J-Stars Shine at NABJ Hall of Fame Awards

J-Stars (noun): TV, print or radio journalists who are so widely known and respected that they are celebrities in their own right.  

And boy did the "J-Stars" come out to shine as The National Association of Black Journalists inducted into its Hall of Fame five trailblazers and history makers in field of media. 

Anchorwoman Merri Dee, also known as "The Honeybee"

was honored for her 40-year career on air in Chicago. 

Markette and CNN's "Ol' Blue Eyes," Wolf Blitzer
of The Situation Room.

VIDEO: President Obama's top advisor Valerie
Jarrett reads letter from commander-in-chief.

Markette with MSNBC and The Today Show fill-in anchor
Tamron Hall, who served as mistress of ceremonies.

It was the Newseum's inaugural event honoring African-American journalists. 

VIDEO: WUSA 9's JC Hayward tells
DC on Heels that its the community that has 
 kept her on the air for more than 40 years.  

The inductees in the NABJ Hall of Fame included the late, legendary CBS newsman Ed Bradley, WUSA 9's JC Hayward (photographed above), The Washington Post's Eugene Robinson (photographed below), retired WGN anchor Merri Dee "The Honeybee" and KGO Newstalk's radio man Ray Taliaferro. Additionally, NPR's Walterene Swanston was honored with the Ida B. Wells Award for her work as a media executive to bring diversity to the newsroom.

Pulitzer prize-winning honoree Eugene Robinson's
writing has taken him everywhere from London to
Buenos Aires as a foreign editor.

NPR's Allison Keyes rocks a FAB beaded blazer, proving
that radio personalities can have both style & resonance. 

Setting the Stage: the Hall of Fame awards ceremony
at the start. 

Markette shares a laugh with C-Span's Robb Harlston
and CNN blogger Rebecca Stewart.

Team Merri Dee: WGN-TV's Mike D'Angelo,
Gloria Brown and Robert Jordan flew in from
Chicago to cheer on their colleague, Merri Dee.

Former NABJ President Brian Monroe.

Pretty in Pink: ABC Miami's Neki Mohan

Markette with Xavier Dominicis of
Rent-A-Center, an event co-sponsor.

The next big event for NABJ is its annual convention in Philadelphia from August 3-7. DC on Heels will see you there!

 xoxo,

Markette

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