Bakewell who has served at the helm of NNPA for the past two years declined to run for re-election in an effort to focus on growing his two newspapers, the Los Angeles Sentinel and the L.A. Watts Times as well as spend more time with his family.

NNPA Chairman Danny Bakewell Sr. passes mantle of leadership to Arizona’s Cloves Campbell Jr.

By JASMYNE A. CANNICK

NNPA National Correspondent

CHICAGO, IL – Led by Chairman and L.A. Sentinel publisher Danny Bakewell Sr., over 200 Black newspaper publishers from all over the country gathered at Chicago’s legendary Drake Hotel for several days of robust conversations on the future of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, also known as the Black Press of America.

The conference kicked off with Dr. Frederick D. Haynes, III, Senior Pastor of the Dallas, Texas based Friendship-West Baptist Church, who addressed the significance and historic relevance of the relationship between the pulpit and the press.  In front of hundreds of attendees, Haynes eloquently retold the history of Blacks in the United States pointing out role that the Black Press has traditionally had in African-American communities as the drumbeat of communication.

NNPA publishers made history when Bakewell announced a historic new partnership between Nielsen and the NNPA that will produce an annual report entitled the NNPA Nielsen State of the African-American Consumers Report with its inaugural release to take place later this year at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Conference in Washington D.C.

“This report will be able to put into black and white and more importantly quantitative data the shopping habits and spending power of Blacks in America,” remarked Bakewell.

Spearheaded on the Nielsen side by Vice-President of Public Affairs Cheryl Pearson-McNeil, who says that, “over the next three years the report will be issued in September at the CBC conference and it will provide America with a snapshot of the African-American consumer in one report.  This is a first for Nielsen and we’re very excited because we’ve never ever done anything like this before, but we understand the importance of having this information available.”

“While a lot of our readers appreciate our editorial coverage of Black America,” explains Bakewell, “many have no idea that what they’re reading is just one part of what it takes to put out a newspaper. “The partnerships and relationships that the Black Press hold with corporate America is key to making sure that we are able to share the African-American experience.  The Nielsen partnership is just one example of such a relationship.”

Reverend Al Sharpton, civil rights leaders and founder of the National Action Network addressed the issue of unity among African-American leaders as well their responsibility to work with the Black Press in order to ensure that our issues are front and center to keep Black America aware and engaged that the struggle continues on.

Later, Sharpton and Dr. Cornel West sat down for a conversation moderated by journalist George Curry in front of a SRO (standing room only) crowd and streaming live on the Internet to thousands on the state of Blacks during President Barack Obama’s administration.

Other Black leaders in attendance at this year’s conference included Dr. Charles J. Ogletree who moderated a discussion on Black leadership that included panelists Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., Rev. Al Sharpton, Dr. Maulana Karenga, Rev. Marcia Dyson, Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, and Dr. Cornel West.

The legendary Motown group the Temptations provided the entertainment at the NNPA Legacy of Excellence Dinner and Awards where Trumpet Awards founder Xernona Clayton and Miami Times publisher Garth C. Reeves were honored.

At the conclusion of the four-day conference NNPA’s body of publishers voted on a new board of directors and executive committee resulting in the passing of the leadership mantle from Chairman Danny Bakewell Sr. to Arizona Informant publisher and former state legislator the Honorable Cloves Campbell Jr.

Bakewell who has served at the helm of NNPA for the past two years declined to run for re-election in an effort to focus on growing his two newspapers, the Los Angeles Sentinel and the L.A. Watts Times as well as spend more time with his family.

Although Bakewell is no longer the organization’s president, he still plans on being actively involved in NNPA and is both delighted and excited at Campbell assuming the leadership role for NNPA.

NNPA’s other elected officers include the Atlanta Inquirer’s John Smith as 1^st Vice-Chair, Mollie Finch Belt publisher of the Dallas Examiner as 2^nd Vice-Chair, Cleretta Blackmon with the Mobile Beacon in Alabama as Secretary, and Yvonne Coleman, publisher of the Louisville Defender serving as Treasurer.