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Capital B is partnering with Herbert Lowe to publicize the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Association of Black Journalists – and to commemorate the many notable contributions it and its membership have made to the profession, to our communities, and to democracy. The list names Capital B as one of the organizations rewriting the rules, centering Black communities by delivering deeply reported journalism that produces tangible impact.
On Dec. 12, 1975, 44 brave men and women put pen to paper at a Washington hotel and founded the National Association of Black Journalists. Fifty years later, NABJ has 4,200 members and a legacy of service to journalism, community and democracy.
For this golden anniversary, these 50 milestones and moments tell a story of recognition, representation and resonance for NABJ and for Black journalists at large.
Now a journalism educator, I spent 22 years as a newspaper reporter — and served as NABJ’s 15th president (2003–2005). Many of the earlier moments inspired me as a young journalist. The rest simply make me proud of my profession and organization.
This “50 for 50” is not a ranking. It aims to affirm and educate, spotlight breakthroughs that transformed practice, accountability or access, and highlight achievements that expanded representation and visibility for Black journalists in enduring ways.
Taken together, the moments trace a story in three phases:
These phases show a profession transformed — not simply integrated.
Of course, many more moments could be included. Still, this tribute offers a lens to reflect, to celebrate, and to carry forward NABJ’s enduring legacy.
From the 44 NABJ founders in 1975 to the many breakthroughs chronicled here, these 50 moments remind us that Black journalists have transformed the profession. Each milestone is a testament to courage, creativity and persistence — and expanding the nation’s understanding of itself and ensuring that truth is told with voices once excluded.
A native of Camden, New Jersey, Herbert Lowe is a senior lecturer at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications.
Capital B is a Black-led, nonprofit local and national news organization reporting for Black communities across the country.
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