Former employees of Johnson Publishing Company (JPC) shared the stage on Saturday, June 8, for the first time during a historic panel discussion at the DuSable Museum of African American History where they spoke about time spent at the pioneering publishing company under the leadership of the iconic media giant John H. Johnson. Titled Empire: The House That John H. Johnson Built, the event was inspired by the biography of the same name that was written by Dr. Margena A. Christian, its organizer.
Former EBONY/JET Showcase co-hosts Darryl Dennard (host of V103's Chicago Speaks) and Deborah Crable were in the drivers' seats as co-moderators for the lively and informative discussion. In addition to Christian, a former EBONY Senior Editor and JET Features Editor, other panelists included the following: Charles Whitaker (Former EBONY Senior Editor) Dean of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, Christopher Benson (Former Vice President and Associate Counsel for JPC and EBONY Features Editor) Associate Professor in Journalism at Northwestern University and co-author with Mamie Till-Mobley of Death of Innocence: The Story of the Hate Crime That Changed America, Clarence Waldron (Former JET Senior Editor known as the "Dean of Arts and Entertainment Journalists") Adjunct Professor at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism and Kevin McFall (Former Interim CMO/Senior Vice President of EBONY Media Operations f.k.a. JPC and Vice President, Integrated Marketing, Digital Strategy & Licensing JPC) Chief Operating Officer for Inner-City Computer Stars Foundation. Whitaker and Benson also co-authored the textbook Magazine Writing.
Noting that JET magazine was a publication of firsts, Whitaker recently made his own history of firsts. He became the first academic to become a board member of the American Society and Magazine Editors in its 50-plus year history. A week later the former EBONY Senior Editor was appointed Dean of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Medill is one of the top journalism schools in the country. Whitaker is the first African American in its history to hold this position.
Former EBONY/JET Showcase co-hosts Darryl Dennard (host of V103's Chicago Speaks) and Deborah Crable were in the drivers' seats as co-moderators for the lively and informative discussion. In addition to Christian, a former EBONY Senior Editor and JET Features Editor, other panelists included the following: Charles Whitaker (Former EBONY Senior Editor) Dean of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, Christopher Benson (Former Vice President and Associate Counsel for JPC and EBONY Features Editor) Associate Professor in Journalism at Northwestern University and co-author with Mamie Till-Mobley of Death of Innocence: The Story of the Hate Crime That Changed America, Clarence Waldron (Former JET Senior Editor known as the "Dean of Arts and Entertainment Journalists") Adjunct Professor at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism and Kevin McFall (Former Interim CMO/Senior Vice President of EBONY Media Operations f.k.a. JPC and Vice President, Integrated Marketing, Digital Strategy & Licensing JPC) Chief Operating Officer for Inner-City Computer Stars Foundation. Whitaker and Benson also co-authored the textbook Magazine Writing.
Noting that JET magazine was a publication of firsts, Whitaker recently made his own history of firsts. He became the first academic to become a board member of the American Society and Magazine Editors in its 50-plus year history. A week later the former EBONY Senior Editor was appointed Dean of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Medill is one of the top journalism schools in the country. Whitaker is the first African American in its history to hold this position.
Photos by Reginald Payton/RPM Urban Digital Media Production.
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Images are the property of DocM.A.C. Writing Consulting. All rights reserved.