Last week, March 14 through 16, over 200 Black Publishers gathered in D.C.’s Dupont Circle Hotel, to celebrate the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s (NNPA) 191 years of commitment to providing “real news” to the Black community.

The week included panels, networking, entertainment and opportunities for attendees to discuss how to improve the Black press.

The National Newspaper Publisher’s Association Celebrated 191 Years of the African Americn Press with Black Press Week 2018 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Rob Roberts)

On March 14, the NNPA honored Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) as the 2018 Newsmaker of the Year at the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill.

In acccepting her award, Harris praised the importance of the Black press. “Black newspapers use our voices and tell our story,” the senator said. “African Americans have to have trusted voices to tell us what is going on.”

Thursday’s Torch Awards honored Black legendary icons in politics, activism, and business. The honorees included Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), James Farmer, a senior consultant with General Motors and avid advocate and ally for the Black press and Rev. Amos C. Brown, activist and minister of Third Baptist Church of San Francisco.

After the event, Brown, president of the San Francisco chapter of the NAACP, spoke to the AFRO about his thoughts on the current state of America.

“ I think about Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, MLK and Rosa Parks, I would say that they would be disappointed in the current direction of the civil rights movement,” Brown said. “The movement today – the vision is narrow. It baffles me the lack of support that the NAACP is given. MLK, Rosa, myself…were all definitive movers within the NAACP. The first wave of sit ins didn’t happen in Greensboro, they took place in Oklahoma City, under the guise of the NAACP youth council. It’s time for us to wake up and take our rightful place,” he said.

Brown said the older and younger generations of activists must work in tandem to achieve their ultimate goals.

“If we are really going to continue the movement, we need to be more reflective, more deliberative and more strategic. And we must stop this generational divide. In 1960 there was no generational divide,” Brown said.

Friday afternoon guests went to the National Press Club, where Donna Brazile spoke about the importance of civic engagement, the improvement of the Voting Rights Act, access to modernized voting booths and millennial political involvement.

She called on the Black press to relay truths and inspire readers to vote.  “You will  be able to tell the truth.  You will be able to tell our story,” Brazile said to the audience.

At the end of the address, the AFRO asked about the importance of the millennial vote and engagement given that many are discouraged by the election of Donald Trump.

“It’s amazing because in 2008 and 2012 they understood the importance of the vote when it came to electing Barack Obama. In 2016, they were told that there was no difference between the two major party candidates and they said that ‘you had to vote for the lesser of the two evils.  That’s not an appealing choice,” she said.

“They need to care about the job market… They need to care about the future.  If they’re going to run for office, they’re going to be leaders of our country within the next 20 years and it’s time that they find their seat to the table,” the commentator and former Democratic National Committee chair said.

“I want to teach this next generation that it’s their turn to lead and that they should not be afraid.  It was young people after-all who got the movement going.  Dr. King wasn’t 52, he was 26- 26 when he led the Montgomery Bus Boycott right after Rosa Parks sat down and made a difference,” Brazile said.

“Why you ? Because there’s no one better.  Why now? Because tomorrow is not soon enough.”