NABJ Mourns the Loss of Past President, Journalism Pioneer Mervin Aubespin

The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is mourning the loss of Mervin “Merv” Aubespin, who dedicated his life to creating opportunities for Black journalists and documenting the Black experience. Aubespin, 86, passed away on June 26 in Southern California.

He served as NABJ’s President from 1983–1985 and was a lifetime member. He made history as The Louisville Courier-Journal’s first Black news artist and reporter in the 1960s and went on to become associate editor there. According to the Courier-Journal, his entry into journalism was inspired by a desire to ensure there were “accurate depictions” of life as a Black resident in Louisville and “consistent coverage of Black issues.”

“President Aubespin’s efforts to be a resounding voice for the Black Community went beyond pen and paper,” said NABJ President Ken Lemon. “He personified our Founders’ vision for NABJ to be an advocate for the improvement of coverage of the African American community and Black Diaspora. His legacy will live on in our hearts and minds.”

Aubespin was an active participant in local Civil Rights demonstrations and the nationwide Civil Rights Movement. He worked with Civil Rights leaders such as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Congressman John Lewis, and the Rev. Hosea Williams in Selma, Alabama. The Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky honored him for his work with a resolution.

His distinguished career in journalism and commitment to the community did not go unnoticed.

Aubespin was inducted into the NABJ Hall of Fame in 2007 and is a past recipient of the Ida B. Wells Award. He was a University of Kentucky School of Journalism Hall of Fame inductee, recipient of the Distinguished Service to Journalism Award by the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communications, and received the Association of Black Colleges of Journalism and Mass Communication’s highest award, named in his honor. He was also the recipient of Louisville’s 2010 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award.

Aubespin was the founder and past president of the Louisville Association of Black Communicators, as well as chair of the then-Minorities Committee of the American Society of Newspaper Editors. He was a respected adviser to journalism and media education programs at colleges nationwide, especially in Kentucky.

Additionally, he co-authored “Two Centuries of Black Louisville: A Photographic History,” a Gold Medal winner in the Best Regional Non-Fiction Category of the Independent Publisher Book Awards.

His presence will be greatly missed, not only by the NABJ Family but by journalists and media professionals across the industry.