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Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists

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The Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists (PABJ) is an organization formed in June 1974 to advocate for a fair representation of Black journalists in the city’s mainstream media. It was composed of journalists and television and radio stations.

Formation

Black journalists formed the Association of Black Journalists (ABJ), as it was originally named, several months before publicizing its existence in a press release in October 1974. A spokesman told the Philadelphia Daily News that it was founded in June 1974 and its stated purpose was to “encourage more Blacks to enter the media, sensitize the white media for more balanced coverage of Black events and develop closer ties with other Black professional groups.”

The organization had identified 76 Black newspeople in the Greater Philadelphia area, and it had about 50 members. ABJ met monthly at the Institute of Black Ministries in North Philadelphia.

The press release named the officers and executive board:

The Executive Board:

  • Claude Lewis (Philadelphia Evening Bulletin), chairman of the Executive Board
  • Francine Cheeks (WCAU-TV)
  • Joe Donovan (KYW radio)
  • Artis Hall (WCAU-TV)
  • Carole Norris (WHYY-TV)

On December 15, 1975, member J. Whyatt “Jerry” Mondesire of the Philadelphia Inquirer filed Articles of Incorporation papers for the ABJ as a non-profit, three days after the founding of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). The request was approved by the state of Pennsylvania in January 1976. The document changed its name to the Association of Black Journalists of Philadelphia.

Its early membership was restricted to working journalists, photographers and students, and was eventually expanded to include media professionals. Prior to the founding of the ABJ, an organization of media professionals was organized as Black Communicators Inc. in 1971.

NABJ

Several PABJ members were among the 44 Black journalists from across the country who met in Washington, DC, to form NABJ on December 12, 1975. They included Reginald "Reggie" Bryant, Chuck Stone, Acel Moore, Claude Lewis, Joe Davidson, Sandra Dawson (Long Weaver). Stone was elected president, and he served a dual presidency of both the NABJ and ABJ. In a news story in 1995, Stone described the NABJ as a “direct descendant” of ABJ and ABJ’s constitution and bylaws as a model for the NABJ’s.

Three of PABJ’s 25 presidents have become presidents of NABJ: Stone, Vanessa Williams and Sarah Glover.

First project

ABJ held a meeting in September 1974 between PABJ member Moore and representatives of the Temple University School of Communications and Theater to discuss the hiring of Black newspeople. Temple accepted ABJ’s assistance. ABJ offered to visit nearby colleges, including Lincoln University and Cheyney State College, and local high schools.

According to Stone, the ABJ group decided to approach Temple for its 20 percent Black student population. Stone accused the university of having no Black faculty members, but a former Temple journalism department dean pushed back.

In 1970, a professor in Temple’s communications school found in two surveys of newspapers across the country that the number of Blacks was under two percent.

Early programming

ABJ and Temple cooperated in a journalism-training session for high school students in 1977. The organization held annual awards banquets to raise money for scholarships and operations. Another of its programs was "Artists Among Us," begun in 2002, which brought together journalists to show off their talents beyond journalism. Among the presenters was cartoonist Robb Armstrong, who created the Black comic strip "Jump Start." The organization later offered candidate forums and other events.

The first awards banquet was held on February 28, 1976, with Benjamin C. Hooks, commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, as speaker. Then Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey dropped by and gave a short speech. The ABJ logo designed by member Earl E. Davis and a banner sewn by Violet B. Johnson, wife of member Tyree Johnson (who would become the third president), were unveiled.

ABJ presented the Orrin Evans/Art Peters Journalism Award to Black New York photographer James Van Der Zee and the ABJ Award for Continuing Excellence to attorney Charles W. Bowser. During the 1930s and 1940s, Evans was one of the first Black reporters to work for white-owned newspapers and was considered the dean of Black journalists. In the early 1970s, Peters wrote a column in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The second banquet was held on February 26, 1977, and Vernon Jordan, president of the National Urban League, was the guest speaker.

ABJ presented awards to CBS correspondent Ed Bradley and the Rev. Paul Washington, an activist rector at the Church of the Advocate.

Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson was the speaker at the February 25, 1978, banquet. Operation Push leader Jesse Jackson, Congressman Walter Fauntroy and actor Oscar Brown Jr. made an appearance. Percy Qoboza, an anti-apartheid editor at South Africa’s largest Black newspaper, received the Orrin Evans-Art Peters Journalism Award. Housing advocate Shirley Dennis was presented the ABJ Award for Continuing Excellence.

The organization held its first career conference in 1979.

“Black Perspective on the News”

In 1973, Moore and Bryant began hosting and co-producing “Black Perspective on the News” on WHYY-TV as a local news-analysis program. In August 1974, it went national on PBS. ABJ members were among those who participated in the interviews.

The fact that there are two societies, two lifestyles,… Black and white, and the unique position of the Black journalist as participant in both, is probably the most exciting concept behind the program,” Moore said in a newspaper article in 1973. “This program affords the journalists on the panel the opportunity to ask questions from their own unique positions, from ‘two sides’ as it were, and this broad basis is what makes the program important to Black and white audiences.

The program was created as a local show in 1968 by Lionel J. Monagas, who was the first Black professional hired at WHYY-TV. In the early 1970s, it was hosted by Jimmy McDonald, who was among the 1961 Freedom Riders. The show was seen in 32 cities.

Before becoming a part of “Black Perspective,” Moore and Lewis, along with Haynes, had appeared as contributing reporters on a local-news analysis program at KYW-TV in 1971 called “Black Edition.” Its hosts were Malcolm Poindexter, Jesse Brown and Trudy Haynes.

References

  1. "Journalists form group to bring more into profession". Baltimore Afro-American. 1974-11-30. ProQuest 532499155.
  2. ^ "Blacks Form Media Group". Philadelphia Daily News. via newspapers.com. November 1, 1974. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  3. ^ "Black Journalists Form Association". Philadelphia Tribune. November 2, 1974. ProQuest 532657163.
  4. ^ "Black Journalists Form Association". Philadelphia Inquirer. via newspapers.com. November 1, 1974. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  5. ^ "Origin & Founding of the Association of Black Journalists in Philadelphia". Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists History. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  6. "History: Founded Dec. 12, 1975". National Association of Black Journalists. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  7. "Founders". National Association of Black Journalists. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  8. Dawkins, Wayne (1993). Black Journalists: The NABJ Story.
  9. "Black journalists elect Chuck Stone". Philadelphia Tribune. December 15, 1975. ProQuest 532700650.
  10. Stone, Sherry (August 15, 1995). "NABJ convenes here tomorrow; Cochran to speak". Philadelphia Tribune. ProQuest 533198593.
  11. "Presidents". National Association of Black Journalists. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  12. Stone, Chuck (April 9, 1977). "Temple Faculty Members and Reporters Still Disagree on Whether Race Is Issue". Philadelphia Daily News. via newspapers.com. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  13. Carl, L.M. (May 6, 1977). "Taking Strong Exception to Chuck Stone". Philadelphia Daily News. via newspapers.com. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  14. "Journalism Needs More Blacks". Philadelphia Tribune. October 3, 1970. ProQuest 532389626.
  15. Booker, Bobbi (December 13, 2002). "Giving journalists a spotlight: PABJ honored writers, photographers and cartoonists from the Delaware Valley at the African American Museum of Philadelphia". Philadelphia Tribune. ProQuest 2666445905.
  16. Goldman, Henry (April 12, 1985). "DA Candidate Criticizes Foe for Refusing Debate". Philadelphia Inquirer. via newspapers.com. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  17. Lewis, Monica (October 10, 2003). "Candidates face off: Appearance at Drexel focuses on wide range of city issues". Philadelphia Tribune. ProQuest 2666063095.
  18. Stone, Chuck (February 17, 1976). "ABJ honors 2 So More Can Follow". Philadelphia Daily News. via newspapers.com. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  19. Shelton, Bernice (March 20, 1976). "Black Journalists meet for awards program". Philadelphia Tribune. ProQuest 532390965.
  20. Cooney, Tom (March 5, 1976). "A Pat for Nat". Philadelphia Daily News. via newspapers.com. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  21. Lewis, Claude (February 13, 1977). "Spirit of Black journalists lives on". Philadelphia Daily News. via newspapers.com. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  22. Stone, Chuck (April 12, 1973). "Art, Baby, You Were IT". Philadelphia Daily News. via newspapers.com. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  23. Stone, Chuck (March 15, 1977). "A dedicated mother and a Determined Son Helped Journalists' Dinner to Succeed". Philadelphia Daily News. via newspapers.com. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  24. Warrington, Karen. "Excellence Award to Shirley Dennis". Philadelphia Tribune. ProQuest 532771198.
  25. "Newsmakers: How do you follow Jesse Jackson?". Philadelphia Inquirer. via newspapers.com. February 28, 1978. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  26. "Editorial: Raising Voices for Qoboza". Philadelphia Daily News. via newspapers.com. February 28, 1978. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  27. "Metropolitan Area News in Brief". Philadelphia Inquirer. via newspapers.com. February 15, 1978.
  28. Langland, Connie (December 29, 1979). "Aspiring journalists get word from those who should know". Philadelphia Inquirer. via newspapers.com. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  29. Harris, Harry (March 13, 1973). "Revival in Works for 'Perspective'". Philadelphia Inquirer. via newspapers.com. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  30. Winfrey, Lee (July 18, 1974). "'Black Perspective' Producers Think Big". Philadelphia Inquirer. via newspapers.com. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  31. ^ "Series Gives Black Perspective on the News". Michigan Chronicle. August 25, 1973. ProQuest 2404864772.
  32. Simmons, Rose (April 9, 1992). "Lionel J. Monagas, 70, a pioneer in broadcasting". Philadelphia Inquirer. via newspapers.com. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  33. Polak, Maralyn (June 11, 1971). "Producer Jimmy McDonald: 'Perspective' is a shoestring frustration". Philadelphia Daily News. via newspapers.com. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  34. "Channel 12 to End Local Programming Due to Fund Crisis". Philadelphia Inquirer. via newspapers.com. July 31, 1971. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  35. "'Black Edition' Premieres On KYW-TV Nov. 20". Philadelphia Tribune. November 2, 1971. ProQuest 532641175.

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