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Updated: Monday, June 6, 2005 Published: Monday, May 23, 2005

President Herbert Lowe with John H. Johnson (seated) and driver Mickey Epperson in Arkansas. Crowd gathers after ceremony outside new museum that honors Johnson.

PRESIDENT'S CORNER LINKS Past Messages President's Biography Letter to the FCC On Minority Media Ownership

Grace and peace, everyone.

Mr. Johnson, distinguished guests, thank you for allowing me to be here today and congratulations to all those who are a part of the effort to bring about this marvelous occasion. I speak to you on behalf of the National Association of Black Journalists, our 19-member Board of Directors and our more than 4,000 members, who have much to owe you, sir. Like many of you here today, I grew up with my family with Ebony and Jet. I was asked to share some personal experiences.

I was thinking that it was in these magazines, as my family and I were growing up in the 70s, where you could look on the covers of Ebony and Jet magazine, see people enjoying life, wearing fine clothes, aiming for success. And they tell me, Mr. Johnson, that Jet is also known for its weekly centerfold. I wouldn't know. I always read the insightful articles.

Seriously, my family and I turned each month to Ebony (and each week) to Jet so we could see more about black America than just someone who was wanted or was accused of something. I'm a reporter at Newsday in New York, but I used to work in Philadelphia, and one day my mother comes (to work) and tells her colleagues that her son is on the front page. And the response was, Oh Jesus! What did he do? In fact my byline and my picture were on the front page because I was interviewing the governor.

I remember one Ebony cover in particular. It was one of the annual special issues on a topical issue, one of those that always come out in August, I believe. I don't remember which one it was, but I remember that on the cover was a good-looking, obviously proud black man getting out of a cab with a really nice suit and tie on, carrying a briefcase. He was going places and it was those kinds of images, the kind you saw in Ebony every month that helped inspire me to want to wear nice suits, wear nice ties, carry a nice briefcase and go places.

OK, that image also inspired me to want to be on the cover of Ebony. And, if not that, then to be inside the pages of the magazine, say among the annual list of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans. I am honored to say that I was able to represent my association in that esteemed list last year and this year.

And what an honor it was to be in Ebony last fall, in the 5 Questions section. When my friend, Lynn Norment, who's now the managing editor at Ebony, called me to offer the chance, I must admit, I wasn't familiar with that section. So I got off the phone and pulled out all of the magazines from the past year and saw that the section has featured celebrities like Nick Cannon, the actor; Ludacris; Fantasia, and influential black Americans like Marian Wright Edelman and the late great Johnnie Cochran. [So] I knew it was a chance of a lifetime and I thank Lynn and the folks at Ebony for what that meant for black journalists and NABJ.

I have also been in Jet twice. The first time was in Society World, several months after my wife, Mira, and I were married. That was really cool. The second time, as part of an article announcing my election as NABJ president, featuring me being congratulated by comedian/activist Dick Gregory.

Its important to note, more than these appearances, that a measure of being in a Johnson Publishing magazine is just how great it is to hear from old friends from 20 years ago, who are able to see you are doing something positive and vice versa. Yes, your wife says that it draws out all the old girlfriends. But its even better to know that your mother, your aunts and uncles and everyone back at church can beam with pride because you were in Ebony or the Jet. And I mean, the Jet. Paula Madison she's a high-ranking black executive at NBC talks about the Jet in the barber shop or the beauty shop, and how as were all sitting there while were waiting to get our hair done, and we pass around that Jet magazine and we all feel like we've seen a little bit more of black America on that day.

Mr. Johnson, there can be no doubting your place in history and your impact now on generations of black journalists. Your publications were not only groundbreaking but also inspirational. Many of us learned what it meant to be a journalist by reading your magazines. Many of us realized that we, too, could be journalists by reading the well-written stories that filled the pages in your magazines. As a matter of fact, the truth is that many black journalists got their start at Ebony or Jet. Many others got back on track at Ebony or Jet. Many found other skills they didn't know they had, whether it was writing or taking a photo or doing an art illustration, while at Ebony or Jet. Many black journalists still working today can count Ebony or Jet as a part of their resumes.

In addition, you've heard that Mr. Johnson was more than a boss. He's also like a father, which means you have to be stern and tough at times. But it also means that he took care of his children with life lessons, history lessons and opportunities. Look at Lynn Norment, for example, a sister from Memphis, who took a low-paying, non-glamour writing job at Ebony and years later became one of its top editors.

Many a NABJ president, Chicago chapter president, black history archivist and black journalist historian have come to rely on Lynn, and you, Mr. Johnson, and Johnson Publishing Co., for the crucial tidbits that make us the people we are and, oh yeah, to help us have a good time. Which reminds me: I cannot come all this way without saluting Ebony Fashion Fair. There's nothing like it when Ebony Fashion Fair comes to town. And I'm always happy to see Ebony Fashion Fair cosmetics at the mall.

So I see it all starting right here. And I think that just like [with pro] basketball players, and you see that more than one comes from the same high school, I look at all the children here and think that more than one publisher can come from Arkansas City. More than one journalist can come from Arkansas City. More than one entrepreneur can come from Arkansas City. So this does not have to be the last time that we have a celebration like this.

I grew up in a tough neighborhood in Camden, N.J., a product of welfare, and so there is inspiration that comes from everywhere. I've seen my share and experienced my share of poverty. But its hard for me to picture life and culture in the Delta region in the 1920s. I'm so glad to come here and take back the story of what I'm seeing here today a proud people, a proud community and proud of everything that you are, and I salute you. ...

Mr. Johnson, your success demonstrated that the compelling power of vision, when combined with devotion and hard work, could be an unstoppable force. You had that vision. You realized that although the Delta provided you with strong roots, your destiny was elsewhere. You knew that your mission was national international, even. Your courage, dedication, unwillingness to accept second-best produced a journalistic phenomenon. And your words to live by Failure is a word I don't accept that is something I take to heart and we should all live by.

So Ill close by passing by all the awards you've received and say the National Association of Black Journalists salutes you. You long ago made journalism a better profession and also America a better place. You inspire us. You make us better. I can say without a doubt that journalism is a better field for black Americans because you helped blazed the trail. Thank you, sir, for portraying and inspiring positive portraits of black America and for helping to pave the way.