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284:. She worked as an Associate editor and reporter from 1951 to 1978. After working there for two years, in 1953, Payne took over the paper's one-person bureau in Washington, D.C. and became the Washington correspondent for Sengstacke Newspapers, a position she held until 1973. In addition to national assignments, Payne was afforded the opportunity to cover stories overseas, becoming the first African-American woman to focus on international news coverage. In this position, Payne was only one of three accredited African Americans on the
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In an interview a few years prior to her death, Payne said, "I stick to my firm, unshakeable belief that the black press is an advocacy press, and that I, as a part of that press, can't afford the luxury of being unbiased . . . when it come to issues that really affect my people, and I plead guilty,
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who was the son of
Tennessee farmers who were former slaves, and Bessie Payne (née Austin), a former Latin teacher who was from Ohio, the daughter of former slaves from Kentucky. The fifth of six children, Payne's siblings were Alice Wilma, Thelma Elizabeth, Alma Josephine, Lemuel Austin, and Avis
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In May 1948, Payne left her job as a senior library assistant at the
Chicago Public Library to move to Tokyo, where she had a job as a service club hostess at the Army Special Services club, an organization similar to the Red Cross. She held this job from 1948 to 1951, eventually becoming the
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when he planned to ban segregation in interstate travel. The
President's angry response that he refused to support special interests made headlines and helped push civil rights issues to the forefront of national debate.
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to read her journal, which detailed her own experiences as well as those of
African-American soldiers. Impressed, the reporter took the journal back to Chicago and soon Payne's observations were being used by
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Payne yearned to be a writer at a time when few such opportunities existed for
African-American women. She began her journalism career rather unexpectedly while in Japan. She allowed a visiting reporter from
389:(WIFP). WIFP is an American nonprofit publishing organization. The organization works to increase communication between women and connect the public with forms of women-based media.
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in 1950, she worked for that paper through the 1970s, becoming the paper's
Washington correspondent and an editor for over 25 years. She became the first female African-American
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Prompted by her work in Africa as a foreign correspondent and to honour the name of a journalist who covered seven U.S. presidents and was a war correspondent, the
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Chicago
Training School for City, Home and Foreign Missions. In the 1940s, Payne received a three-year certificate. From 1940 to 1942, she attended night school at
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hired her in 1972. In addition to her reporting of
American domestic politics, she also covered international stories, and worked as a syndicated columnist.
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452:(NABJ) awards "Ethel Payne Fellowships" to journalists interested in obtaining international reporting experience through assignments in Africa.
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In 1972 she became the first
African-American woman radio and television commentator on a national network, working on CBS's program
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1018:"Four Accomplished Journalists Honored on U.S. Postage Stamps; Nellie Bly, Marguerite Higgins, Ethel L. Payne, and Ida M. Tarbell"
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1980: National
Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Club, named "Woman of Action" for achievement in journalism
127:(August 14, 1911 – May 28, 1991) was an American journalist, editor, and foreign correspondent. Known as the "First Lady of the
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Ethel Payne was one of four journalists honored with a U.S. postage stamp in a "Women in Journalism" set in 2002.
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Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby
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to cover African-American troops, who were involved in much of the fighting. She subsequently covered the
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Payne earned a reputation as an aggressive journalist who asked tough questions. She once asked President
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created the Dunnigan-Payne Lifetime Achievement Award in memory of Payne and fellow White House reporter
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created the Dunnigan-Payne Lifetime Achievement Award in memory of Payne and fellow White House reporter
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On November 30, 2023, the White House named its briefing lectern the Dunnigan-Payne lectern in honor of
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In 1951, Payne moved back to Chicago to work full-time for Sengstacke Newspapers, the publisher of
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886:"Review of Morris, James M.,'Eye on the Struggle: Ethel Payne, the First Lady of the Black Press'"
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because I think that I am an instrument of change." On May 28, 1991, aged 79, Payne died of a
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Director of the United States Army service club at the quartermaster depot in Tokyo, Japan.
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woman informed her work, and she became known for asking questions others dared not ask.
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614:"Black journalist Ethel Payne changed the national agenda with coverage of civil rights"
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Transcripts of interviews with Kathleen Currie] – at Washington Press Club Foundation
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Indonesian Notebook: A Sourcebook on Richard Wright and the Bandung Conference
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1982: National Association of Black Journalists, Lifetime Achievement Award
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Church, where the family belonged and participated in community events.
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writer. She combined advocacy with journalism as she reported on the
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Eye on the Struggle: Ethel Payne, the First Lady of the Black Press
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Eye on the Struggle: Ethel Payne, the First Lady of the Black Press
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Several of Ethel Payne's belongings and awards are on view at the
250:(NAACP), and was an organizer of the June, 1942 Chicago rally for
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In 1964, Payne attended the signing by President Johnson of the
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246:. She also became an activist with the Chicago branch of the
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From 1939 to 1947, Payne worked as a library assistant at the
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In Chicago, Payne attended Copernicus Elementary School, then
994:"Associates | The Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press"
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Payne served as a professor for the School of Journalism at
912:"Review: The Reporter Ethel Payne in 'Eye on the Struggle'"
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National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
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Payne continued writing and advocated for the release of
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962:"Obituaries: Ethel Payne, 79, Dies; Was a Correspondent"
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The Color Curtain: A Report on the Bandung Conference
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218:From the late 1920s to early 1930s, Payne attended
139:during the 1950s and 1960s. Her perspective as an
1264:Robert Lindblom Math & Science Academy alumni
796:"Lindblom High honors famous student Ethel Payne"
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363:and the International Women's Year Conference in
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1101:. New York: Amistad (HarperCollins Publishers).
680:. New York: Amistad (HarperCollins Publishers).
639:Collins, Carrie; Payne, Ethel (March 20, 1987).
496:Distinguished Journalism Chair (first recipient)
1144:– at National Association of Black Journalists.
222:, then known as Crane Junior College, and the
1071:"CANDACE AWARD RECIPIENTS 1982-1990, Page 3"
1060:, National Association of Black Journalists.
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548:"Ethel Payne, 79, Dies; Was a Correspondent"
441:and Payne, the first two Black women in the
303:During Payne's twenty-five year career with
1254:20th-century African-American women writers
822:Brooks, Joseph K.; Moody, Susie H. (2010).
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770:Jones, Ida E.; Conteh, Alhaji (June 2016).
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1027:, USPS Press Release (September 14, 2002).
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387:Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press
385:In 1978, Payne became an associate of the
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1244:20th-century American non-fiction writers
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450:National Association of Black Journalists
982:. Duke University Press. pp. 25–26.
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1219:20th-century American women journalists
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742:Morris, James McGrath (2 August 2011).
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428:White House Correspondents' Association
378:from 1972 to 1978, and after that with
165:White House Correspondents' Association
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1201:
1149:"Ethel Payne: White House Trailblazer"
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323:. She and the African American author
1259:20th-century African-American writers
1187:Ethel Payne papers, circa 1960s-1980s
1138:– at Washington Press Club Foundation
1075:National Coalition of 100 Black Women
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794:Ihejirika, Maudlyne (June 24, 2016).
611:
514:National Coalition of 100 Black Women
367:, and accompanied Secretary of State
952:, Gale Contemporary Black Biography.
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910:Garner, Dwight (February 12, 2015).
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473:Chicago Council on Foreign Relations
156:employed by a national network when
1249:20th-century American women writers
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1239:African-American women journalists
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299:in Bandung, Indonesia, April 1955.
295:Press pin issued to Payne for the
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1229:20th-century American journalists
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1136:Biographical Data Sheet for Payne
612:Ifill, Gwen (February 26, 2015).
506:, Gertrude Johnson-Williams Award
415:at her home in Washington, D.C.
371:on a six-nation tour of Africa.
1171:Ethel L Payne papers, 1857-1991
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188:Ruth. She grew up on Chicago's
1095:Morris, James McGrath (2015).
674:Morris, James McGrath (2015).
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209:Lindblom Technical High School
192:. The family first settled in
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1:
1151:, Newseum, February 11, 2008.
978:Roberts and Foulcher (2016).
581:"JOURNALIST ETHEL PAYNE DIES"
534:
478:1967: Newsman's Newsman award
468:1954: Newsman's Newsman award
1224:African-American journalists
579:Levy, Claudia (1991-06-01).
256:March on Washington Movement
7:
1056:September 15, 2012, at the
475:, World Understanding Award
228:Medill School of Journalism
10:
1280:
1194:Anacostia Community Museum
504:Johnson Publishing Company
457:Anacostia Community Museum
1234:Delta Sigma Theta members
892:. H-Net Reviews. Jhistory
861:"Ethel Payne (1911-1991)"
485:sorority, honorary member
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355:In 1966, she traveled to
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183:, to William A. Payne, a
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1124:Ethel Payne introduction
350:Civil Rights Act of 1964
321:1963 March on Washington
319:in 1956, as well as the
297:Asian-African Conference
220:City Colleges of Chicago
175:Early life and education
617:(Video with transcript)
443:White House press corps
286:White House Press Corps
232:Northwestern University
48:United States President
309:Montgomery bus boycott
300:
244:Chicago Public Library
948:Shellie M. Saunders,
825:Ethel L. Payne Papers
317:University of Alabama
294:
137:Civil Rights Movement
1041:, November 30, 2023.
831:. Washington, D.C.:
779:. Washington, D.C.:
459:in Washington, D.C.
398:Nashville, Tennessee
342:Dwight D. Eisenhower
305:The Chicago Defender
282:The Chicago Defender
269:The Chicago Defender
149:The Chicago Defender
1182:Library of Congress
884:Mangun, Kimberley.
865:library.garrett.edu
833:Library of Congress
749:The Washington Post
224:Garrett Institute's
146:First published in
27:American journalist
1176:2018-06-02 at the
1162:Ethel Payne Papers
1081:on March 14, 2003.
1023:2011-10-16 at the
916:The New York Times
890:networks.h-net.org
773:Ethel Payne Papers
552:The New York Times
524:Hampton University
380:Matters of Opinion
361:Nigerian civil war
329:Bandung Conference
327:attended the 1955
301:
252:A. Philip Randolph
179:Payne was born in
1189:(finding aid) at
1180:(finding aid) at
1166:Howard University
1164:(finding aid) at
1108:978-0-062-19887-7
801:Chicago Sun-Times
781:Howard University
687:978-0-062-19887-7
644:(Video interview)
483:Delta Sigma Theta
181:Chicago, Illinois
122:
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115:Years active
72:Chicago, Illinois
51:Lyndon B. Johnson
16:(Redirected from
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141:African American
125:Ethel Lois Payne
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99:Other names
91:Washington, D.C.
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719:. 2022-03-29
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622:PBS NewsHour
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596:. Retrieved
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551:
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494:Ida B. Wells
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413:heart attack
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85:(1991-05-28)
83:May 28, 1991
1214:1991 deaths
1209:1911 births
1191:Smithsonian
1051:Fellowships
365:Mexico City
154:commentator
129:Black Press
18:Ethel Payne
1203:Categories
1142:Payne page
1130:Payne page
896:2022-05-09
870:2022-01-27
846:2018-11-12
723:2022-05-01
598:2023-05-20
565:2023-05-20
535:References
190:South Side
110:Journalist
107:Occupation
64:1911-08-14
46:Payne and
1117:903376010
929:March 13,
924:0362-4331
696:903376010
593:0190-8286
560:0362-4331
133:freelance
118:1950-1991
1174:Archived
1054:Archived
1021:Archived
1003:June 21,
717:CBS News
376:Spectrum
254:and the
357:Vietnam
315:at the
196:, then
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649:C-SPAN
591:
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522:1990:
512:1988:
502:1982:
488:1972:
481:1973:
471:1956:
419:Legacy
238:Career
829:(PDF)
530:Award
1113:OCLC
1103:ISBN
1005:2017
931:2017
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