst stations KOAT-TV in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and KSBW- Want to share your TV in Monterey, California. success? Tell us all about your latest job BEN HART moves or milestones Hart has been named the news director at WISN 12 in Milwaukee. He at [email protected]. previously served as the news director Please be sure to of WAPT in Jackson, Mississippi, and has held senior positions at KCRA and include an image WDSU. and link for more information.

Winter 2017 | www.nabj.org | National Association of Black Journalists | 31 National Association of Black Journalists

2017 Convention & Career Fair New Orleans Aug. 9-13, 2017 nabjconvention.com