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. 

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.

Journalist of the Year

2021 – Libor Jany, Star Tribune

2020 – Yamiche Alcindor, PBS NewsHour

2019 – Karen Attiah, Washington Post

2018 – Jemele Hill, ESPN-The Undefeated

2017 – April Ryan, American Urban Radio Networks

2016 – Lester Holt, NBC News

2015 – Nikole Hannah-Jones, The New York Times

2014 – Stephen Henderson, Detroit Free Press

2013 – Roland S. Martin, TV One

2012 – Pierre Thomas, ABC News

2011 – Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald

2010 – Soledad O’Brien, CNN

2009 – Michele Norris, National Public Radio

2008 – Leonard Pitts, The Miami Herald

2007 – Dean Baquet, Washington Bureau Chief, New York Times

2006 – Cynthia Tucker, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

2005 – Andy Alford, Austin American-Statesman

2004 – Hannah Allam, Knight Ridder

2003 – George Curry, NNPA

2002 – Byron Pitts, CBS News

2001 – Gerald Boyd, The New York Times

2000 – Kevin Merida, The Washington Post

1999 – Ron Allen, NBC News

1998 – Clarence Williams III, Los Angeles Times

1997 – Gary Fields, USA Today

1996 – Ed Gordon, BET News, NBC

1995 – Andrea Ford, Los Angeles Times [deceased]

1994 – Isabel Wilkerson, New York Times

1993 – Bryant Gumbel, NBC Today

1992 – Carole Simpson, ABC News

1991 – Soledad O’Brien, CNN

1990 – Maureen Bunyan, WUSA-TV, Washington, DC

1989 – Bernard Shaw, CNN

1988 – Michel duCille, Washington Post

1987 – Andrew W. Cooper, City Sun, Brooklyn, NY

1986 – Charlayne Hunter-Gault, PBS

1985 – Kenneth Walker, ABC, Dennis Bell, Newsday

1984 – Morris Thompson, Newsday

1983 – Joe Ogelsby, Miami Herald

1982 – Gil Noble, WABC-TV, New York

1981 – Robert C. Maynard, Oakland Tribune, Max Robinson, ABC

1980 –

1979 – Acel Moore, Philadelphia Inquirer, Les Payne, Newsday

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Journalist of Distinction

2021 – Jenise Griffin, Florida Courier/Daytona Times

2020 – Elaine Houston, WNYT

2019 – Mel Showers, WKRG-TV

2018 – Everett Marshburn, Milwaukee PBS

2017 – Leoneda Inge, WUNC Radio

2016 – Steve Crump, WBTV

Chuck Stone Lifetime Achievement

2021 – Art Norman, NBC Chicago

2020 – Kevin Merida, ESPN

2019 – Oprah Winfrey, OWN

2018 – Beverly White, NBC LA

2017 – Yvette Miley, MSNBC

2016 – Dale Wright [posthumous]

2015 – Michel du Cille

2014 – Sandra Hughes, WFMY-TV

2013 – Gregory Moore, The Denver Post

2012 – Les Payne, Newsday

2011 – Acel Moore, NABJ Founder & Pulitzer Prize Winner

2010 – Paul Delaney, The New York Times

2009 – Michael Wilbon, The Washington Post/ESPN

2008 – Harry Porterfield, WLS-TV, Chicago

2007 – Bernard Shaw, CNN

2006 – Earl G. Graves, Black Enterprise Magazine

2005 – Ed Bradley, CBS News

2004 – Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune

2003 – Greg Freeman, St. Louis Post-Dispatch [posthumous]

2002 – Robert McGruder, Detroit Free Press [posthumous]

2001 – Charles Jackson, Oakland Tribune [posthumous]

2000 – Joseph A. Palmer Sr., Proud magazine [posthumous] and Dr. Ernest C. Withers Sr., The Withers Studio

1999 – Belva Davis, KPIX-TV, San Francisco

1998 – Sarah Ann Shaw, WBZ-TV, Boston, Nancy Hicks Maynard, MIJE

1997 – Samuel L. Adams, University of Kansas

1996 – William Brower, Toledo Blade

1995 – Thomas Morgan III, New York Times

1994 – William Raspberry, Washington Post

1993 – Luix Overbea, Christian Science Monitor

1992 – Chuck Stone, UNC

1991 – Sam Lacy, Afro-American

1990 – Vernon Jarrett, Chicago Sun-Times

1989 – Peggy Peterman, St. Petersburg Times

1988 – Armistead Pride, Lincoln University

1987 – John H. Johnson, Johnson Publishing Co.

1986 – Jimmy Hicks, Amsterdam News [posthumous]

1985 – Lu Palmer, Chicago Sun-Times

1984 – Albert Fitzpatrick, Knight-Ridder Inc.

1983 – Gordon Parks, Carlton Goodlett, San Francisco Reporter

1982 – Ethel Payne, Sengstacke Newspapers

1981 – Lerone Bennett Jr., Ebony

1980 – Carl Rowan, syndicated columnist

1979 – Carl Murphy, Afro-American Newspapers

1978 – Mal Goode, ABC News

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Michael J. Feeney Emerging Journalist of the Year

2021 – Malika Andrews, ESPN

2020 – Rachel V. Scott, ABC News

2019 – Alexi McCammond, Axios

2018 – Natasha Alford, The Grio

2017 – Ernest Owens, Philadelphia Magazine & Candace Smith, ABC News

2016 – Jamiles Lartey, The Guardian

2015 – Brittany Noble- Jones, KMOV-TV

2014 – Wesley Lowery, Washington Post

2013 – Yamiche Alcindor, USA Today

2012 – Gerrick Kennedy, LA Times

2011 – Kimberley A. Martin, Newsday

2010 – Michael Feeney, Daily News in New York

2009 – Cynthia Gordy

2008 – Sarah Hoye

2007 – Mara Schiavocampo

2006 – Errin Haines and Trymaine Lee

2005 – Krissah Williams

2004 – Theola Labbé

2003 – Issac Peterson III

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Percy Qoboza Foreign Journalist Award

2021- Anas Aremeyaw Anas, Insight TWI

2020 – Mahmoud Hussein, Al Jazeera

2019 – Pap Saine, The Point

2018 – Chika Oduah, Voice of America

2017 – Wesley Gibbings, Association of Caribbean MediaWorkers

2011 – Jean-Claude Kavumbagu, Net Press

2008 – Imprisoned Journalists of Eritrea

2007 – National Union of Somali Journalists

2006 – Deyda Hydara, & Members of the Gambian Press Union (Posthumous)

2005 – Michele Montas, Haiti

2004 – Pius Njawe, Cameroon

2003 – Geoff Nyarota, The Daily News, Zimbabwe

2002 – Milkias Mihreteab Yohannes, Eritrea

2000 – Rafael Marques, Angola

1999 – Fred Mmembe, The Post, Zambia

1997 – Marie-Roger Biloa, Africa International magazine, Paris

1996 – Babacar Fall, Pan-African News Agency, Senegal

1995 – Kenneth Best, The Daily Observer, Liberia

1994 – Zubeida Jaffer, Cape Town, South Africa

1989 – Zwelake Sisulu, New Nation, South Africa [1st winner]

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Legacy Award

2021 – Janis Ware, The Atlanta Voice

2020 – Rehema Ellis, NBC News

2019 – James Washington, Dallas Weekly

2018 – Robert McGruder, Detroit Free Press (Posthumous)

2017 – Ron Thomas, Morehouse College

2016 – David Aldridge, Turner Television Networks

2015 – Bryan Burwell

2014 – Hugh Grannum, Detroit Free Press (Posthumous)

2013 – Theodore “Ted” Holtzclaw, WABC (New York) (Posthumous)

2012 – Monica Pearson, WSB- TV (Atlanta)

2011 – Claire Smith, ESPN

2010 – Paula Madison, NBC Universal

2009 – Leon Carter and Sandy Rosenbush, Sports Journalism Institute

2008 – Evelyn Cunningham, The Pittsburgh Courier

2007 – Glenn Proctor, The Star-Ledger (Newark, N.J.)

2006 – Lawrence E. Young, The Press Enterprise

2005 – Acel Moore, The Philadelphia Inquirer

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Angelo B. Henderson Community Service Award

2021 – Tenisha Taylor, ​Ezekiel Taylor Scholarship Foundation

2020 – Chelle Luper Wilson

2019 – Cheryl Action Jackson, Minnie’s Food Pantry

2018 – Rhonda Walker WDIV-TV Local 4 (Detroit)

2017 – Bobby Henry, Westside Gazette

2016 – Chauncey Glover, WDIV-TV

2015 – Lewis W. Diugid

2014 – Michaela Pereira, CNN

2013 – Dr. Shelley Stewart,  The Mattie C. Stewart Foundation

2012 – Albert Knighten, 107.5 FM

2011 – Stacey Tisdale, NBC, PBS and WowOWow.com

2010 – Michelle Singletary, Founder of First Baptist Church of Glenarden, MD

2008 – Margaret Bernstein, The Cleveland Plain Dealer

2007 – Linda Waller Shockley, Dow Jones Newspaper Fund

2006 – DeMarco Morgan, WISN-TV, Milwaukee

2005 – Derek Nathaniel Ali, Dayton Daily News [posthumous]

2004 – Mollie Finch Belt, The Dallas Examiner

2003 – Yvonne Lewis-Harris, KTUL-TV, Channel 8

2002 – DeWayne Wickham, USA Today, GNS

2001 – Angela Curry, Kansas City Star

2000 – Andrew Humphrey, WRC-TV, Washington, D.C.

1999 – C. Ron Allen, Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

1998 – Gwen Tolbart, KTVT, Dallas, TX

1997 – Joe Madison, WRC-Radio

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Journalism Educator of the Year

2021 – Dr. Sherri Williams, American University

2020 – Susan Mango Curtis, Northwestern University and James McJunkins Sr., Clark Atlanta University

2019 – Eva Coleman, Frisco ISD-TV

2018 – Alicia Nails, Wayne State University

2017 – Cheryl W. Thompson, George Washington University

2016 – Gail Wiggins, North Carolina A&T University

2015 – Dr. Sybril Brown, Belmont University

2014 – Dr. Linda Florence Callahan, North Carolina A&T State University

2013 – Michelle Johnson, Boston University

2012 – Allissa Richardson, Morgan State University

2011 – Bonnie Newman Davis, Virginia Commonwealth University

2010 – James Hawkins, Florida A&M University

2008 – Nagatha Tonkins, North Carolina A&T State University

2007 – Robert Adams & James Highland, Western Kentucky University

2006 – Kip Branch, Elizabeth City State University

2005 – Karen Clark, Langston University

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Student Journalist of the Year

2021- Giulia Heyward, Hussman School of Journalism and Media

2020 – Arthur Cribbs, Howard University

2019 – Allana Barefield, Xavier University

2018 – Doni Holloway, George Mason University

2017 – Gino Terrell, Hamline University

2016 – LaCrai Mitchell. Florida A&M University

2015 – Tierra Smith, Grambling State University

2014 – Claudia Balthazar, Hofstra University and Averi Harper, The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

2013 – Marissa A. Evans, Marquette University

2012 – Eric Burse, USC Annenberg School of Communications

2011 – Ashley Williams, University of Southern California

2010 – Philip Lucas, Howard University

2007 – Eddie Cole, Jr., Tennessee State University

 

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Pat Tobin Media Professional Award

2021 – Aprill O. Turner , Higher Heights for America

2020 – Ramona Logan, Dallas Black Dance Theatre

2019 – Ron Carter, The Carter Agency

2018 – Wynona Redmond, Wyn Win Communications

2017 – Jocelyn Allen, The Allen Lewis Agency

2016 – Darci McConnell, McConnell Communications

2015 – Carole Munroe, Disney

2014 – Tiffany R. Warren, ADColor

2013 – Dawn Kelly, Prudential

2012 – Janet Rolle, CNN

2011 – Sheila Brooks, SRB Communications

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Best Practices

2021 – The Dallas Morning News 

2020 – The Trace

2019 – MLK50: Justice Through Journalism

2018 – International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and Cenozo

2017 – The Emma Bowen Foundation

2016 – Cox Media Group

2014 – Al Jazeera

2013 – Washington Post

2012 – TV ONE

2010 – NBC Universal

2009 – The Chauncey Bailey Project

2007 – CNN

2006 – The Indianapolis Recorder

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Student Chapter of the Year

2021 – To Be Announced

2020 – Michigan State University NABJ

2019 – Winthrop University Association of Black Journalists

2018 – North Carolina A&T University of Black Journalists

2017 – Morgan State University

2016 – National Association of Black Journalists at USC

2015 – NABJ-Northwestern University

2014 –

2013 –

2012 –

2008 – Florida A&M University

2007 – University of Georgia

2006 – Temple Association of Black Journalists

2005 – Northwestern University

2004 – NABJ Chapter at the University of Oregon

2003 – University of North Texas

2002 – Carolina Association of Black Journalists

2001 – Carolina Association of Black Journalists

2000 – Atlanta Association of Black Journalists Student Consortium

1999 – Penn State Association of Journalists for Diversity

1998 – Boston Association of Black Journalists Student Consortium

1997 – University of Georgia

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Chapter of the Year

2021 – To Be Announced

2020 – NABJ Los Angeles

2019 – Rochester Association of Black Journalists & San Diego Association of Black Journalists

2018 – NABJ-Chicago

2017 – Pittsburgh Black Media Federation

2016 – Baton Rouge Area Association of Black Journalists & Greater Cleveland Association of Black Journalists

2015 – Pittsburgh Black Media Federation & Southern New England Association of Black Journalists

2014 – Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists

2013 – New York Association of Black Journalists

2012 – Atlanta Association of Black  Journalists

2008 – Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists

2007 – Washington Association of Black Journalists

2006 – Houston Association of Black Journalists

2005 – Hampton Roads

2004 – Black Journalists Association of Southern California

2003 – San Diego Association of Black Journalists

2002 – Houston Association of Black Journalists

2001 – Detroit Chapter of NABJ

2000 – Wisconsin Black Media Association

1999 – Atlanta Association of Black Journalists

1998 – Richmond Association of Black Journalists

1997 – Cleveland Chapter of NABJ

1996 – Garden State (New Jersey) Association of Black Journalists

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President’s Award

2021 –

2020 – All NABJ Members

2019 – Kelley Carter, ESPN’s The Undefeated

2018 – Vickie Thomas, WWJ/CBS Radio-Detroit

2018 – Ryan Williams, NBC News/NBCUniversal

2017 – Sheila Brooks, SRB Communications

2016 – Elise Durham, Florida A&M University

2015 – Veronique Dodson, National Association of Black Journalists

2014 – Carol D. Ash, Kennedy King College and Vince Hill, KYW (Philadelphia)

2013 – Kelley L. Carter, EBONY and Maureen Bunyan, WJLA-TV

2012 – Sarah Glover, NBC10 (Philadelphia)

2011 – Johnathan A. Rodgers, TV ONE

2010 –

2009 – Johnathan A. Rodgers, TV ONE

2008 – Roland Martin, CNN

2007 – Rodney Brooks and Jackie Greene, USA TODAY

2006 – Ryan Williams, National Association of Black Journalists

2005 – Monte Trammer, The Star-Gazette

2004 – Don Hudson, The Clarion-Ledger

2003 – Richard Prince, The Washington Post

2002 – Leonard Pitts, Jr., Miami Herald

2001 – Paula Madison, NBC

2000 – Patsy Pressley, National Association of Black Journalists

1997 – Vernon Jarrett, Chicago Sun-Times

1996 – Bob Johnson, BET

1995 – John Dotson, Akron Beacon Journal

1994 – Nancy Hicks Maynard, Oakland Tribune

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IDA B. WELLS AWARD PAST HONOREES

2021 – Sonceria Messiah Jiles, Houston Defender

2020 – Kimberly Godwin, CBS News

2019- Dr. Sheila Brooks, SRB Communications

2018 – Dr. John C. Watson, Associate Professor, American University School of Communication

2017 – Rochelle Riley, Columnist, Detroit Free Press

2016 – Sidmel Estes (Posthumously Awarded). Past President, NABJ

2015 – No Award Given

2014 – Sheila Solomon, Adjunct Professor, Columbia College

2013 – Richard Prince, Columnist at the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education

2012 – Michael Fields, News Director at WABE

2010 –

2011 – Walterene Swanston, NPR

2009 – Bobbi Bowman, Diversity Director American Society of News Editors (ASNE)

2008 – Johnita P. Due, Senior Counsel & Diversity Council chair, CNN

2007 – Steve Capus, President, NBC News

2006 – Virgil Smith, President and Publisher, Asheville (N.C.) Citizen-Times

2005 – Reggie Stuart, Corporate Recruiter, Knight Ridder

2004 – Don Browne, Chief Operating Officer, Telemundo

2003  – David Yarnold, Senior Vice President & Editor, San Jose Mercury News

2002  – Sam Adams, Retiring Curator

2001  – Reid MacCluggage, Editor publisher (ret.), The Day New London, Connecticut

2000  – No award

1999  – Timothy M. Kelly, President and Publisher, Lexington Herald-Leader, Kentucky

1998  – Paula Madison, President & General Manager, KNBC-TV (Los Angeles)

1997  – Frank A. Blethen, Publisher and Chief Executive Officer, The Seattle Times

1996  – Donald Graham, Publisher, The Washington Post Companies

1995  – Shelby Coffey III, Editor and Executive Vice President, Los Angeles Times

1994  – Gerald M. Sass, Senior Vice President, The Freedom Forum

1993 – Wanda Lloyd, Senior Editor for Administration, USA TODAY

1992  – Jay T. Harris, Vice President/Operations and Assistant to the President, Knight-Ridder

1991  – John C. Quinn, Deputy Chair, The Freedom Forum, Former Chief News Executive, Gannett Co.

1990  – Mervin Aubespin, Associate Editor, The Courier-Journal, Louisville

1989  – Albert Fitzpatrick, Assistant Vice President, Knight-Ridder

1988  – David Lawrence Jr., Publisher and Chairman, Detroit Free Press

1987  – Loren Ghiglione, Publisher, The News, Southbridge, Mass.

1986  – James K. Batten, President, Knight-Ridder

1985  – Barry Bingham Jr., Editor and Publisher, The Courier-Journal  and The Louisville Times in Kentucky

1983 – Allen H. Neuharth, Chairman and President, Gannett Co.

1984  – Daniel B. Burke, President and Chief Operating Officer, Capital Cities Broadcasting