The National Association Of Black Journalists Celebrating 50 Years Of Diversifying Newsrooms

2025 marks 50 years for the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) – an organization promoting diversity in its newsroom.

2025 marks 50 years for the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) -– an organization promoting diversity in its newsroom.

The National Association of Black Journalists was founded on Dec. 12, 1975, by 44 men and women. The founders, representing various news platforms and disciplines, created the organization to provide quality programs, services, and advocacy for Black journalists worldwide.

Some of its founding members, as My Fox 8 points out, include Maureen Bunyan, one of the first Black women to anchor the evening news on a local television station, Max Robinson, the first Black co-anchor of a network evening news broadcast on ABC’s “World News Tonight.”

National Association of Black Journalists: A History That Spans 50 Years

The organization was formed nearly 10 years after the 1968 Kerner Commission report was released, detailing biased depictions of Black Americans in the press.

There are now more than 4,000 members, which include emerging journalists, professional journalists, student journalists, educators, and media professionals.

With a history of five decades, NABJ leaders are gearing up for a huge celebration to commemorate 50 years at its convention in Cleveland, Ohio, in August 2025. NABJ President Ken Lemon announced the formation of a special golden anniversary committee composed of founders, past presidents, former and present board members, chapter leaders, and longtime members.

“We are excited to begin preparations to honor our 44 Founders and the realization of their vision 50 years later,” Lemon said in a statement. “We are grateful to our committee members who have graciously volunteered their time and talent to help us celebrate this incredible moment in our legacy. Each of them personifies our 50th anniversary theme, ‘Resilience. Advocacy. Excellence.’”

“Our 50th celebration will also be an opportune time to not only pay homage to our founders but also to our past presidents, board members, and our faithful members, chapters, partners, and supporters,” said Rod Carter, former Region III Director. “Without them, NABJ would not be the pillar it is today.”