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Black Press of America Expands and Innovates in 2020 via NNPA

NNPA NEWSWIRE — An annual highlight of the conference was the 2020 NNPA Publisher Lifetime Achievement Award, which was presented to The Dallas Examiner’s distinguished publisher, Mollie Finch Belt.

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NNPA Chair and Houston Forward Times Publisher Karen Carter Richards (pictured: front row, center, wearing red dress) affirmed that the conference was a tremendous success. “I’m thrilled with the participation of all the publishers and the great ideas they have for the future.”

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Fort Lauderdale, FL — The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) wrapped its three-day Mid-Winter Training Conference on Saturday, January 25th, with a proposal that will increase revenue for NNPA’s member newspapers through digital upgrades and innovation.

The NNPA is the national trade organization that represents 230 African American-owned newspapers and media companies across the nation, which make up the Black Press of America.

An annual highlight of the conference was the 2020 NNPA Publisher Lifetime Achievement Award, which was presented to The Dallas Examiner’s distinguished publisher, Mollie Finch Belt (Pictured are Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., NNPA President and CEO, Dr. Melanie Belt, Mollie Finch Belt, James Belt III, and Karen Carter Richards, NNPA Chair and publisher of the Houston Forward Times).

An annual highlight of the conference was the 2020 NNPA Publisher Lifetime Achievement Award, which was presented to The Dallas Examiner’s distinguished publisher, Mollie Finch Belt (Pictured are Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., NNPA President and CEO, Dr. Melanie Belt, Mollie Finch Belt, James Belt III, and Karen Carter Richards, NNPA Chair and publisher of the Houston Forward Times).

Dr. Colin “Topper” Carew, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab, led a discussion that included monetizing the use of mobile devices and other technologies in news publishing and distribution.

“Black Power was about our getting a voice in the political process on a national and regional electoral basis. It was about power, and that’s the basis of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC),” Carew stated. “I’m here because I believe in what you, the NNPA, represent as the Black Press of America.”

Carew, the co-creator of the hit television series, “Martin,” presented a proposal for that will facilitate increased revenue and sustainability for members of the Black Press and the NNPA. Carew’s proposal also included a digital migration training initiative.

“To increase advertising income due to the newly emerging digital economy by emphasizing and employing new digital advertising formats and capturing future digital ad budgets,” Carew explained to the group of publishers.

The proposal, which NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., said was adopted by NNPA’s Board of Director’s, concluded the conference of black newspapers and media company owners.

The conference also featured workshops led and moderated by NNPA Newswire Manager Norman Rich, who also serves as the NNPA Newswire Editor. Part one of Rich’s presentation highlighted the specifications and benefits of participating in the NNPA Digital Network.

Connie Wright, the senior vice president of Housing Affordability Philanthropy at Wells Fargo, participated in a fireside chat with Chavis. The discussion highlighted how Wells Fargo is helping to navigate the U.S. housing affordability crisis by donating $1 billion to help address housing affordability through 2025, including homelessness, available and affordable rentals, transitional housing, and homeownership.

As part of the $1 billion philanthropic commitment, the bank and nonprofit Enterprise Community Partners plan to launch a $20 million housing affordability challenge to uncover new, more rapid ways to increase the availability and sustainability of scalable housing affordability solutions.

Officials from AmeriHealth Caritas, Pfizer Rare Disease, Eli Lilly, Compassion & Choices, Law Enforcement Action Partnership, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), Reynolds American (RAI), and Google all participated in various training workshops and discussions central to improving African American quality of  life and helping to sustain the Black Press of America.

General Motors (GM), the Black Press of America’s longest-standing corporate partner and supporter, formally introduced the future innovations of the automotive industry during a luncheon the company hosted for publishers and conference guests.

Twenty-eight-year-old African American GM engineering executive, Charles Muse, presented a detailed exhibition on autonomous vehicles technologies, electrification advances, and new vehicle designs and functionalities. Muse stated that those technologies have the potential to save lives, help create a better planet, and save people precious time.

“At General Motors, we believe your journey should be safe, clean and efficient,” Muse stated while introducing the company’s mission of “Zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion,” during the luncheon, titled, “Transforming General Motors to reflect a transforming industry.” Muse received a standing ovation from the NNPA Mid-Winter Training Conference attendees.

An annual highlight of the conference was the 2020 NNPA Publisher Lifetime Achievement Award, which was presented to The Dallas Examiner’s distinguished publisher, Mollie Finch Belt.

At a lively, entertaining, and emotional Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony, held at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina on Friday, January 24, the Dillard High School students who are in the Broward County Color Guard opened the event by marching into the hotel’s Grand Ballroom in full regalia.

“This is such an honor,” Belt stated as she was accompanied on stage by her son, James Belt III, and daughter, Dr. Melanie Belt. “I’ve received many awards, but there’s nothing like receiving an award from your peers. The Black Press means a lot, and I want to say thank you,” Belt stated.

Westside Gazette Publisher Bobby Henry and NNPA local host publisher for the Mid-Winter Conference, then led many of the attendees in a Greek step dance as DJ Dynamite played George Clinton’s hit song, “Atomic Dog.”

NNPA Chair and Houston Forward Times Publisher Karen Carter Richards affirmed that the conference was a tremendous success. “I’m thrilled with the participation of all the publishers and the great ideas they have for the future,” stated Richards, whose daughter, singer Lenora, helped to open the conference by performing several songs at the Chair’s Poolside Reception, including her hit song, “Relax.”

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EXCLUSIVE OP-ED: President Joe Biden Commemorating Juneteenth

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — “I’ve always believed that we need to be honest about our history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase it. Darkness can hide much, but it erases nothing. Only with truth can come healing, justice, and repair.”

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By Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
46th President of the United States: 2021—2025

The people of Galveston, Texas, have been commemorating Juneteenth since the Civil War ended. Yesterday, in honor of the 160th anniversary, I went there to join them.

You can read about the events of Juneteenth, but there’s nothing quite like going to Galveston and seeing where it all happened.

After General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, Union troops marched across the South for two months, freeing enslaved people along the way. Their final stop was Galveston, an island off the Gulf coast of Texas. There, on June 19, 1865, Union troops went to Reedy Chapel, a church founded in 1848 by enslaved people, and posted a document titled simply “General Order #3.”

“The people of Texas are informed,” it said, “that, in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”

We can only imagine the joy that spread through Galveston – and across the state and nation – on that day and those that followed.

Yesterday, there was once again joy in Galveston, with a parade, picnic, and fireworks. There was also great solemnity, because Juneteenth is a sacred day – a day of weight and power.

The Book of Psalms tells us: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Juneteenth marks both the long, hard night of slavery and subjugation, and the promise of that joyful morning to come.

As President, I had the great honor of signing the law declaring Juneteenth a federal holiday. It was our nation’s first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was created in 1983.

Our federal holidays say a lot about who we are as a nation. We have holidays celebrating our independence… the laborers who build this nation… the servicemembers who served and died in its defense.

And now, we also have a national holiday dedicated to the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans.

Signing that law was one of my proudest acts as President.

Yet for 156 years, Juneteenth was not written about in textbooks or taught in classrooms. Still today, there are those who say it does not deserve a holiday. They don’t want to remember the moral stain of slavery and the terrible harm it did to our country.

I’ve always believed that we need to be honest about our history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase it. Darkness can hide much, but it erases nothing. Only with truth can come healing, justice, and repair.

I also believe that it’s not enough to commemorate the past. We must also embrace the obligation we have to the future. As Scripture says, “Faith without works is dead.” And right now, we Americans need to keep the faith and do the work.

In honor of Juneteenth, let’s help people register to vote.

For decades, we fought to expand voting rights in America. Now we’re living in an era when relentless obstacles are being thrown in the way of people trying to vote. We can’t let those tactics defeat us. In America, the power belongs with the people. And the way we show that power is by voting.

So let’s reach out to family, friends and neighbors – especially those who have never voted before. Remind them that with voting, anything is possible. And without it, nothing is possible.

Yesterday in Galveston, we gathered in Reedy Chapel to commemorate Juneteenth, just like people have done for 160 years and counting. We prayed, sang, and read General Order #3 again. The pews were full of families. How many people must have prayed for freedom inside those walls. How many must have sent fervent thanks to God when slavery finally ended.

I remembered the words of my late friend John Lewis. He said, “Freedom is not a state. It is an act.”

Juneteenth did not mark the end of America’s work to deliver on the promise of equality. It only marked the beginning. To honor the true meaning of Juneteenth, we must continue to work toward that promise. For our freedom. For our democracy. And for America itself.

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Cities Across the U.S. Shrink or Cancel Juneteenth Events as DEI Support Wanes

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Across the country, Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated as public funding dries up and corporations withdraw sponsorship.

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By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

Across the country, Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated as public funding dries up and corporations withdraw sponsorship. In many communities, the once-growing recognition of the holiday is facing sharp resistance tied to the unraveling of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

In Denver, Colorado, the annual Juneteenth Music Festival, one of the largest in the nation—was cut from two days to one. Organizers said more than a dozen corporate sponsors walked away from commitments, leaving them with a financial gap that almost canceled the event. Norman Harris, the festival’s executive director, said several companies “pulled back their investments or let us know they couldn’t or wouldn’t be in a position to support this year.” Harris credited grassroots donors and small businesses for stepping in when larger backers stepped aside.

In Colorado Springs, the local celebration was relocated to the Citadel Mall parking lot after support from previous sponsors disappeared. Organizers noted that where there were once dozens of corporate partners, only five remained. The downsized event was pieced together with limited resources, but community leaders said they refused to let the holiday go unacknowledged.

Scottsdale, Arizona, canceled its Juneteenth observance after the city council voted to dissolve its diversity, equity, and inclusion office in February. Without the office in place, the city offered no support for planning or funding, leaving residents without an official celebration.

In San Diego, the Cooper Family Foundation lost a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts that had been earmarked for Juneteenth programming. Organizers said the decision forced them to personally finance key elements of the event, including cultural exhibits, performances, and youth engagement activities.

Bend, Oregon, called off its Juneteenth event entirely. Organizers cited political tensions and safety concerns, saying they could not secure the partnerships needed to proceed. A public statement from the planning committee described the current climate as “increasingly volatile,” making it difficult to host a safe and inclusive event.

West Virginia, which has recognized Juneteenth as a paid state holiday since 2017, will not sponsor any official events this year. State leaders pointed to budget constraints and recent decisions to eliminate DEI programming across agencies as the reasons for stepping away from public observance.

Austin, Texas, has also reduced its Juneteenth programming. While the city has not canceled events outright, organizers said diminished city support and fewer private contributions forced them to focus only on core activities.

“Thankfully, there was a wide range of support that came when we made the announcement that the celebration is in jeopardy,” said Harris. “But it shows how fragile that support has become.”

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Juneteenth and President Trump

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Juneteenth is a day for African Americans in this nation to connect to their ancestry. It honors the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. The primary focus is freedom and the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.

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By April Ryan
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire Washington Bureau Chief and White House Correspondent

President Trump is set to proclaim the federal observance of Juneteenth as the White House is open for business on this holiday. The White House says the president will sign a “historic proclamation designating Juneteenth as a National Day of Observance, marking the 160th anniversary of General Order Number 3 in Galveston, Texas.” The declaration was that “all slaves are free.” This Trump proclamation, according to the White House, “will celebrate the Emancipation Proclamation, the Republican Party’s role in passing the 13th Amendment, and reaffirm the administration’s dedication to equal justice and prosperity for all.”

This proclamation comes as President Trump has denounced Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and anything Woke. Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom from the tyranny of 250 years of slavery after the Civil War.

The Juneteenth celebration started when Union troops reached Galveston, Texas, and told the slaves that they were free on June 19, 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was created.

The Emancipation Proclamation, which is on display in the Lincoln Bedroom of the White House, was issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. It established that all enslaved people in Confederate states in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”

Juneteenth is a day for African Americans in this nation to connect to their ancestry. It honors the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. The primary focus is freedom and the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.

The Juneteenth federal holiday was signed into law by then-President Joe Biden on June 19, 2021. This Trump White House is in full swing today, with a press briefing by Karoline Leavitt, not taking the federal holiday off. Also, President Trump will receive an intelligence briefing in the morning and participate in a swearing-in ceremony for the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland.

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