NABJ Chicago proudly applauds Chicagoans Dorothy Leavell, Crusader Newspaper Group publisher and Pulitzer Prize-winning former Chicago Sun-Times photojournalist and photojournalism educator John H. White, who were inducted into the National Association of Black Journalists' Hall of Fame on August 5. They joined nine other legendary journalists who received the honor this year: Tony Brown, producer and host of “Tony Brown’s Journal,” the longest-running national Black-affairs TV series in history; Charles Gerald Fraser, New York Times journalism pioneer and inspirational mentor for generations of reporters; Monica Kaufman Pearson, the first African American and first woman to anchor a daily evening Atlanta television news broadcast; Dori Maynard, president of the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education and advocate for diversity in American journalism; Gil Noble, producer and host of WABC-TV’s iconic program, “Like It Is;” Austin Long-Scott, who integrated the Associated Press full-time reporting staff and was a powerful Washington Post and Los Angeles times social justice writer and journalism educator; Jacqueline Trescott, a compelling and ground-breaking writer for the Washington Post on the cultural life and achievements of African Americans; Morrie Turner, creator of “Wee Pals”, the first syndicated comic strip with racially and ethnically diverse characters; and L. Alex Wilson, courageous reporter of the Civil Rights Movement for Sengstacke Newspapers in the 1950s.

The NABJ Hall of Fame was created in 1990 when 10 distinguished historical journalists became its charter members. Since then, 53 of the nation’s top journalists have been inducted into the Hall.

by Maudelyne Ihejirika, Chicago Sun-Times

The Rev. Jesse Jackson describes legendary commentator, author and black press champion George Curry, as “talented, tough, tenacious.”

Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton adds to that: “a tireless crusader for justice, and a true agent of change.”

And Congressional Black Caucus Chairman G.K. Butterfield calls him “a giant in journalism [who] stood on the front lines of the Civil Rights era and used his voice to tell our stories when others would not.”

Accolades poured in with news of the sudden passing of Mr. Curry, of Laurel, Md., who died of heart failure on Aug. 20. He was 69.

Mr. Curry spent 10 years with the Chicago Tribune, from the early 80's through early 90's, and helped launch the Exposure, NABJ Chicago's lauded mentoring program for Chicago Public Schools teens.

“He asked us to write a grant proposal to the Tribune Foundation," recalls NABJ Chicago Board Member Art Norman. "He said, ‘We must identify and nurture potential journalists before college.’ With George’s help, we were awarded a $10,000 grant for our Exposure Program. He then asked Tribune reporter Alan Johnson to lead it. Many of us will never forget his commitment to those high-school students.”

Read more here: http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/george-curry-champion-civil-rights-black-press-dead-69/