By Ruth Ferguson, NDG Editor
Thurman R. Jones, the publisher of the North Dallas Gazette, was interviewed via Facebook Live by Sherice Wallace of the Baltimore-based Afro-American Newspapers on Day 3 of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA).
“The mission of the Black Press has shifted. In the beginning, it was about civil rights and being treated as an equal individually,” Jones shared.  Today, he believes the focus of the black press is informing the community about job and business opportunities and what they need to do to take advantage of potential open doors.
“We need to clearly follow the dollar, look at the public works projects where there are tentacles in there as it relates to fairness and community outreach and to be vigilant in that area and provide an extraordinary amount of scrutiny to ensure that those things are taking place,” Jones shared. He called for the Black press to continue to spotlight those who are doing the right thing and bring awareness to those who need to do the right thing.
As we spotlighted in our cover story this week, the Association has an election scheduled for tomorrow to determine who will serve as president. The race features incumbent Chairwoman Denise Rolark-Barnes, publisher of the Washington Informer, and Black Press stalwart Dorothy Leavell, publisher of the Chicago Crusader and Gary Crusader newspapers.
The theme of the conference held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland is Celebrating 190 Years of Black Press in America. The event brings together publishers, staff, guests and sponsors from around the country as they take a look at the legacy, innovation and empowerment of the Black Press.
Enjoy the full video here:
