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| Georgia Fort & Don Lemon |
In the wee hours of the morning of January 30, 2026, Independent Journalists, Georgia Fort (formerly an ABC Local News Anchor) and Don Lemon (formerly a CNN Anchor), and social justice activists, Trahern Crews and Jamael Lundy, were separately arrested and jailed by Federal Agents because they reported live from the Cities Church protest, following the discovery that the church's Pastor also serves as an ICE Field Director. The Department of Justice (DOJ) had already tried to charge them, claiming that they were part of the protests, but multiple judges had thrown out the cases because there was no evidence to support the charges.
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| Attorney General's Tweet About the Arrests |
These two, Emmy award-winning journalists were targeted – because they are independent, so do not have the weight of a Major Network or Cable News Network behind them – and because they are Black.
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| MoveOn.org Petition |
The world was and is outraged, and their families and friends were and are scared. Their collective millions of followers, as well as, strangers protested with their feet, their signatures, and their social media posts, for their release because everyone knows that this was a violation of their First Amendment Rights, and that this was an attack on a Free Press by what is supposed to be a Government that upholds democracy. Usually, it is authoritarian governments that arrest and attempt to stifle journalists.
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| The 1st Amendment to the US Constitution |
THE FIRST AMENDMENT
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states:
“Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.”
At its core, a “free press” means the government cannot control what the media publishes, and it cannot punish journalists just because they report something uncomfortable, controversial, or critical, or will not reveal their sources.
But "the press" today means more than just newspapers. It includes:
- TV and Radio
- Podcasts and Digital Media
- Websites and Independent Media
- Investigative Reporters and Bloggers
- Photojournalists
A free press is a cornerstone of democracy. It informs the public, holds leaders accountable, exposes injustice, and ensures transparency at all levels — from City Hall to Capitol Hill.
The History of The First Amendment stems from the fact that Under British rule, criticism of the King could land you in jail. The government tightly controlled the press, and any dissent was criminalized. That is why the Founding Fathers made freedom of the press one of the very first protections in the Bill of Rights. They knew that without a free press, democracy would not survive.
Things the Government Is Not Legally Allowed to Do to the Press:
No Prior Restraint: The government cannot (should not be able to) block a story before it is published — even if it’s controversial or inconvenient. This is called “prior restraint,” and it’s almost always unconstitutional.
No Retaliation for Reporting: Sadly, under this Administration, this happens almost daily, and Georgia Fort’s and Don Lemon’s arrests have taken the retaliation to a new level.
If a journalist uncovers corruption and the government responds by revoking credentials, issuing threats, or cutting off access? That is almost certainly a First Amendment violation.
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| Paramount Settles with Trump |
Public figures can sue for defamation, but in the past, they would rarely win. They supposedly have to prove:
The reporting was false, and the journalist published it knowing it was false.
YET, several media organizations have recently capitulated to the current US President’s demands and settled for tens of millions of dollars, so that they can, for instance, get a merger approved, or so they can simply avoid the hassle of his continued onslaughts.
Case in Point: Paramount settled for $16m because the current President claimed 60 Minutes edited Kamala Harris’s interview – thus making it “misleading” – and sued them for it. Paramount settled “allegedly” because they were trying to merge with Skydance – a deal worth $8bn. The merger was approved, and now, CBS News has new Management, in Bari Weiss, some new, lesser qualified journalists who replaced award-winning ones, and suppression of some stories on 60 Minutes. Walter Cronkite is turning over in his grave.
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| The Pentagon Press Corps Gets Replaced |
No Press Pass Discrimination – This also happens quite regularly now: Selected media not allowed in a room or on a trip, or in the Daily Press Briefing because they asked “a hard-hitting” question; the entire Pentagon’s Press Corps replaced because of the controlling new rules that the Administration had enacted, and so on.
The government supposedly cannot deny a press pass just because it doesn’t like what someone reports. That would be "content-based discrimination," and it contravenes the First Amendment. Yet, it has been continuing to happen at an alarming rate, since January 20, 2025 – sometimes through the decline or elimination of Federal Funding, causing it to shut down or curtail operations.
WHY IS THE FIRST AMENDMENT SO IMPORTANT?
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| Nikole Hannah-Jones |
~ Nikole Hannah-Jones, journalist and Howard University Knight Chair in Race and Journalism
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| President John F. Kennedy's Thoughts on a Free Press |
“Without debate, without criticism, no administration and no country can succeed — and no republic can survive. ... And that is why our press was protected by the First Amendment – the only business in America specifically protected by the Constitution – not primarily to amuse and entertain, not to emphasize the trivial and the sentimental, not to simply ‘give the public what it wants’ — but to inform, to arouse, to reflect, to state our dangers and our opportunities, to indicate our crises and our choices, to lead, mold, educate and sometimes even anger public opinion.”
~President John F. Kennedy
THE RELEASE OF GEORGIA FORT & DON LEMON
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| Georgia & Don Released! |
Within 24 hours of being arrested, both Georgia Fort and Don Lemon were released unharmed (physically) from custody, without bail or restrictions, but with trial dates. Their welcomes by well-wishes were heartwarming. I suspect that those who arrested them thought no one would care that much because they are independent journalists and Black. Yet, this assault on their liberties has actually elevated them to a higher status and seems to have backfired on their suppressors.
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLACK JOURNALISTS (NABJ)
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| NABJ 50th Anniversary |
And while Georgia and Don may be independent journalists and have a lot of public support, they also have the rock-solid support of The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).
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| NABJ Response |
AND
The NABJ is a 50-year-old organization that is the largest for journalists of color in the United States. As an organization of journalists, students and media-related professionals, NABJ was created to provide quality programs and services to and advocacy for Black journalists worldwide. One would think that after 50 years, it might not be needed, but sadly, how incorrect you would be. The NABJ continues to gain strength and is needed now, more than ever.
NABJ IS BORN
In 1975, the situation was not good at all for Black journalists. They were few and far between and most were, at the very least, facing detractors and inhibitors. At the most, they were being outwardly persecuted, by colleagues, as well as the public. Even the Nixon Administration tried to intimidate NY Times columnist, Earl Caldwell, who wrote articles about The Black Panthers.
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| Earl Caldwell |
Less than ten years earlier, The Kerner Commission Report of 1968 (reporting on civil disorders during an extremely volatile time in history), noted that much of the news media maintained segregated newsrooms, while simultaneously exposing segregation and discrimination in other institutions. The Report highlighted that, at that time, less than 5% of people employed in the news media were Black.
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| The Kerner Report 1968 |
Attempts had been made to organize in the 60s; but, despite the desire by the Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Los Angeles regional groups, they did not come to fruition, primarily because potential founders argued over the name of the group (utilizing ‘Negro’ vs. ‘Black’). However, a group called Black Perspectives, was formed in 1967, which aimed to present a Black viewpoint that would make mainstream news coverage multi-dimensional, as well as accurate. Perhaps, unplanned, Black Perspectives laid the foundations for the NABJ.
Finally, on December 12, 1975, forty-four journalists decided to organize themselves, nationally.
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| NABJ Founding Objectives |
The Founding 44 ranged from working at, for example, the LA Times, US News & World Report, Ebony Magazine, NBC, Philadelphia Inquirer, Africa Journal, Chicago Tribune, NPR, Washington Post, New Haven Register, and NY Times.
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| 41 of the 44 Founding NABJ Members |
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| The Founding 44's Signatures |
Paul Brock, News Director of MHUR radio, in Washington DC, was the founding Executive Director; but Philadelphia Daily News journalist, Charles (Chuck) Sumner Stone, was the driving force behind the launch and became NABJ’s first President. He was highly respected and had a mystique about him that drew a quiet awe from everyone, including fellow journalists, criminals, the police, businessmen, and politicians. Born in 1924, in Hartford, Connecticut, he attended the esteemed, Wesleyan University, being the only Black person in his class. His bold. Commencement speech was entitled, "America’s Broken Promises to Black People." One of his earlier journalist jobs was as African-American Congressman, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.’s, Press Secretary, in Harlem.
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| Chuck Stone Working in his Office |
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| Adam Clayton Powell & Chuck Stone |
In the early days of The NABJ, little was documented because the Founders were struggling to successfully manage their ‘day jobs,’ while trying to keep NABJ afloat. However, thankfully, journalist, Wayne Dawkins, interviewed many of them, and wrote a critically acclaimed book in 1993, entitled, Black Journalists, The NABJ Story. Wayne is a Columbia University graduate and an historian of the NABJ. He is currently a Professor of Professional Practice at HBCU Morgan State University.
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| Wayne Dawkins |
Indeed, keeping the organization running, at first, was proving to be difficult. NABJ’s first bank balance was a meager $300.00 from first attendance membership dues.
So, the Founders decided to host a fundraiser, with renowned author, James Baldwin, as keynote speaker. As James’s flight was landing, they still did not have enough money to pay for his hotel. So, they begged and borrowed from the Founders’ pockets to cover it. To their dismay, James had arrived with an entourage of three – all expecting accommodation, as well. Somehow, they scraped up the additional budget needed. The event was oversold, resulting in the much-needed funds to fill their coffers.
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| James Baldwin Gracing the Cover of TIME Magazine |
The NABJ held its first Convention less than a year later at Texas Southern University, which at the time, had recently established the second school of communication at an HBCU. It now hosts the country’s largest journalism Convention and career fair each Summer with plenary sessions and workshops for career and professional development. A few speakers have included Huffington Post Founder, Arianna Huffington, then Presidential candidate, Barack Obama, and former Vice Presidents, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. This year’s Convention will be hosted in Atlanta.
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| Arianna Huffington |
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| Then Presidential Candidate, Barack Obama |
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| Then Vice President, Joe Biden |
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| Then Vice President Kamala Harris |
At its Annual Convention in 2024, while Donald Trump was running for what is now his second term, The NABJ invited him to speak with a panel of NABJ members. It did not go well at all for him. He was combative, dismissive, defensive, and biased, while he sat in the hot seat.
His presence sparked a lot of controversy. Then Convention Co-Chair, Washington Post Columnist Karen Attiah, resigned from her role, because she did not feel he deserved a platform, given how poorly he had treated Black Journalists in the past and warned that he would continue. Sadly, she has been proven correct, and rather recently, The Washington Post unceremoniously fired her for what she says were her comments about Charlie Kirk’s murder and her prediction that it would still not change America’s loose gun laws.
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| Karen Attiah |
The NABJ bestows several awards. The organization's annual Salute to Excellence Awards and Special Honors Awards honor coverage of African-American people and subjects. Just a few of the awards given include: Journalist of the Year, Community Service Award, and the Ida B. Wells Award.
The Ida B. Wells Award is given to a media executive or manager who has made outstanding efforts to make newsrooms and news coverage more accurately reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. The award is named in honor of the distinguished journalist, fearless reporter and wife of one of America’s earliest Black publishers. Ida was "Editor and Proprietor" of the Memphis Free Speech and Headlight. She told her male co-founders she would not help launch the newspaper unless she were made "equal to them."
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| Ida B. Wells |
Past honorees have included Ed Bradley and Charlayne Hunter-Gault, and in 2025, Amanda Barrett was bestowed this prestigious award. Amanda is VP for News, Standards and Inclusion at the Associated Press (AP). Barrett created an Inclusive Storytelling drive focused on broadening the global AP news report to bring in more diverse audiences and viewpoints. Barrett also works to recruit a wide range of journalists into the AP and mentors staff and colleagues across the industry.
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| Amanda Barrett |
The NABJ Hall of Fame inducts 7-8 African-American journalists each year:
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| 2025 NABJ Hall of Fame Inductees |
One of the 2025 inductees was Cecil Williams, a photographer for over 60 years, and who owns the largest image collection of racial change in America. JET Magazine hired him at the age of 18 to continue capturing the struggles which ignited the American Civil Rights Movement, and as a young man, he was famously photographically captured sipping from a Whites Only drinking fountain. Over decades, Cecil used injustices as inspiration to overcome and achieve freedom, justice and equality. In addition to over two hundred awards and citations, he earned the Governor’s Award for the Humanities, the Order of the Palmetto, and The Times and Democrat’s 2018 Person of the Year.
STUDENTS
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| NABJ Students |
Students greatly benefit from The NABJ, as well. The organization distributes a significant amount of financial support, annually, in scholarships to African-American college journalism students, places students at paid internships and sponsors short courses for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). To help fund those scholarships, NABJ hosts annual fundraisers such as golf tournaments and film festivals, and solicits online donations.
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| NABJ Multimedia Course Students |
50TH ANNIVERSARY FUNDRAISER
Recently, the NABJ launched a $15m fundraising Endowment Campaign to coincide with its 50th Anniversary.
Over the next, four years the goal is raise $15m to help secure the sustainability of The NABJ.
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| NABJ Headquarters |
NABJ is headquartered on the campus of the University of Maryland-College Park and currently boasts 4,000+ members.
PAST & PRESENT LEADERSHIP
50 years later, the fact that the NABJ, as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, has the power to strongly and fully support the likes of Georgia Fort and Don Lemon is due to its solidly consistent leaderhip and members over the past decades.
CURRENT & PAST PRESIDENTS
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
Clearly, the fight to protect the First Amendment and for Black Journalists to be able to properly and safely do their jobs is more intense than it has been for a long time, and it will most likely intensify in the coming weeks and months.
To that end, The NABJ will be hosting a Not On Our Watch National Town Hall on Press Freedom, on February 2, 2026.
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| NABJ Not On Our Watch Town Hall Announcement |
This year, as we honor celebrating 50 years of Negro History Week and 50 years of Black History Month, it is clear that this challenge will be met with grace, intelligence, and resilience, and I look forward to seeing them all continue to prevail and thrive because they have integrity, facts, and the law on their side, and because we Black people have had to fight for so many things, for several centuries, and frankly speaking, this isn't our first lynching attempt. "We shall overcome."
