Attorney General: Black journalists essential

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Attorney General Eric H. Holder, left, with Lester Holt, NBC news reporter, at the 2011 National Association of Black Journalists convention held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Center City. ABDUL R. SULAYMAN/TRIBUNE CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Attorney General Eric H. Holder, left, with Lester Holt, NBC news reporter, at the 2011 National Association of Black Journalists convention held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Center City. ABDUL R. SULAYMAN/TRIBUNE CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

by Nicole LockleySpecial to the NNPA from The Philadelphia Tribune

Attorney General Eric Holder recently visited Philadelphia to speak at the 36th annual National Association of Black Journalists convention at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Before Holders entrance, a video message from President Barack Obama was played.

America still needs the work that you do, the president said about the need for Black journalists to write stories that relate to the Black community. This isnt just important to the African-American community, but for America as a whole.

Lester Holt, an NBC news reporter, introduced Holder to the audience to the sounds of Earth, Wind and Fires Shining Star as Holder took to the stage dancing.

Still Ricky from New York, Holder said jokingly when he got to the microphone.

Holder then thanked the room of Black journalists for the work they do and called them essential partners to the U.S. Department of Justice.

You have the right to hold the nations leaders accountable, he said.

He then talked about problems the Black community faces stories journalists need to tell. When looking at the large percentage of Black males in jail, Holder said journalists should instead question why Blacks are disproportionately victimized. He said light needs to be shed on why a large population of Black and Hispanic high school students read at the same level as a white eighth grader.

Solving this is not solely your responsibility. We both have a responsibility to expand fairness. We still have much to do, Holder said. Keep asking the tough questions and shining light on issues.

At the end of his speech he sat at a tall roundtable with Holt to answer questions sent via Twitter from audience members.

Holder explained the importance of investigating the News Corporation phone hacking scandal of 9/11 families. He said after receiving multiple letters from congressmen, senators and concerned citizens, it was evident that such an investigation needed to be started.

He also addressed the possible investigation reopening of the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination. He said the department decided they needed to come up with a crime to be prosecuted in federal court. The department needs more information to go any further with the possible case, said Holder.

I think a highlight was when he was dancing. It shows he can still have fun, said Deirdre Childress, NABJ print vice president. I think its important for the president and the attorney general to realize these issues, she said of the problems presented by Holder.

He tackled the issues on what we need to do, said Kristal Shipp from Los Angeles, who attended the convention on behalf of NASCAR, a sponsor of the convention. I think its always awesome when the administration recognizes the importance of the convention.

Arianna Huffington, president and editor-in-chief of AOL Huffington Post Media Group, also spoke at the session.

Its up to the media to generate a sense of urgency, said Huffington, who added there is a lack of news coverage of issues in Black America.

Last week marked the launch of Huffington Posts BlackVoices, an extension of the news corporation specifically for stories related to Blacks.

Huffington said the reason why Black America continues to deal with certain issues is because the coverage of all those issues is getting less.

Christina Norman, former CEO of the Oprah Winfrey Network, is the executive editor of BlackVocies.

Holder and Huffingtons appearances were segments in the conventions opening ceremony, which also featured a skit entitled We the People with five actors from Historic Philadelphia, and presentations of NABJ chapter of the year, NABJ student chapter of the year and student journalist of the year.

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