Special Honors

 

NABJ Special Honors Awards

NABJ’s most coveted awards honor the groundbreaking accomplishments of Black journalists and those who support the Black community in the media. Honorees are typically celebrated during or after our annual convention. 

Click here to nominate 2023 honorees by March 6, 2023.

Our 2022 winners:

  • Journalist of the Year: Jacqueline Charles, Reporter, Miami Herald
  • Percy Qoboza Foreign Journalist of the Year Award: Nima Elbagir, Chief International Investigative Correspondent, CNN
  • Journalist of Distinction: Imara Jones, Creator, TransLash Media
  • Chuck Stone Lifetime Achievement Award: Dean Baquet, Local Investigative Times, The New York Times
  • Legacy Award: Richard M. Peery, Retired Reporter, Cleveland Plain Dealer
  • Michael J. Feeney Emerging Journalist Award: Sarahbeth Maney, Photojournalist, The Detroit Free Press 
  • Ida B. Wells Award: Robin Lytle Turner, VP of Training, Culture & Community, Dow Jones
  • Patricia L. Tobin Media Professional Award: Kayla Tucker Adams, Founder & Chief Strategist, KTA Media Group
  • Angelo B. Henderson Community Service Award: Karleen Leveille Robinson, Morning News Anchor, WBNG TV 12
  • Journalism Educator of the Year: Miki Turner, Associate Professor of Professional Practice, University of Southern California
  • Student Journalist of the Year: Amudalat Ajasa, Intern, The New York Times’ Ida B. Wells Society 
  • Best Practices: The Markup, a nonprofit newsroom investigating how powerful institutions use technology to change society  
  • Professional Chapter of the Year : NABJ-Chicago
  • President’s Award: Jerry McCormick
  • Student Chapter of the Year: University of North Texas-NABJ

Our 2021 winners:

Our 2020 winners:

Our 2019 winners: 

  • Journalist of the Year – Karen Attiah, The Washington Post
  • Journalist of Distinction – Mel Showers, WKRG-TV
  • Chuck Stone Lifetime Achievement Award – Oprah Winfrey, OWN
  • Michael J. Feeney Emerging Journalist of the Year – Alexi McCammond, Axios
  • Percy Qoboza Foreign Journalist Award – Pap Saine, The Point
  • Legacy Award – James Washington, Dallas Weekly
  • Angelo B. HendersonCommunity Service Award – Cheryl “Action” Jackson, Minnie’s Food Pantry
  • Journalism Educator of the Year – Eva Coleman, Frisco ISD-TV
  • Student Journalist of the Year – Allana Barefield, Xavier University
  • Pat Tobin Media Professional Award – Ron Carter, The Carter Agency
  • Ida B. Wells Award – Dr. Sheila Brooks, SRB Communications
  • Best Practices Award – Wendi C. Thomas/MLK50: Justice Through Journalism
  • Student Chapter of the Year – Winthrop University Association of Black Journalists
  • Professional Chapters of the Year (Co-winners) – Rochester Association of Black Journalists and San Diego Association of Black Journalists
  • President’s Award – Kelley Carter, ESPN’s The Undefeated

VIEW PAST WINNERS HERE

CATEGORIES

Angela B. Henderson Community Service Award

Awarded to a Black journalist who has had a positive impact on the Black community outside the normal realm of journalism. Nominations must document the candidate’s outreach to the community. Documentation may include clips, articles, supporting letters, and certificates via web links. Each entry must include a nomination statement outlining reasons for the nomination.

 Best Practices

Awarded to a news organization for exemplary work in covering issues of great significance to the Black community or the African Diaspora and/or for its efforts in increasing diversity among its newsroom staff and management during the eligibility period. Nominations must be accompanied by documentation of the candidate’s work. Documentation for print or photojournalists should include a web link to samples of work. Nominations for broadcast journalists must include web links of the nominee’s work. Each entry must include a nomination statement outlining reasons for the nomination. Documentation for diversity efforts should include, but not be limited to, actual numbers. 

Chuck Stone Lifetime Achievement

Awarded to a Black print, broadcast, digital, or photojournalist with a minimum of 15 years in the industry. Nominees in the category may be living or deceased and must have or still be making an extraordinary contribution to the enrichment, understanding, or advancement of Black life and culture. Nominations must document the candidate’s work. Documentation for print, digital, or photojournalists should include a web link to samples of work. Nominations for broadcast journalists must include web links to the nominee’s work. Each entry must include a nomination statement outlining reasons for the nomination.

Ida B. Wells Award

NABJ and the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University jointly and proudly each year give the prestigious Ida B. Wells Award to give tangible and highly visible recognition to an individual or group of individuals and their company. Winners provide distinguished leadership in increasing access and opportunities to people of color in journalism and improving the coverage of communities of color in American media. The award is named in honor of the distinguished journalist, fearless reporter and wife of one of America’s earliest Black publishers. Wells was “editor and proprietor” of the Memphis Free Speech and Headlight. She told her male co-founders she would not help launch the newspaper unless she was made “equal to them.” In the late 19th century, Wells won acclaim on two continents for her fearless crusade against lynching. She championed an integrated society and urged Black Americans to seek their rightful share of the jobs in the new industrial age. Today a massive public housing complex in Chicago is named in her memory. The Ida B. Wells Award was first bestowed in 1983. Professors at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University serve as co-curators. Sam Adams, the longtime University of Kansas journalism professor and civil rights movement reporter, founded the award, formerly administered the awards.

Journalism Educator of the Year

This award serves to recognize the service, commitment and academic guidance of an outstanding journalism teacher, professor or educator. The candidate must teach or advise students within the field of journalism at a high school or an accredited four-year college or university, and have helped to increase the number of Black journalists in newsrooms. Nominations must document the candidate’s work and may include, but not be limited to, teaching plans, speeches and statements and how long he or she has been an educator. Each entry must include a nomination statement outlining reasons for the nomination.

Journalist of Distinction

Awarded to a Black journalist in broadcast under 16 market and print/digital circulation under 150,000 who has distinguished himself or herself with a body of work, a story, series or photographs published in print, digital or aired during the period of eligibility that was extraordinary in-depth, scope or significance to people in the African Diaspora. A previous Journalist of Distinction winner may be nominated again for work he or she did during the eligibility period. Nominations must document the candidate’s work. Documentation for print, digital or photojournalists should include web link to samples of work. Nominations for broadcast journalists must include web links of the nominee’s work. Each entry must include a nomination statement outlining reasons for the nomination.

Journalist of the Year

Awarded to a Black journalist who has distinguished himself or herself with a body of work, a story, series or photographs published or aired during the period of eligibility that was extraordinary in-depth, scope or significant to people in the African Diaspora. A previous Journalist of the Year winner may be nominated again for work he or she did during the eligibility period. Nominations must document the candidate’s work. Documentation for print, digital or photojournalists should include a web link to samples of work. Nominations for broadcast journalists must include web links of the nominee’s work. Each entry must include a nomination statement outlining reasons for the nomination.

Legacy Award

Awarded to a Black print, broadcast, digital or photojournalist of extraordinary accomplishment who has broken barriers and blazed trails. Nominees may be living or deceased and have contributed to the understanding or advancement of people and issues in the African Diaspora. Nominations must document the candidate’s work. Documentation for print or photojournalists should include a web link to samples of work. Nominations for broadcast journalists must include web links to the nominee’s work. Each entry must include a nomination statement outlining reasons for the nomination.

 Michael J. Feeney Emerging Journalist of the Year

Awarded to a Black print, broadcast, digital, or photojournalist with fewer than five years of experience in the industry, excluding internships. Nominees must – through their work and service – display a commitment to NABJ’s goal of outstanding achievement by Black journalists and providing balanced coverage of the Black community and society at large. Previous winners are not eligible. Nominations must document the candidate’s work. Documentation for print, digital, or photojournalists should include a web link to samples of work. Nominations for broadcast journalists must include web links to the nominee’s work. Each entry must include a nomination statement outlining reasons for the nomination.

Patricia L. Tobin Media Professional Award

Awarded to an entrepreneur, public relations/advertising/marketing professional, or media owner that serves as a trailblazer in the media realm and is responsible for a positive impact of Black coverage and the media profession. The candidate must through their work and service display a commitment to NABJ’s goal of fostering an exemplary group of professionals that honors excellence and outstanding achievements in Black journalism and outstanding achievement in the media industry as a whole. Previous winners are not eligible. Nominations must document the candidate’s work. Each entry must include a nomination statement outlining reasons for the nomination.

Percy Qoboza Foreign Journalist of the Year

Awarded to a foreign journalist who has done extraordinary work while overcoming tremendous obstacles that contribute to the enrichment, understanding or advancement of people or issues in the African Diaspora. The honor is not open to journalists working for American-based publications. Nominations must document the candidate’s work. Documentation for print or photojournalists should include web link to samples of work. Nominations for broadcast journalists must include web links of the nominee’s work. Each entry must include a nomination statement outlining reasons for the nomination.

Professional Chapter of the Year

Awarded to an NABJ professional affiliate chapter for its accomplishments during the eligibility period. Criteria should include, but not be limited to, the number and size of scholarships awarded by the chapter, the number of new members who have joined the chapter and NABJ, and the chapter’s community activities and programs. Nominations must include a recommendation letter – typed, double-spaced, and no more than 500 words – from the regional director, who may suggest more than one chapter. If the director belongs to a nominated chapter, the recommendation should come from the deputy regional director or the president of another local chapter in the region. Nominations should be accompanied by documentation that may include published reports, chapter newsletters and statements – no more than 100 words – from members recommending their chapter. All documentation must be uploaded on a website or multiple web links.

Student Chapter of the Year

Awarded to an NABJ student chapter for accomplishments during the eligibility period. Criteria should include, but not be limited to, the number of new members who joined the chapter and NABJ, and the chapter’s campus and community activities and programs. Nominations must include recommendation letters – typed, double-spaced, no more than 500 words – from both the regional director, who may suggest more than one chapter and the chapter’s advisor. Nominations should be accompanied by documentation that may include published reports, chapter newsletters and statements – no more than 100 words – from chapter members. Each entry must include the chapter’s name and address, its president’s name; its advisor’s name and phone number, and when the chapter was founded.

Student Journalist of the Year

Awarded to a Black full-time collegiate journalist who has excelled within the field of journalism through a story, body of work, series or photograph(s) published or aired during the period of eligibility. The student can be in print, broadcast, digital, radio, photography, or magazine and must display a strong commitment to NABJ and academics. Nominations must document the candidate’s work. Documentation for print, digital or photojournalists should include a web link to samples of work. Nominations for broadcast journalists must include web links to the nominee’s work. Each entry must include a nomination statement outlining reasons for the nomination.

Thumbs Down

Awarded to an individual or organization for especially insensitive, racist or stereotypical reporting, commentary, photography or cartoon about the Black community published or aired during the eligibility period or for engaging in practices at odds with the goals of the National Association of Black Journalists.