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Updated:
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
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Contact:
Abraham Mahshie, Communications/Production Manager
(866) 479-NABJ
Columnist Leonard Pitts named Journalist of the Year by Black Journalists group
Chicago broadcaster Harry Porterfield to receive Lifetime Achievement Award
WASHINGTON, D.C.— The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) named Miami Herald columnist Leonard Pitts, Jr. Journalist of the Year at its spring Board of Directors meeting in Atlanta. Pitts will join Chicago television reporter Harry Porterfield who will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the association’s Salute to Excellence Gala, Saturday, July 26, in Chicago.
The recipient of a 2004 Pulitzer Prize in commentary, Pitts has been with the Herald since 1991, first joining the paper as a pop music critic. Since his writings became syndicated in 1994, Pitts has become one of the country’s most widely-read columnists.
“Leonard is truly the voice of a people crying out for change,” said NABJ President Barbara Ciara. “His columns speak to those silenced by poverty, violence and discrimination. Pitts understands the importance of speaking truth to power, where most recently such words have come at a personal cost to him and his family’s privacy.”
Following a column where Pitts criticized white supremacists and conservative blogger allegations that the news media will “refuse to report black on white crime while pulling out all the stops when crime is white on black,” he and his family received death threats after a white supremacist group released his personal information on the Web.
“The fact that these people are out there doesn’t stop me from taking my daughter to school, taking my wife to the doctor, planning a family vacation or meeting deadlines,” Pitts told USA Today, “I can’t let it stop me.”
“Leonard exemplifies what it means to be a black journalist today,” said NABJ Vice President for Print Ernie Suggs. “He is steadfast against adversity and determined to get ready for the Sunday Edition. I was so proud to cast my vote for this remarkable journalist, husband and father.”
Chicago’s Harry Porterfield of ABC affiliate WLS-TV will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Past recipients include the late Ed Bradley of CBS’ “60 Minutes,” Black Enterprise publisher Earl Graves and CNN anchor emeritus Bernard Shaw.
The winner of 11 Emmy Awards, Porterfield created the series “Someone You Should Know” in 1977 while at CBS Chicago affiliate WBBM-TV. Porterfield began his broadcasting career in 1955 as a jazz disc jockey with WKNX-AM in Saginaw, Michigan, later becoming its cameraman and stagehand at WKNX-TV. Porterfield joined the CBS station in 1964 as a news writer and later rose to news anchor. Today, Harry continues his series, highlighting prominent black figures in the city. He is an active jazz violinist and narrator at concert performances.
“Harry is a Chicago broadcast icon and a master storyteller,” said NABJ Vice President of Broadcast Kathy Times. “Generations of Chicagoans have a better vision of their community thanks to decades of his special reports. What better place to honor him than among the people who love him best.”
The NABJ Salute to Excellence Gala will also recognize Sarah Hoye of the Tampa Tribune as NABJ Emerging Journalist of the Year and Margaret Bernstein of the Cleveland Plain Dealer as its Community Service Award recipient.
Winners will also be announced for the NABJ Salute to Excellence National Media Awards Competition that recognizes exemplary coverage of African & African-American people or issues in 2007. The annual competition honors work in print, television, radio, online and photojournalism. The black-tie gala will take place at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers. For ticket information, table purchase or event sponsorship, contact NABJ at 1-866-479-NABJ or visit www.nabj.org.
An advocacy group established in 1975 in Washington, D.C., NABJ is the largest organization of journalists of color in the nation, with more than 4,100 members, and provides educational, career development and support to black journalists worldwide.
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