USC Annenberg celebrated the inaugural Charlotta Bass Day with a series of public speaking events earlier today, and welcomed some high-profile guests to engage with the Charlotta Bass Journalism and Justice Lab. Anthony Clingerman has that story.
Charlotta Bass was the first African American woman to own and operate her own newspaper in the United States and ran for vice presidential candidacy years before Kamala Harris would see election. Her contributions to social progress are now being celebrated with the first “Charlotta Bass Day.”
Los Angeles City Councilmember Curren D. Price delivered the formal declaration at Annenberg Hall, and spoke with Annenberg Radio about the significance of Bass’ accomplishments.
PRICE: Well, you know the issues she fought so hard for decades ago are still relevant today. Issues about equity, about fairness, about opportunity - those are the things she was fighting for... for all citizens. Certainly she had a focus on African Americans, but they weren’t the only ones she was focused on - and today we are confronted by many of the same issues and problems. So I think it’s important that we recognize her as a real trailblazer, as a pioneer... as a hero.
Price also discussed the importance of the new Charlotta Bass Journalism & Justice Lab at USC Annenberg and the need to build upon Bass’s legacy.
PRICE: It’s a way to use these tools in a way that shows how we can be creative, we can be inventive, and we can be persistent. The goals that she fought for, I think, are still important - and the interpretation that young people have on how to achieve those results I think are going to be very exciting. And so we want to encourage our young people to do all they can.
For Annenberg Media, I’m Anthony Clingerman.