Updated, August 15
Through the last half-century, the National Association of Black Journalists has emerged as a vital voice in American journalism, one that has held the media industry to account and fostered opportunities for professional advancement as well as mentoring for a new generation. Its annual gathering has also invited candidates to the center stage to be interviewed on issues relating to Black voters in every presidential election since 1976.
But never in its long and distinguished history has the NABJ found itself in a spotlight so glaring, after former president Donald Trump made an appearance two weeks ago at the annual gathering in Chicago that was contentious and at times hostile, where Trump falsely suggested that Vice President Kamala Harris had misled voters about her race.
Trump’s statements unleashed a torrent of criticism, and were condemned as racist and divisive.
It was just days after a seismic event in national politics that NABJ came together on the Vineyard, in a partnership with Report for America, to host a panel discussion about the growing racial voter gap and its implications for democracy. The discussion drew a diverse audience at the Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs, eager to engage with leading voices in journalism
Panelists, which included MSNBC correspondents and Washington Post journalists, shared their perspectives on the challenges and solutions related to the recent decline in Black voter participation.
The decline, highlighted in a report by the Brennan Center for Justice, has been linked to legislative changes following the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision to weaken the Voting Rights Act.
Wesley Lowery, journalist-in-residence at the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, underscored the urgency of the situation, describing it as a “wake-up call” for Black voters.
“The decline in Black voter participation is not just a statistic, it’s a deliberate outcome of policies designed to suppress our voices. It’s crucial that we recognize these tactics for what they are — an attack on our democratic principles,” Lowery said. He called for renewed efforts to protect voting rights.
Michele Norris, columnist for the Washington Post, echoed the sentiment, stressing the broader implications of these issues.
“Voting is a fundamental right, but it’s also a reflection of how we value each other in this society. When voting rights are eroded, it’s a signal that the voices of certain communities are being intentionally silenced,” she said, urging the audience to be vigilant and proactive in defending these rights.
Trump’s appearance in Chicago, where he falsely claimed that Harris, the first Black woman and Asian American to serve as vice president, had in the past only promoted her Indian heritage, was also a central point of the conversation.
The moderator, Paula Williams Madison, a longtime NBC News executive and principal owner of the Africa Channel, opened the discussion wanting to “set the record straight” on falsehoods that she said Trump had made about NABJ organizers being late to start the program and having faulty audio.
She said that Trump’s campaign team arrived insisting that he would not agree to be fact-checked in real time. There was a standoff, she said, when NABJ refused to change the plan to fact-check his remarks, and then he finally took the stage.
Regarding Trump’s claim that the program started late, Madison said, “No, actually he arrived late.”
And, she added, “He left earlier than anticipated.”
“The truth of the matter is that we were dealing with a candidate who pretty often was not telling the truth. We just wanted to preface our discussion today with this: All journalists, we deal with truth and fact,” said Madison to a resounding applause that led to the start of the conversation.
The conversation also turned to action. Madison encouraged the audience to become more active at the local level, stressing the importance of grassroots efforts to safeguard voting rights.
As the event concluded, Trymaine Lee, a correspondent for MSNBC, issued a call to action, reminding attendees that the stakes extend beyond any single election or issue. “This isn’t just about one election cycle — this is about the long game. The forces working to suppress the Black vote are playing for keeps, and so must we. We need to be strategic, resilient, and unyielding in our efforts to protect our rights,” Lee said.
Charles Sennott, co-founder of Report for America and the publisher of the MVTimes which served as the local sponsor of the NABJ event, said, “It was fantastic to see the Union Chapel packed and to hear the words of the panelists resonating with so many on the Island community, and sparking conversations that continued long after the event ended. We need dialogue like this and we’re proud that the MVTimes could play a small role in helping to make it happen.”
A version of this story first appeared on the website of The GroundTruth Project, home of Report for America.
A newly published book, White Robes and Broken Badges: Infiltrating the KKK and Exposing the Evil Among Us, by Joe Moore shows yet another reason why it’s imperative to vote against conservatives this election cycle.
Moore’s contributions prevented an assassination attempt targeting then-presidential candidate Barack Obama. Moore nearly lost his life in the process.
Moore makes clear how the seeds of violence and hate spawned the tragedy in Charlottesville, the failed January 6 Capitol coup, and the growing threat posed by extremist militias—including the Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, Three Percenters, and others.
In a conversation with a lady yesterday who said she is voting for Trump, she said that both Trump and Putin are good guys. I’m flabbergasted.
Would like to thank Lowery for encouraging Black voter participation and for Black voices to be heard. We cannot stand by while our civil rights are dissolved by conservatives.
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