Honoring journalist Chuck Stone for his posthumous Special Citation from the Pulitzer Prize Board for his role as the Philadelphia Daily News' first Black columnist, his trailblazing coverage of the Civil Rights Movement, and his position as co-founder of the National Association of Black Journalists.

WHEREAS,

Chuck Stone was born in 1924 in St. Louis, raised in Hartford, Connecticut, served in World War II with the illustrious Tuskegee Airman, and earned degrees from Wesleyan University and the University of Chicago

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and

WHEREAS, Following college, Chuck Stone began a career in journalism, initially as a reporter and editor at various publications before transitioning to his lauded role as a columnist for The Philadelphia Daily News; and

WHEREAS, Working for The Philadelphia Daily News from 1970 to 1991, Stone became known for his raw and honest critiques of Philadelphia’s political climate, using his platform to vocalize Black perspectives to wider audiences; and

WHEREAS, As the first Black columnist for The Philadelphia Daily News, Chuck Stone gained national recognition for his coverage of the Civil Rights Movement and commentary of political injustices and police brutality in the City; and

WHEREAS, Through this coverage, Chuck Stone emerged as a key leader in police-community relations, notably helping defuse the 1981 Graterford Prison crisis in which four armed incarcerated individuals barricaded themselves in the kitchen with 38 hostages. Stone was twice nominated for a Pultizer Prize; and

WHEREAS, During his time at the Daily News, Stone co-founded the National Association of Black Journalists, an organization active today with more than 4,000 members in the U.S. and worldwide, acting as the group’s first President from 1975 to 1977; and

WHEREAS, Following his career in journalism, Stone became an educator, teaching at the University of North Carolina until his retirement in 2004; and

WHEREAS, Chuck Stone, a veteran, journalist, educator, Congressional Gold Medalist-and now Pulitzer Prize winner-has exemplified excellence throughout his career, providing Philadelphia with unparalleled journalistic coverage spanning over 20 years; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby honors journalist Chuck Stone for being posthumously recognized with a Pulitzer Citation for his role as the Daily News’ first Black columnist, his trailblazing coverage of the Civil Rights Movement, and his position as co-founder of the National Association of Black Journalists.

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