Rev. Jackson hails Chicago Crusader publisher

August 10, 2017

By Chinta Strausberg, Chicago Crusader

Reverend Jesse Jackson, along with local and national chapters of Black journalists on Saturday honored Chicago/Gary Crusader newspaper editor and publisher Dorothy R. Leavell, and Jack Lynch, director of community affairs for the nationally acclaimed Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network, for their community service.

1LEAVELL SHOWS AWARD WITH JACKSON 3 — AS REVEREND JANETTE C. WILSON (at podium) delivers the introduction for the Chicago Crusader Publisher Dorothy R. Leavell, who is the recipient of the Outstanding Journalism and Publishing Award, Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. presents the plaque to Leavell.

During the live broadcast at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters, 930 E. 50th St., representatives from the Chicago Association of Black Journalists (CABJ) and the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) joined Jackson for the National Minority Donor Awareness Week celebration.

Jackson and CBS 2 newscaster Dorothy Tucker, who is also vice president of NABJ Broadcast, praised Leavell for her long time service to journalism. Tucker said the NABJ is the largest journalism organization and represented the CABJ whose members, including Wynona Redmond, were present. Redmond is also the president of the public relations firm, Wyn-Win Communications.

1LEAVELL LOOKS ON AS FAITH JENKINS 1ST GRADE CALUMET CHRISTIAN SCHOOL GRIFFITH INDIANA INTRODUCES JACKSON 1 — ALTHOUGH ONLY A first grader Faith Jenkins had the honor of introducing Rev. Jesse Jackson during a live broadcast at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters.

Standing next to Jackson, the newly elected chairman of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), a position to which she has twice been elected previously, Leavell said, “We are going to show you how to do it. No more fake news. We are going to show that we are still on the battle field, and we’re going to have victories.” Leavell promised to give more print support to the organ donor program.

Jackson thanked Lynch for helping to save the lives of thousands of organ transplant recipients, like WVON radio’s Pam Morris, who received a heart transplant a year ago. Morris received her heart transplant through the Gift of Hope program. Morris, who has a gospel program on WVON thanked Lynch, and her supporters.

1SIXTH BETTER GROUP SHOT 3 — GOSPEL RADIO HOST, author, and interfaith liaison Pam Morris-Walton (right) joins others in a group photo. Morris, who received a heart transplant last year, has appeared in public service announcements to educate the public about organ/tissue donation.

Norrine Nix, who will receive a double lung transplant, said, “I feel good and bad, blessed and sad because God has given me another chance of life, but someone has to lose their life for me to get a second chance on life.”

Jackson heralded the organ donor program and urged all to support the Black press, especially the Chicago Crusader, a 77-year-old African American newspaper headed by Leavell.