The National Association of Journalists (NABJ) announced the passing of their founding executive director Paul H. Brock. Brock died on Sunday at the age of 89. Details of his homegoing services are expected to be announced within the coming days.
Dorothy Tucker, NABJ president, credited Brock’s “integral” contributions to the association for opening “many doors” for Black journalists.
“Founder Brock played such an integral role in the success of NABJ. His love, compassion, zeal, expertise and persevering spirit were always valued by the NABJ family,” Tucker said in an official statement. “His long and fruitful career served as inspiration to many of us that hard work and commitment to community can open many doors.”
On Twitter, Tucker continued to pay tribute, saying, “His love, compassion, zeal, expertise and persevering spirit were always valued by the NABJ family. His long and fruitful career served as inspiration to many of us that hard work and commitment to community can open many doors.”
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The Detroit chapter of the NABJ shared their condolences to Brock’s family and called him the “organization’s foundation” and a “mentor to many.”
Brock, who NABJ founding president Chuck Stone called “the Henry Kissinger of Black journalists,” was pivotal in uniting the 44 men and women who eventually founded the NABJ in 1975. Brock started his career as a reported for CBS in 1962 in the Virgin Islands.
Brock was a Howard University alumnus and served in the U.S. Air Force where he was a staff sergeant, radio operator at Dry Hill Air Force Bas in Watertown, NY and editor of the base’s newspaper. He also worked with the NAACP throughout the years.
According to The History Makers, Brock was the” originator, producer and chief fundraiser of the NAACP Nightly Convention Highlights program that aired on PBS from 1978 to 1983,” and later served as a producer, writer, editor, and national distributor of the NAACP Voter Education public service announcements.
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On Twitter, journalists shared their tributes including CBS Los Angeles anchor Pat Harvey who tweeted, “He was a man of extraordinary talent and compassion. RIP.”
Public speaker and scholar Libby Lewis wrote, “His commitment, passion for truth telling, and generosity of time are qualities we will forever remember and try to live up to – Rest in Power!”
Editors On Call founder Michaels Days tweeted, “In the early days of NABJ Paul Brock kept us grounded, moving, and focused on challenging our industry to do better. No doubt he will Rest in Peace and Power.”
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