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Candance Chambers
Blue & White Flash / Staff Writer
John Seigenthaler shared his 85 years of wisdom with a group of young aspiring journalists in a place that not only bears his name, but also emphasizes the freedoms found in the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
Founder of the Freedom Forum First Amendment Center and Diversity Institute, the veteran newsman and former assistant to Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy in the 1960s, was the opening speaker at the 15th Annual National HBCU Student News Media Conference in Nashville, Tenn.
A highly respected journalist, Seigenthaler joined the Nashville Tennessean in 1949 and after working in the Kennedy administration returned to become editor, then publisher and chairman before retiring and becoming the first editorial director at USA Today. He is noted for expanding the Tennessean’s coverage and his efforts to integrate newsrooms.
Seigenthaler expressed his passionate views about the rights and freedoms afforded everyone in the First Amendment, but warned the group of student journalists to be accurate, fair, and balanced when reporting the news, whether through print or
the internet.
He discussed how the First Amendment was initially controversial amongst the founders of the nation but has proven to be an instrumental force of change in American history in instances such as the 1960s Civil Rights Movement and the National Women’s Party’s demand for equality and the women’s suffrage in the 1920’s.
Siegenthaer shared a personal story of injury and involvement in the Civil Rights Movement when he became a key figure in helping the Freedom Riders during the Kennedy Administration. He was hit in the head with a pipe during one of the violence confrontations that occurred when busloads of young blacks tried to challenge the segregation of the South.
In encouraging the students to continue their pursuit of journalism and to protect the freedom of the press, he also urged them to be always be honest, factual and ethical in their reporting after sharing a personal story about how he was lied on in a Wikipedia internet article.
Other speakers at conference covered a myriad of topics relating to all forms of media, from radio and television, newspapers, social media, ethics, internships and jobs, etc. The final event was an awards banquet where student media from historically black colleges and universities was recognized. The conference contest is sponsored by the Black College Communications Association, which was established by a grant from the Freedom Forum and comprised of HBCUs with communications programs.
The Blue and White Flash won 1st place awards in the Signed Commentary/Column Writing category with entries from Diamond Jenkins and 1st place for Best Editorial Cartoon from Alan Wells. The Flash also received an honorable mention Arts and Entertainment/ feature writing. Attendees from Jackson State included Diamond Jenkins, Kachelle Pratcher, Candace Chambers, William Owens and Alan Wells, along with Ernest Camel and Sylvia Watley, Advisor.
Reginald Stuart, BCCA contest coordinator and recruiter for the McClatchy Company, said the contest “entries and winners show a real passion for journalism from a new generation of journalists. We’re excited about their future and look forward to seeing their work in media.”
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