Pioneering Journalist Ethel Payne
Ethel Payne was an award-winning African American journalist. Known as the "First Lady of the Black Press", she combined advocacy with journalism as she reported on the civil rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s. She became the first female African American commentator employed by a national network when CBS hired her in 1972.
Victor Terrelonge
A World War II veteran and former Tuskegee Airman shares his experiences on World War II and the historic role of the Tuskegee Airman.
Dr. Joseph C. Kennedy
In 1960 Dr. Joseph C. Kennedy traveled to West Africa to conduct his ground breaking study of the West Africans attitude toward the world; it was the first of its kind. In 1970 he co-founded Aficare, an organization dedicated to giving humanitarian aid to countless African nations, long before Africa was in the spotlight that it is today. Over the course of its history, Africare has become a leader among private, charitable U.S. organizations assisting Africa. It is the oldest and largest African-American organization in the field. Dr. Kennedy is in the rank of African Americans like Dubois, St. Clair Drake and Alex Haley who where among the first to seek to connect Africa with African Americans. Dr. Kennedy has traveled to 96 countries around the world.
Ted Bunch
Co-Founder of A Call To Men: The National Association of Men and Women Committed to Ending Violence Against Women. Mr. Bunch is recognized both nationally and internationally for his expertise in organizing and educating men in the effort to end violence against women. He is the Senior Director and Co-creator of the Domestic Violence Accountability Program which is the largest program for domestic violence offenders in America. Mr. Bunch is a recognized trainer, lecturer and consultant on male accountability.
Roger Adelman
A former Assistant United States Attorney in Washington, DC, Mr. Adelman has been a trial lawyer for over 35 years, specializing in complex civil and white collar criminal litigation. While serving as an Assistant United States Attorney, he was lead trial prosecutor in a wide variety of cases, including public corruption, white collar, conspiracy, RICO, as well as homicide, robbery and kidnapping cases. He specialized in cases involving the insanity defense and was the chief trial prosecutor in the trial of John Hinckley, Jr., who shot four individuals including President Reagan.
Margo Jefferson
Pulitzer Prize-winning cultural critic for the New York Times and author of ``On Michael Jackson.'' Margo L. Jefferson was appointed critic-at-large, covering theater, at the New York Times in 1996, after having served as Sunday theater critic since January 1995. Previously, Ms. Jefferson served as a critic on the culture desk since joining The Times in July 1993.
Learn more about the Chronicling Greatness Series.
Excerpts: JP: The play is Richard III, William Shakespeare. Now who’s playing Richard III? Denzel Washington. Now a black man playing Richard III, that’s unheard of. That’s never happened. But that’s nothing new for us. We’ve been doing this right along. We feel [that we should] use the community. This is New York. This is the United States of America. You use the most talented people you can get.