Washington, D.C. (Tuesday, March 18, 2025) – WHUR joined the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and the NNPA Fund Thursday, March 13th to commemorate Black Press Day 2025, an event designed to highlight the nearly 200-year influence Black-owned newspapers have had on the U.S..

Dozens of journalists, scholars, media professionals, students, and publishers packed the Howard University Louis Stokes Library to hear about the “State of the Black Press” and to enshrine two legendary publishers into the Howard University Black Press Archives Gallery of Distinguished Publishers. The families of Dr. William H. Lee, founder of The Sacramento Observer and Walter Smith, publisher of The New York Beacon, were on hand for the enshrinement. The contributions of the two legendary publishers and their newspapers helped to shape and tell the stories pertinent to people of color.

Dr. Ben Chavis delivered the State of the Black Media address reminding attendees that the Black Press is still very much alive and well. “But there is still lots of work to do. These are trying times, but we’ve had trying times before. We have to stick together.”

WHUR General Manager Sean Plater also spoke at the event. “At WHUR, we are proud to stand on the shoulders of those pioneering journalists who know the power of storytelling. They understood that information is more than just power – it’s the foundation of progress. From the Civil Rights Movement to today’s fight for social justice, the Black press has been the heartbeat of our communities, ensuring our stories are told authentically and truthfully.”