On a beautiful summer morning in New York City, both NNPA (National Newspaper Publishers Association) members and guests had the opportunity to hear NNPA chairman, Danny J. Bakewell Sr., tell how the Rev. Al Sharpton issued a call to action to the Democratic Party.
“I got a call from Rev. Sharpton and he told me that the Democratic National Committee had asked him to travel around the country on their behalf, encouraging black people to get out and vote,” Bakewell said.
Bakewell further explained that Rev. Sharpton told the DNC that before he embarked on this effort to help them get the black community out to vote, that it was “imperative that they advertise with the black press.”
This statement evoked a rousing round of applause from the breakfast attendees.
“There are those who do not want to recognize the black press, because they do not want to recognize black people,” stated Rev. Sharpton. “When I say black press let me make one thing clear, I’m talking about black-owned press. Because there is a difference in those who have a black face on a white corporate interest and call themselves black press, and those that are the black press that have historically recorded where [black people] are but more importantly have projected where we are.”
It was a spirited opening to this four-day national convention of black publishers. We applaud the great corporate sponsors who support and realize that there will always be a need for the black press. Stay tuned to rollingout.com for exclusive video from this event. –al weems
