The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) has announced that Roland S. Martin, nationally-syndicated columnist, television host, and radio and television commentator, is to receive the organization’s Journalist of the Year award.
It is one of NABJ’s most coveted honors celebrating the accomplishments of Black journalists and those who support Blacks in the media. Martin was selected for the award by NABJ’s board of directors.
Martin currently is host and managing editor of TV One’s “Washington Watch with Roland Martin,” and a senior analyst for “The Tom Joyner Morning Show.” He is also a nationally-syndicated columnist with Creators Syndicate and a contributor to CNN.
“Roland Martin has had an enviable career as a multimedia journalist, becoming a respected and trusted voice in print, on air and online,” said NABJ President Gregory Lee Jr. “He is unapologetic about his quest to provide well-rounded coverage of the African-American community, and to provide unique insights to diverse audiences across the many platforms on which he is asked to contribute on a regular basis.”
Martin will be honored with others at the association’s Salute to Excellence Gala on Aug. 3 during NABJ’s 38th Annual Convention and Career Fair in Orlando. Those who nominated Martin noted his important coverage of voter suppression, perhaps the biggest story of the 2012 presidential election.
Earlier in his career, Martin was a radio talk show host for WVON-AM in Chicago. He is the former executive editor and general manager of The Chicago Defender, one of the nation’s oldest Black newspapers. He was the founding news editor for Savoy Magazine, and the founding editor of BlackAmericaWeb.com.
A published author, he has written three books: Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith, Speak, Brother! A Black Man’s View of America, and The First: President Barack Obama’s Road to the White House as originally reported by Roland S. Martin.
A lifetime member of the National Association of Black Journalists, Martin served as the organization’s first national student representative, and as national secretary of the board from 2009 until 2011.
Martin is a graduate of Texas A&M University and Louisiana Baptist University. He is married to the Rev. Jacquie Hood Martin. The couple resides in Washington, D.C.
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