Our History

When the National Association of Black Journalists, the largest and oldest organization of journalists of color, held its 1987 convention in Miami, members from Palm Beach County assisted in the planning.

They also planned to establish their own affiliate chapter to strengthen ties and professionalism among Black journalists in Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties, to promote balanced coverage of the Black community and society at large and to encourage aspiring Black students to become journalists.

Several months later the newly formed Palm Beach Association of Black Journalists hosted its first public forum at the Urban League headquarters. The question-and-answer session featured the top decision-makers in area newsrooms and received overwhelming public response. PBABJ has since used the same format to sponsor innumerable free seminars throughout the community, whether at the Riviera Beach Public Library, the Urban League, the Palm Beach Community College library, County Commission chambers or The Palm Beach Post auditorium. PBABJ has invited the public to hear from credible speakers on topics as varied as AIDS, holistic health, Islam in America, the Internet, anthrax and how to get a group’s news publicized.

PBABJ has also mentored many young journalists, including some who have returned after college to excel professionally here, even serving as presidents of the chapter. PBABJ members are an integral part of the community, and have been honored with numerous awards from community groups. Too few PBABJ members get to decide what leads the evening news or to select what goes on the front page of newspapers. But news organizations can no longer say they can’t find qualified Black journalists.

PBABJ Sponsors

• Suncoast Community High School Journalism Program through various speakers, advisors
  and donations.
  
  
• Spring Media Access Seminar to teach charitable and non-profit groups how to get
  their news in print and on the air.
  
  
• Fall Children’s Book Fair to foster early childhood reading in cooperation with Palm
  Beach County's Head Start program.
  
  
• “All I can Be” Writing Contest to help develop writing skills among Palm Beach County’s
  middle school students.
  
  
• Journalism scholarships given to high school students going on to college to study
  for a career in journalism or communications.