NEW YORK (NNPA)—The St. Louis American, the 82-year-old newspaper published by Donald M. Suggs, dominated the National Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation’s Merit Awards this year, once again becoming the “best newspaper in America” by winning the coveted John B. Russwurm Trophy.

TOP YOUTH SECTION—Nexus Ransom, daughter of Chicago Defender Executive Editor and former Courier Managing Editor Lou Ransom, is shown with Courier Editor and Publisher Rod Doss after receiving the NNPA Merit Award for Best Youth Section. Miss Ransom was a contributing writer for the youth section as a Courier intern.

The New Pittsburgh Courier picked up three awards including first place for best youth section, second place for best news pictures and third place for best use of photos. Courier staff writer Christian Morrow also picked up a second place award in the prestigious A. Phillip Randolph Messenger Awards for a story on “green jobs.” Last year’s Russwurm winner, the Chicago Defender, picked up eight awards including best column writing by former Courier Managing Editor Lou Ransom.

by Joan H. Allen

NEW YORK (NNPA)—The National Newspaper Publishers Association celebrated its 70th anniversary with its first Legacy of Excellence dinner gala at its convention held this year in New York.

GIVING?THANKS—Motown entertainment icon Berry Gordy reacts to a standing ovation by the audience after receiving his Legacy of Excellence Award. In the background are NNPA convention chair Cloves Campbell, mistress of ceremonies Michelle Miller, and NNPA chairman Danny Bakewell.

It seemed appropriate that the launch of this awards gala would take place at their New York convention with the honoring of two icons, the Hon. Charles B. Rangel, a leader in politics and civil rights as a history-making African-American congressman and Berry Gordy, a pioneer in the creation of the first major Black-owned recording label to produce Black music and the phenomenal “Motown Sound.”

NEW YORK (NNPA)—After returning from a recent trip from the Gulf Coast region, Rev. Jesse Jackson called on British Petro­leum to do more to help Black fishermen affected by the enormous oil spill currently consuming the region, during an address to the Black newspaper publishers June 18.

REV. JESSE JACKSON

“So long as British Petroleum is in charge of the information flow about damages done and in control of who is able to be a claimant, they control both bookends of the situation,” Jackson said during a speech at the National Newspaper Publishers Association‘s annual convention in New York.

NEW YORK (NNPA)—Black civil rights leaders are furious that they will not be able to organize a march to commemorate the 47th anniversary of the historic March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King’s famed “I Have A Dream” speech at the location where it happened this year because infamous right-wing Fox News personality and radio host Glenn Beck already booked the Lincoln Memorial Aug. 28 to hold his own rally.

MARC MORIAL

“We’re going to get together because we are not going to let Glenn Beck own the symbolism of Aug. 28, 2010,” National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial said during a breakfast at the NNPA’s 70th anniversary celebration at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers June 18. “Someone said to me, ‘Maybe we should just let him have it. I was like, Brother, where have you been? Where is your courage? Where is your sense of outrage?’ We need to collaborate and bring together all people of goodwill, on Aug. 28 to send a message that Glenn Beck’s vision of America is not our vision of America.”