January 14, 2015
M ARTIN L UTHER K ING J R .
Envisioning the Black
Press as Mainstream
continued
from page 23
tions to network and support
them.
Secondly, non minority-owned
businesses must be made to un-
derstand the value of supporting
black newspapers as businesses
and as a sustainable institution,
the same as the broadcast me-
dia, Chavis says.
“Sometimes we overlook the
necessity to the strong economic
foundation in our quest for free-
dom, justice and equality," he
says.
Finally, Chavis said, black
newspapers must take full ad-
vantage of the digital universe.
"Technology, particularly digi-
tal technology can be a great
equalizer. Some people think the
digital will supplant the print. I
don't. To me, the digital will make
more valuable the print press
because every day it's about the
content. We have the content,
but we have not aggregated the
content," he said.
Denise Rolark Barnes, who
has been publisher of the Wash-
ington Informer for 20 years,
Page 37
2015 special edition
recalls how the Black Press has
led America's media when it
comes to many of the issues that
have now emerged as headline
news for white-owned media,
such as police brutality, economic
justice and voting rights.
"The more you do it, the
more stories you realize need
to be told; the more you realize
Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue
over a 1971 firebombing amidst
the civil rights struggle. The par-
don finally came after the black-
owned Wilmington Journal of
North Carolina escalated the
campaign for justice.
“It is in the business of not
only reporting the news, but de-
fending the news when it comes
It is in the business of not only reporting
the news, but defending the news when it
comes to the interest of black people. That's
what gives the Black Press its unique value,
not only to black America, but to the rest of
— Benjamin Chavis, President of the
America.
National Newspaper Publishers Association
that our community, our black
history every day is being
thrown away," says Barnes.
"I've learned that history does
repeat itself and is repeating
itself."
Chavis is one who has ben-
efited tremendously from the
Black Press. He is one of the
historic Wilmington 10, who was
pardoned two years ago by North
to the interest of black people.
That's what gives the Black
Press its unique value, not only
to black America, but to the rest
of America," Chavis said.
Benjamin Chavis will speak in
Portland on Monday, Jan. 19 at
8:30 a.m. as the keynote speaker
for the Skanner’s Martin Luther
King Jr. Breakfast at the Or-
egon Convention Center.
Great Season Ends
continued
from page 33
Jones, who took over three
games ago for the injured J.T.
Barrett passed for 242 yards
and a touchdown and ran for
score. The 250-pound third-
year sophomore proved he
could keep up with Mariota —
at least on this night.
Mariota passed for 333 yards
and two touchdowns, but the
Ducks' warp-speed spread of-
fense missed too many red-
zone opportunities and couldn't
unleash its running game against
linebacker Darron Lee and an
Ohio State front seven stacked
with future NFL draft picks.
"We fought through a lot of
stuff," Mariota said. "We ended
up short tonight, but that
shouldn't take away from what
we were able to do this year."
Even with the benefit of four
Ohio State turnovers, the Ducks
were held to their lowest point
total of the season, four touch-
downs below their average
coming in.
Oregon has done just about
everything as it has blossomed
into a national power over the
last two decades, but it will
likely continue the search for its
first national championship with-
out Mariota. Barring a major
surprise, the junior is likely to
turn pro — though he wouldn't
talk about his upcoming draft
decision after the game.
Elliott scored the game's last
three touchdowns, finishing off
the rout with a 1-yarder with 28
seconds left.
While Elliott slipped and darted
through the Ducks, Jones pushed
them around and shook them
off.
When Jones surged and spun
his way into the end zone with
4:49 left in the second quarter it
was 21-7 Ohio State and the O!
H! I! O! chant made the dome in
North Texas sound like the
horseshoe in Columbus. The
Ducks were facing their largest
deficit of the season.
If there was any concern that
fans wouldn't travel to the cham-
pionship game in the new
postseason system, the packed
house at the home of the Dallas
Cowboys, awash in Buckeyes'
scarlet and Ducks' yellow, put
that to rest. The crowd of 85,689
was as charged as any BCS
national championship game.