Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1951-06-30
HIGHLIGHTS FROM
PUBLISHERS CONVENTION

New York, N. Y. - The 18th
annual convention of the Negro
Newspaper Publishers Association
was one of many highlights. AS
publishers of the nations minority
! press, these men and women do not
meet to make news, but rather to
determine how they can better
serve their leadership and it's
cause.
Nevertheless, from the opening
! luncheon, when Dowdal H. Davis,
i NNPA president and general man
ager of the Kansas City Call, de-
scribed the Negro Press as a cir
cumstantial necessity, and proved
it in creditable manner, until the
convention called it quits, it was
one of highlights.
Beyond milling through prob
lens involving mounting cost of
paper and production and angling
for new and larger advertising ac-
counts, | saw the biggest action
| of the convention to be that of
changing the name of the Associa-
| ton.
The gavel handed incoming
President Louis E. Martin, Michi-
gan (Detroit) Chronicle publisher,
was still inscribed NNPA prexy.
But from now on those initials will
mean National Newspaper Publish
ers Association-not Negro News
paper Publishers Association.
Thus as the most successful as
ISOLATION of Negro publishers looks
towards the 125th anniversary of
the founding of the Negro Press, it
has decided to admit to member
ship any newspaper of its publica-
ton class. This the publishers con-
sidered CONSTANT with the times.
In reference to the 125th ami
versary, another highlight notes
the extension of an invitation from
the City of New York for the
Negro Press to observe this event
in Gotham, where John B. Russ
worm, and his associates. issued
Freedoms Journal, on March 16,
1927.
The invitation was brought to
the convention on behalf of Mayor
Vincent Impellitteri by Deputy
Commissioner of Commerce, Sid
ney S. Barron, director of promo
tions and public relations for New
York, who informed the NNPA
that this city would do "appro-
pirate recognition" to the Negro
Press.
At the closing dinner meeting,
the NNPA honored julius Thomas,
National Urban League, and At
/ torney Thurgood Marshall, Ma
ACP, with Russworm Citations in
highlight to their work in their
respective organizations. AS the
citations were announced someone
near me remarked :. "They can't
go wrong that way"
What the person meant was the
NNPA could incur no hard feel
ings when it honored both the
League and the NAACP. Actually
the Association went further. Earl
| Ter in the afternoon, it had honored
the United Negro College Fund by
hearing a statement from its ex-
ecutive, Bill Trent. These three
train them, place them and protect
them.
Others heard by the publishers
included experts in news coverage,
the mechanics of newspaper pro-
duction and advertising. Up from
Washington came persons from
government with their messages
Thomasina Johnson, etc, Ann
Arnold Hedgeman, freelanced her
way to the Big City.
Free to speak, minus CT travel
and per diem, Lady Ann was liter
ally foaming at the mouth in indig-
nation over the coming TV version
of Amos and Andy. For years now.
the American people have listened
to Amos and Andy, but Mrs.
Hedgeman sees no reason why the
nation should see the race ridiculed
by Wright!
A wonderful presentation was
made on behalf of the armed SER
vices by VOID James D. Johnson,
st. Louis Air Forces recruiting
officer, whose appeal for the SER
vices was so good that many of the
publishers were looking around to
see if any of their star reporters
were on hand. Pentagon represen-
tation stayed in Washington.
Individual recognition went to
the former presidents of the AS
ISOLATION during the past ten years
William 0. Walker, Cleveland
Call Post, John HI. Sengstacke,
Chicago Defender, Frank L. Stan
ley, Louisville Defender, and Mr..
Davis-handed out in citation by
the Grand Lady of the Courier,
Mrs. Robert L. Vann, NNPA treas