Chuck Stone

Chuck Stone
Born (1924-07-21)July 21, 1924
St. Louis, Missouri
Died April 6, 2014(2014-04-06) (aged 89)
near Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Army Air Forces, Tuskegee Airman
Battles/wars World War II
Other work newspaper editor, columnist, professor of journalism, author

Charles Sumner "Chuck" Stone, Jr. (July 21, 1924 – April 6, 2014) was a Tuskegee Airman, an American newspaper editor, columnist, professor of journalism, and author. He was a member of the Tuskeegee Airmen during World War II and was the first president of the National Association of Black Journalists, serving from 1975 to 1977.[1] Passionate about racial issues and supportive of many liberal causes, he refused to follow any party line, "but called the issues as he saw them."[2]

Early life

Stone already had been admitted to Harvard University after completing his service in World War II, but chose to matriculate at Wesleyan University.[3] In the 1940s, he was the first African-American undergraduate in several decades at Wesleyan, graduating in the class of 1948 and serving as the commencement speaker. Stone subsequently received a master's degree in sociology from the University of Chicago.

Professional career

Civil Rights

Chuck Stone became associated with the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Power movement while working as an editor at Harlem's New York Age, the Washington, D.C. Afro-American, and the Chicago Daily Defender. He also served three years as a special assistant and speechwriter for Rep. Adam Clayton Powell Jr. of the 22nd congressional district of New York, chair of the House Education and Labor Committee. In 1966 Stone was a member of a steering committee organized by Powell to discuss the meaning of the Black Power Movement.[4]

Journalist and educator

Stone worked as a columnist for The Philadelphia Daily News from 1972 to 1991. According to his brief biography on the NABJ site, "Because of his reputation for integrity, he became a trusted middleman between Philadelphia police and murder suspects, more than 75 of whom 'surrendered' to Stone rather than to the cops."[2] He taught journalism at the University of Delaware for seven years,[5] and from 1986–1988, he served as the House Advisor for the Martin Luther King Humanities House at the University of Delaware. Stone later became the Walter Spearman Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he retired in 2005.

Nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize, Stone was inducted the Hall of Fame in August, 2004.[6] On March 29, 2007, Stone attended a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol rotunda, where he and the other veteran Tuskegee Airmen (or their widows) were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by President George W. Bush in recognition of the Airmen's service during World War II.[7]

Personal life

Stone was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He was a member of the fraternity's World Policy Council, a think tank whose purpose is to expand Alpha Phi Alpha's involvement in politics, and social and current policy to encompass international concerns.[8] He is the father of Krishna Stone, Allegra Stone and Charles Stone III, creator and star of the Budweiser "Whassup!" television commercials, and director of movies such as Drumline, Mr. 3000, and Paid In Full.

Death and legacy

Stone died April 6, 2014, at the age of 89. He is survived by his three children, one grandchild, and two sisters.[9][10] Stone is considered to be the "driving force behind NABJ", and the key to the organization's longevity. Bob Butler, president of the NABJ from 2013 to 2015, credited Stone with helping to improve diversity in newsroom management, stating that "what (diversity) does exist is because of Chuck and the other founder of the NABJ."[11]

Bibliography

References

  1. ↑ "NABJ Presidents (Chuck Stone, 1975-1977).". www.nabj.org. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  2. 1 2 Sowell, Thomas. "Chuck Stone (1924-2014)." TownHall.com, April 11, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Charles Sumner Stone, Jr.: Wesleyan University, Class of 1948. Archive.org. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  4. ↑ Karenga, Maulana. "Remembering Audacious Black Power: Revisiting the Model and Meaning." Los Angeles Sentinel, July 13, 2016. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Chuck Stone to speak April 3 on hate speech." University of Delaware UpDate, Vol. 17, No. 24, March 19, 1998. www.archive.is. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  6. ↑ "EducationMakers, MediaMakers: Chuck Stone." HistoryMakers, August 4, 2005. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  7. ↑ Douglas, William. "WWII black pilots, Tuskegee Airmen, get top civilian honor". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 30, 2007. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Chuck Stone, journalist of excellence." www.aaregistry.org. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  9. ↑ Weig, Andrea. "UNC journalism professor Chuck Stone dies at 89." www.thestate.com, April 6, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  10. ↑ Weil, Martin. "Charles S. Stone Jr., journalist and professor, dies at 89." Washington Post, April 6, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  11. ↑ Berry, Scott. "NABJ Mourns the Loss of Founder and Celebrated Journalist Chuck Stone." www.nabj.org, April 6, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2017.

Further reading

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