Golden Anniversary Committee Announced
Founded on Dec. 12, 1975, the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is preparing to commemorate a major milestone in its history.
2025 will mark the organization’s 50th anniversary, and to prepare for the celebration, NABJ President Ken Lemon today announced the formation of a special golden anniversary committee composed of Founders, past presidents, former and present board members, chapter leaders, and longtime members.
Leading the committee will be:
- Former Region III Director Rod Carter (Chair), Weeknight Evening Anchor, CBS 17 News
- Former Region III Director Gayle Hurd (Co-Chair), News Anchor, WPTF-AM/NC News Network
- Founder Sandra Dawson Long Weaver, Founder, Dawson Media Group
- Founder Allison Davis, Founder, Coopty Productions LLC
- President Lemon, Western Bureau Reporter, WSOC-TV
“We are excited to begin preparations to honor our 44 Founders and the realization of their vision 50 years later,” said Lemon. “There’s no better time to kick off our activities than today as we celebrate our 48th birthday as an organization. We are grateful to our committee members who have graciously volunteered their time and talent to help us celebrate this incredible moment in our legacy. Each of them personifies our 50th anniversary theme, “Resilience. Advocacy. Excellence.”
Additional committee members (in alphabetical order) include:
- Terry Collins, Former Region IV Director and Journalist, USA TODAY
- Pharoah Cranston, Director of Communications, NYU Steinhardt School
- Steve Crocker, WBRC/FOX6 News at 9 Anchor
- Jenise Griffin, Senior Editor, Florida Courier
- Sherri Jackson, News Anchor, CBS 42
- Sia Nyorkor, NABJ Parliamentarian and Weekend Morning Anchor/Multimedia Journalist, WOIO Cleveland 19 News
- Pam Purifoy, Chief Brand Strategist/CEO, PRPRO Media
- Dorothy Tucker, Immediate Past NABJ President and Investigative Reporter, WBBM-TV
- Kenya Woodard, Freelance Writer and Media Host
“Our 50th celebration will also be an opportune time to not only pay homage to our Founders but also to our past presidents and Board members, and our faithful members, chapters, partners, and supporters. Without them, NABJ would not be the pillar that it is today,” said Carter. “We invite all who consider themselves NABJ Family to join us as we roll out the red carpet for this momentous occasion.”
NABJ’s 50th anniversary will also be highlighted during its 2025 annual convention in Cleveland, Ohio.
Members and supporters interested in donating to the 50th Anniversary Celebration Fund can do so by visiting bit.ly/SupportNABJ50 or texting NABJ50 to 91999. Stay tuned for more details about upcoming 50th anniversary activities.