Below are the names of the 44 courageous and visionary men and women (and where they worked at the time) who gathered to form NABJ.
NABJ was founded on December 12, 1975, in Washington, D.C., at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park (formerly Sheraton Park Hotel).
Our Founders represent various news and media platforms and disciplines from across the U.S.
Click here to view the Founders’ original signatures from NABJ’s first gathering.
Click here to donate to our upcoming 50th anniversary fund.
Click here to donate and support their vision and our mission via our scholarships and programming.
Norma Adams-Wade
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Dallas Morning News
Norma Adams-Wade , Dallas Morning News
Carole Bartel
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CORE Magazine
Carole Bartel , CORE Magazine
Edward Blackwell (Deceased)
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Milwaukee Journal
Edward Blackwell (Deceased) , Milwaukee Journal
Paul Brock (Deceased)
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Founding Executive Director
Paul Brock (Deceased) , Founding Executive Director
Reginald Bryant (Deceased)
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Black Perspective on the News
Reginald Bryant (Deceased) , Black Perspective on the News
Maureen Bunyan
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WTOP-TV - Washington, D.C.
Maureen Bunyan , WTOP-TV - Washington, D.C.
Crispin Campbell
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WNET-TV - New York
Crispin Campbell , WNET-TV - New York
Charlie Cobb
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WHUR Radio - Washington, D.C.
Charlie Cobb , WHUR Radio - Washington, D.C.
Marilyn Darling
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WHYY-TV, Wilmington, Del.
Marilyn Darling , WHYY-TV, Wilmington, Del.
Leon Dash
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The Washington Post
Leon Dash , The Washington Post
Joe Davidson
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Philadelphia Bulletin
Joe Davidson , Philadelphia Bulletin
Allison J. Davis
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WBZ-TV Boston
Allison J. Davis , WBZ-TV Boston
Paul Delaney
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The New York Times
Paul Delaney , The New York Times
William Dilday (Deceased)
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WLBT-TV
William Dilday (Deceased) , WLBT-TV
Sandra Dillard
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Denver Post
Sandra Dillard , Denver Post
Joel Dreyfuss
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The Washington Post
Joel Dreyfuss , The Washington Post
Sam Ford
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WCCO-TV Minneapolis
Sam Ford , WCCO-TV Minneapolis
David Gibson
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Mutual Black Network
David Gibson , Mutual Black Network
Sandra Gilliam-Beale
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WHIO-TV Dayton, Ohio
Sandra Gilliam-Beale , WHIO-TV Dayton, Ohio
Bob Greenlee (Deceased)
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New Haven Register
Bob Greenlee (Deceased) , New Haven Register
Martha Griffin
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National Public Radio
Martha Griffin , National Public Radio
Derwood Hall (Deceased)
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WSOC-TV Charlotte
Derwood Hall (Deceased) , WSOC-TV Charlotte
Bob Hayes
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San Francisco Examiner
Bob Hayes , San Francisco Examiner
Vernon Jarrett (Deceased)
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Chicago Tribune
Vernon Jarrett (Deceased) , Chicago Tribune
Mal Johnson (Deceased)
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Cox Broadcasting
Mal Johnson (Deceased) , Cox Broadcasting
Toni Jones
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Detroit Free Press
Toni Jones , Detroit Free Press
H. Chuku Lee
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Africa Journal Ltd.
H. Chuku Lee , Africa Journal Ltd.
Claude Lewis (Deceased)
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Philadelphia Bulletin
Claude Lewis (Deceased) , Philadelphia Bulletin
Sandra Dawson Long Weaver
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News Journal Wilmington, Del.
Sandra Dawson Long Weaver , News Journal Wilmington, Del.
Pluria Marshall
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Freelancer
Pluria Marshall , Freelancer
Acel Moore (Deceased)
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Acel Moore (Deceased) , Philadelphia Inquirer
Luix Overbea (Deceased)
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Christian Science Monitor
Luix Overbea (Deceased) , Christian Science Monitor
Les Payne (Deceased)
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Newsday
Les Payne (Deceased) , Newsday
Claudia Polley
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NBC
Claudia Polley , NBC
Alex Poinsett (Deceased)
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Ebony Magazine
Alex Poinsett (Deceased) , Ebony Magazine
Richard Rambeau
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Project Bait, Detroit
Richard Rambeau , Project Bait, Detroit
Max Robinson (Deceased)
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WTOP-TV Washington, D.C.
Max Robinson (Deceased) , WTOP-TV Washington, D.C.
Chuck Stone (Deceased)
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Philadelphia Daily News
Chuck Stone (Deceased) , Philadelphia Daily News
W.Curtis Riddle
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Louisville (Ky.) Courier Journal
W.Curtis Riddle , Louisville (Ky.) Courier Journal
Jeannye Thornton
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U.S. News & World Report
Jeannye Thornton , U.S. News & World Report
Francis Ward
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Los Angeles Times
Francis Ward , Los Angeles Times
Charlotte Roy
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Detroit Free Press
Charlotte Roy , Detroit Free Press
Vince Sanders (Deceased)
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National Black Network
Vince Sanders (Deceased) , National Black Network
John C. White (Deceased)
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Washington Star
John C. White (Deceased) , Washington Star
DeWayne Wickham
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