The fallout continues over the National Association of Black Journalists’ decision to invite former President Donald Trump to speak at its annual convention in Chicago. TheGrio’s April Ryan sat down with creative consultant April Reign to discuss the backlash and how the organization failed Black media. Reign said, “The writing was on the wall,” before the former president’s appearance on Wednesday.
For Ryan, a 2017 NABJ Journalist of the Year recipient, the organization’s invitation to the Republican presidential candidate was personal. Though NABJ in 2018 said it was appalled by Trump’s treatment of Ryan and other Black reporters like Abby Phillip and Yamiche Alcindor, the Black press advocacy group decided to invite someone who for years used harmful and derogatory remarks about Black women journalists.
The 45th president of the United States dressed down Rachel Scott, who is Black, of ABC News. He claimed the framing of her question, in which she challenged him for his racist statements, was rude and “nasty.” Scott quoted Trump’s past remarks about Black reporters covering the White House, as well as harsh comments toward Black prosecutors who held the twice-impeached and convicted former president accountable in a court of law.
Following Trump’s explosive NABJ panel, the organization’s founders met to establish a strategic governance plan and address the Trump controversy, among other issues that led to unwanted international headlines for the historic organization.
“What I saw was a lack of accountability from an organization that said they wanted to hold someone accountable,” said Reign of the more than hour late session. Trump complained profusely about the convention’s “lousy” equipment, which he blamed for the panel not starting on time. NABJ has yet to address the matter officially.
The panel audience audibly gasped many times during the shock and awe moments, including Trump’s false accusation that his presidential opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, at some point decided to “turn Black.”
As ABC’s Scott pointed out to Trump on Wednesday, Harris, who is also South Asian, always identified as a Black woman. The vice president’s mother is Southeast Asian, and her father is Jamaican.
