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Tennessee Tribune’s Rosetta Perry Receives NNPA Lifetime Achievement Award

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Tennessee Tribune Publisher Rosetta Miller Perry clearly was the star of a night during a ceremony that included a performance one of pop music’s most profound voices and a video tribute featuring accolades from a mayor, a congressman, a school superintendent and a university president.

Published

6 years ago

January 29, 2019

Oakland Post

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

2019 NNPA Lifetime Achievement Award Winner, Rosetta Miller Perry (center), Publisher of the Tennessee Tribune, with members of her family who helped her to celebrate the evening’s events and national recognition of her many accomplishments.

With one of pop music’s most profound voices performing during a ceremony that included a video tribute featuring tributes from a mayor, a congressman, a school superintendent and a university president, Tennessee Tribune Publisher Rosetta Miller Perry clearly was the star of the night.

On Friday, Jan. 25, Perry received the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Lifetime Achievement Award before a festive and appreciative gathering at the Hilton Orlando Hotel during the NNPA MidWinter Training Conference in Florida.

“Two years ago, it was Bob Bogle being honored from the Philadelphia Tribune and last year we saw Rod Doss of the New Pittsburgh Courier receive the Lifetime Achievement Award,” Perry said.

“Tonight, it’s Rosetta Perry. Maybe there’s something to it… three great publishers all from Pennsylvania,” she said, noting her tie to the Keystone State is in the fact she was raised there.

Perry thanked her fellow publishers for the distinguished recognition, one that she said she’s glad it happened now.

“I’m 85,” Perry quipped. “I’m sure glad you didn’t wait until I was 90.”

While the comment brought laughter and applause, Perry said the NNPA – the trade organization that consists of about 215 African American owned newspapers and media companies around the country – needs to work harder toward a younger leadership.

“I have a clear vision and I’d like to see NNPA move toward the young ones because they know how to handle situations and they should not have to wait until they’re my age to hold positions,” she said.

“The young ones are talking about building relationships and that’s what’s needed,” said Perry, who toned down the festive atmosphere a bit to ask all to keep Mississippi Link Publisher Jackie Hampton in their thoughts.

Hampton abruptly left the conference after receiving devastating news that her mother passed away.

Perry and R& B Legend, Howard Hewitt who performed several of his hit songs to toast Perry.

Crooner Howard Hewitt belted out several of his hit songs to toast Perry while NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., and NNPA Chairman Dorothy R. Leavell, also feted Perry with congratulatory words.

Westside Gazette Publisher Bobby Henry and African Union Permanent Representative to the U.S., Her Excellency Ambassador Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao also praised Perry.

“You were the first person in the United States to welcome me into your home,” Ambassador Chihombori-Quao said. “I’m forever grateful for our friendship.”

After jokingly speaking about Perry’s abilities as a nurse in which she’s able to “embalm people,” Henry praised his fellow publisher.

“Rosetta Miller Perry is ever acclaimed for all she did during Civil Rights with Dr. Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks [and others],” Henry said, prior to a video tribute that included congratulatory remarks from Nashville Mayor David Briley, Democratic U.S. Rep. James Cooper, Metro Nashville Public Schools Director Dr. Shawn Josephs, and Tennessee State University President Dr. Glenda Glover.

A retired U.S. Navy officer and lawyer by trade, Perry has enjoyed much success over the past three decades as publisher of the Tennessee Tribune, a newspaper that reaches more than 150,000 people each week.

A graduate of Memphis State University, Perry recently was named among the Top 10 Most Powerful African Americans of 2018 by the Nashville Voice, a popular Music City publication.

Raised in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania – a melting pot of Russians, Polish, Italians, Greeks, African-Americans and others – during an era when steel was an important part of American Manufacturing, Perry not only grew up near the Allegheny River, but spent her first four years on her aunt’s houseboat.

She’d become an avid reader of newspapers and magazines, particularly the Black Press where, since childhood, the Pittsburgh Courier was a personal favorite.

Perry has often said she noticed a trend in mainstream publishing towards sensationalism and a focus on crime and negative events, particularly as it related to Black people.

“I knew as a young Black woman it was something that could be corrected through ownership and control of our image, reporting and news coverage,” Perry said.

She and her husband, who counted as Tennessee’s first Black gastroenterologist, founded Perry and Perry Associates in 1990.

After founding the Tribune to focus primarily on health, education and voter registration, Perry and her husband made a conscious decision not to spotlight crime, and to report positive events and focus on success stories and personalities in the Black community.

They did so without ignoring either the problems or the tough issues that minority communities face each day.

On the night she’s honored, Perry said she also was preparing for “a major announcement” involving the future of the Tennessee Tribune.

While she didn’t reveal specifics – only that the announcement will be made in Nashville on Feb. 1 – Perry left with a promise.

“I will always support my folks,” she said. “It’s not about me.”

Oakland Post

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Black Feminist Movement Mobilizes in Response to National Threats

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States.

Published

3 days ago

May 30, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States. The event, led by the organization Black Feminist Future, is headlined by activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis. Paris Hatcher, executive director of Black Feminist Future, joined Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known to outline the mission and urgency behind the gathering, titled “Get Free.” “This is not just a conference to dress up and have a good time,” Hatcher said. “We’re building power to address the conditions that are putting our lives at risk—whether that’s policing, reproductive injustice, or economic inequality.” Hatcher pointed to issues such as rising evictions among Black families, the rollback of bodily autonomy laws, and the high cost of living as key drivers of the event’s agenda. “Our communities are facing premature death,” she said.

Workshops and plenaries will focus on direct action, policy advocacy, and practical organizing skills. Attendees will participate in training sessions that include how to resist evictions, organize around immigration enforcement, and disrupt systemic policies contributing to poverty and incarceration. “This is about fighting back,” Hatcher said. “We’re not conceding anything.” Hatcher addressed the persistent misconceptions about Black feminism, including the idea that it is a movement against men or families. “Black feminism is not a rejection of men,” she said. “It’s a rejection of patriarchy. Black men must be part of this struggle because patriarchy harms them too.” She also responded to claims that organizing around Black women’s issues weakens broader coalitions. “We don’t live single-issue lives,” Hatcher said. “Our blueprint is one that lifts all Black people.”

The conference will not be streamed virtually, but recaps and updates will be posted daily on Black Feminist Future’s YouTube channel and Instagram account. The event includes performances by Tank and the Bangas and honors longtime activists including Billy Avery, Erica Huggins, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. When asked how Black feminism helps families, Hatcher said the real threat to family stability is systemic oppression. “If we want to talk about strong Black families, we have to talk about mass incarceration, the income gap, and the systems that tear our families apart,” Hatcher said. “Black feminism gives us the tools to build and sustain healthy families—not just survive but thrive.”

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

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Hoover’s Commutation Divides Chicago as State Sentence Remains

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial.

Published

4 days ago

May 29, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The federal sentence for Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover has been commuted, but he remains incarcerated under a 200-year state sentence in Illinois. The decision by Donald Trump to reduce Hoover’s federal time has reignited longstanding debates over his legacy and whether rehabilitation or continued punishment is warranted. The commutation drew immediate public attention after music executive Jay Prince and artist Chance the Rapper publicly praised Trump’s decision. “I’m glad that Larry Hoover is home,” said Chance the Rapper. “He was a political prisoner set up by the federal government. He created Chicago Votes, mobilized our people, and was targeted for that.”

But Hoover, the founder of the Gangster Disciples, is not home—not yet. Now in federal custody at the Florence Supermax in Colorado, Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial. “There is a divide in the Black community here,” said Chicago journalist Jason Palmer during an appearance on the Let It Be Known morning program. “Some view Hoover as someone who brought structure and leadership. Others remember the violence that came with his organization.” Palmer explained that while Hoover’s gang originally formed for protection, it grew into a criminal network responsible for extensive harm in Chicago. He also noted that Hoover continued to run his organization from state prison using coded messages passed through visitors, prompting his transfer to federal custody.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is widely considered a potential 2028 presidential contender, has not issued a statement. Palmer suggested that silence is strategic. “Releasing Hoover would create enormous political consequences,” Palmer said. “The governor’s in a difficult spot—he either resists pressure from supporters or risks national backlash if he acts.” According to Palmer, Hoover’s federal commutation does not make him a free man. “The federal sentence may be commuted, but he still has a 200-year state sentence,” he said. “And Illinois officials have already made it clear they don’t want to house him in state facilities again. They prefer he remains in federal custody, just somewhere outside of Colorado.”

Palmer also raised concerns about what Hoover’s case could signal for others. “When R. Kelly was convicted federally, state prosecutors in Illinois and Minnesota dropped their charges. If a president can commute federal sentences based on public pressure or celebrity support, others like R. Kelly or Sean Combs could be next,” Palmer said. “Meanwhile, there are thousands of incarcerated people without fame or access to public platforms who will never get that consideration.” “There are people who are not here today because of the violence connected to these organizations,” Palmer said. “That has to be part of this conversation.”

Stacy M. Brown

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WATCH: Five Years After George Floyd: Full Panel Discussion | Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real | Live Podcast Event

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

Published

5 days ago

May 28, 2025

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=OsNLWTz6jU0&feature=oembed

May 25, 2020. The world stopped and watched as a life was taken.

But what has happened since?

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

She shares reflections, insights, and the story of a community forever changed. What has a year truly meant, and where do we go from here?

This is more than just a date; it’s a moment in history. See what one leader in the Black press has to say about it.

Recorded live at UROC in Minneapolis, this powerful discussion features:

Panelists: