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Updated: Thursday, July 29, 2004 Published: Saturday, September 11, 2004

RELATED LINKS Flying With Bush President Bush and the press corps face uncertainty on 9/11 Bush returning to White House, says government will track down terrorists Ross recommends the book, "Running Toward Danger: Stories Behind the Breaking News of 9/11"

Dear NABJ members:

On the second anniversary of the September 11 attacks, we want to reflect on the great journalism that so many black journalists did on that fateful day by offering a special package on the NABJ Web site, www.nabj.org

Three black journalists -- reporter Sonya Ross of the Associated Press, CBS cameraman George Christian and CBS sound technician Erick Washington -- were among the five journalists who crisscrossed the country with President Bush aboard Air Force One while the government sorted out the crisis.

Another, CBS Correspondent Bryon Pitts, so distinguished himself at Ground Zero that his work helped him earn the 2002 NABJ Journalist of the Year award. And Gerald Boyd, then the-newly-minted managing editor of the New York Times, helped lead a newsroom that won several Pulitzer Prizes for its coverage of the attacks and their aftermath.

I, too, covered the story that day from Ground Zero and the financial district as a Newsday reporter. I'll never forget being in the streets alongside several black journalists from the local media, and with others who rushed to the city from across America.

Black journalists deserve the assignments that help build careers, create legacies and position us for the top newsroom jobs with the most influence.

From time to time, NABJ hopes to offer Web-based packages, such as this one, to help our members better prepare for these assignments and to shine a bright light on those of us who do great work.

Today's package shines on Ross. She's now the AP's world services chief correspondent. She told me this week that while she ended up at the highest level of breaking news imaginable, her experience is a great lesson for any journalist.

"I ended up with this assignment because I was willing to do a weekend, no-news assignment out of Florida," Ross told me. "Sometimes you have to be willing to do the not-so-big story and let the 'Big Story' find you. You just have to be willing to give a 'Big Story' effort in everything you do."

We hope that you appreciate today's package. As always, your feedback is welcome.

Contact me directly at nabjprez@hotmail.com.

Sincerely,

Herbert Lowe NABJ President