NABJ to Host 2014 Hall of Fame Induction and Reception

The National Association of Black Journalists is scheduled to honor a host of preeminent figures in the industry at the organization’s 2014 Hall of Fame Induction and Reception.

The annual event, scheduled for Jan. 16 at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. spotlights renowned African-American journalists who have made significant contributions to the field.

“The NABJ Hall of Fame is our way to recognize the important and legendary achievements Black journalists have made,” Maurice Foster, the organization’s executive director, told the AFRO. “It’s great when people tell you your work is appreciated, but it is better when they show you. And that’s what we’re doing. This honor will let people know for years and decades to come that the contributions of these distinguished journalists are highly regarded by all.”

This year’s honorees include: Herb Boyd, Ernest Dunbar, Jay Harris, Zelda “Jackie” Ormes, Bernard Shaw, Lee Thornton and Maureen Bunyan.

Also among the honorees is Moses Newson, a legendary AFRO reporter and editor who covered a host of landmark events during the Civil Rights Movement.

Newson risked his life covering some of the most notable events in American history including the Emmett Till murder trial, school desegregation in Little Rock, Ark., and the 1961 Freedom Rides.

The eight honorees will be inducted into the prestigious NABJ Hall of Fame, which currently includes 55 distinguished journalists. Past inductees include pioneering Black reporter Simeon Booker, D.C. television anchor Jim Vance and Ebony/Jet magazine founder John H. Johnson.

The inductees are named by the NABJ Board of Directors based on recommendations from the Hall of Fame Committee.

“One of the most important responsibilities in the world is keeping people informed of the affairs around them,” Foster said. “Journalists have played this fundamental role for centuries, telling the stories and capturing the facts that impact folks’ lives. But many African-American journalists have been overlooked, even those with ground-breaking achievements.”