NNPA to Hold Leadership Awards Reception and Make Key Announcements During Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 44th Annual Legislative Conference

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) will hold the Black Press Champion Awards Presentations and Reception and make several key announcements including introduction of a new president and CEO on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014, 7:30 p.m., at the Renaissance Washington D.C. Hotel, as the organization prepares for its 75^th anniversary in 2015.

The NNPA will bestow the organization's Black Press Champion Award on four honorees in recognition of their exemplary leadership skills in the black community and their respective areas of expertise as well as their ongoing support of the Black Press.

The 2014 honorees are: Congressman John Lewis (D-Georgia), civil rights leader and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient; Lana "MC Lyte" Moorer, lyricist, award-winning Hip Hop artist and founder of the non-profit foundation Hip Hop Sisters; Margaret Fortune, president and CEO of Fortune School of Education and California State University trustee; and Melvin Foote, founder, president and CEO of the Constituency for Africa and founder of the African American Unity Caucus (AAUC).

Multi-award winning recording artist CeCe Peniston, who recently released a new album, will perform several recordings from a successful musical career spanning more than 20 years. Also during the event, NNPA Chairman Cloves Campbell will introduce civil rights leader, journalist and entrepreneur Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. as the NNPA's new president and CEO during the reception.

"Benjamin Chavis is connected to issues important to the black community, civil rights and the media. He has strong business acumen and as co-founder of the Hip Hop Summit, he also has an appreciable track record in engaging millennials," said Campbell, chairman of NNPA. "He is just the perfect fit for NNPA at the right time and we are fortunate to have someone with his breadth of experience on board."

Chavis will give his first public remarks as president and chief executive during the reception.

NNPA will make a number of announcements during the evening, including plans to celebrate the NNPA's 75^th anniversary in 2015 with several significant events and anniversary programs marking the organization's contributions to history, news and culture.  During the evening, NNPA leadership will also unveil a new logo designed exclusively for the organization's 75^th anniversary.  

NNPA will premiere its first documentary "Pardons of Innocence: The Wilmington 10" on Friday, Sept. 26.  NNPA will show a three-minute trailer of the film during Thursday night's reception.

Friday's screening will be followed by a panel discussion about the 1971 incident on which the documentary is based. Chavis, who is one of the Wilmington 10, will be a member of the distinguished panel. 

The NNPA reception and awards presentations, documentary screening, panel discussion and other NNPA events are all taking place at the Renaissance Washington D.C. Hotel during the CBCF 44^th Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C.  

"We are pleased to convene the board of the NNPA to present the 2014 annual NNPA Leadership Reception in cooperation with the CBC Foundation's 44^th Annual Legislative Conference," said Chavis. "We work very closely to support the agenda of the CBCF and as the NNPA reaches 20 million readers through publication of newspapers across America each week, we affirm the strategic importance of the leadership of the CBCF."

About the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA)
The National Newspaper Publishers Association, also known as the Black Press of America, is a 74-year-old federation of nearly 200 Black community newspapers from across the United States.

Since World War II, it has also served as the industry's news service, a position that it has held without peer or competitor since the Associated Negro Press dissolved by 1970.  In 2000, the NNPA launched NNPA Media Services – a print and web advertising placement and press release distribution service.  In 2001, the NNPA and its foundation began building the Black Press USA Network – the nation's premier network of local Black community news and information portals.  The Black Press USA Network is anchored by http://BlackPressUSA.com – the national web portal for the Black Press of America.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140919/147371

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140919/147372

SOURCE National Newspaper Publishers Association