Jamaica-born W Henry Ecccleston cops Black Journalist Award

Jamaica-born W Henry Eccleston was among the award-recipients listed by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). The NABJ announced its winners Saturday, August 9 at an annual gala celebration during NABJ’s 36th Annual Convention and Career Fair in Philadelphia, the largest gathering of minority journalists in the country.

Watson and Eccleston — Barrington Watson and W Henry Eccleston. ANTHEA McGIBBON PHOTO

Over 50 journalists were honoured. Complete list of 2011 winners at THIS LINK.

This year’s theme was “The Power of Now: Claiming Your Destiny”, while the convention had as features workshops, feature workshops, panel discussions, and appearances by digital-media mogul Arianna Huffington and Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr..

Current NABJ president Kathy Y. Times said the theme focuses on the challenges facing journalists, such as cutbacks and layoffs at traditional news organizations amid the rise of digital media.

Eccleston, who himself is an artist and a poet, is awarded in the ‘Salute to Excellence’ category for radio from a juried contest lasting three months. He is specifically noted for his Documentary “Curtis Mayfield – Keep on Pushin” on his programme aired on the Midnight Ravers WBAI – NY 99.5 FM.
Eccleston is the only artistic director and producer. Other members of the team to be congratulated are Terry Wilson (executive producer), Shawn Rhodes (Engineer -producer), Nate Walker (doubologist – producer) and Isaac Ferguson (researcher and historian)
.

The Midnight Ravers entered a three hours program Radio Documentary on the music and life of Curtis Mayfield and his influence on Reggae music and the many Jamaican recording artist cover his body of songs. Mayfield influence on music world wide is tremendous as was brought out in the programing.

The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) started officially in 1975, is an organization of African American journalists, students, and media professionals.

Two years earlier in 1973, some dozen black journalists in Philadelphia gathered to form a new professional organization, the Association of Black Journalists.
There were 10 basic objectives outlined In a “statement of purpose,” by the group. Among them were encouraging more blacks to enter journalism, operating a clearinghouse for job opportunities, and sensitizing news organizations to more balanced coverage of black communities.
Thirty-eight years later, the association – renamed the National Association of Black Journalists – is the nation’s largest minority journalists’ organization, with more than 3,000 members.

Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist Acel Moore, associate editor emeritus of The Inquirer is one of the top honorees. Moore, one of the founding member of the association said “When I look back and then I look to today and see there are over 3,000 journalists who are African American, I am profoundly proud.”
Another founding member, Washington Post columnist Joe Davidson, is motivated by the turn out he says reflects the progress of Black persons.

Author Profile

Anthea

... qualified & experienced in journalism, creative writing, editing, the arts, art critique, paralegal, photography, teaching, research, event planning, motivational speaking, workshops for children and adults, visual arts etc. Click here for contact form. ...or email me here