#NNPA BlackPress
The Sacramento Observer and Savannah Tribune Win Big at 2025 NNPA Messenger Awards
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The Sacramento Observer earned the night’s most prestigious recognition, the John B. Russwurm Award, presented to the newspaper with the highest cumulative score across all award categories. The Observer achieved an impressive 154 points and took home first-place honors in Education Reporting, Business Reporting, Original Photography, Youth and Children Coverage, and Facebook Campaigns.
By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
SAVANNAH, Ga.—The Sacramento Observer and The Savannah Tribune stood out as the top honorees at the 2025 National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Fund’s Messenger Awards, held during the Black Press of America’s annual convention at the JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District Hotel.
The convention, themed “The Black Press: Engaging Black America—Empowerment, Justice and Prosperity,” marked the 198th year of the Black Press of America, which today comprises more than 200 African American-owned newspapers and media companies committed to covering the stories and issues that shape Black communities nationwide.
The Sacramento Observer earned the night’s most prestigious recognition, the John B. Russwurm Award, presented to the newspaper with the highest cumulative score across all award categories. The Observer achieved an impressive 154 points and took home first-place honors in Education Reporting, Business Reporting, Original Photography, Youth and Children Coverage, and Facebook Campaigns. The publication also placed among the top three in several additional categories, including Environment, Social Criminal Justice, and Fashion, Beauty, and Lifestyle, underscoring its consistent strength in both editorial content and audience engagement.
While the Observer dominated the content awards, The Savannah Tribune was honored for its leadership and community impact. Publisher Shirley Ann Barber James received the Publisher of the Year Award, recognizing her decades of dedication to preserving and strengthening the Tribune’s voice. Accepting the award, James thanked her family, staff, and Savannah’s civic organizations for supporting the paper’s mission and expanding its reach.
Other publications also earned multiple honors. The Houston Defender captured first-place awards in Health Reporting, Environment Reporting, and Fashion, Beauty, and Lifestyle. The St. Louis American earned first place in the categories of Special Editions, Original Advertising Campaigns, Broadsheet Layout and Design, and Video Campaigns. The Afro-American Newspaper of Baltimore and the Chicago Defender also collected several top finishes.
All winners by category included:
Health Reporting – Emory O. Jackson Award
1st Place: Houston Defender
2nd Place: Birmingham Times
3rd Place: Afro-American Newspaper, Baltimore
Education Reporting – Frank L. Stanley Award
1st Place: The Sacramento Observer
2nd Place: Washington Informer
3rd Place: Savannah Tribune
Social Criminal Justice – Ida B. Wells Award
1st Place: Chicago Defender
2nd Place: Dallas Weekly
3rd Place: The Sacramento Observer
Environment – Wilbert L. Holloway Award
1st Place: Houston Defender
2nd Place: The Sacramento Observer
3rd Place: New York Amsterdam News
Faith & Religion
1st Place: L.A. Sentinel
2nd Place: Baltimore Times
3rd Place: Final Call
Business Reporting
1st Place: The Sacramento Observer
2nd Place: Chicago Defender
3rd Place: Houston Defender
Editorial Opinion – Robert S. Abbott Award
1st Place: Forward Times
2nd Place: Washington Informer
3rd Place: Texas Metro News
Original Photography
1st Place: The Sacramento Observer
2nd Place: Houston Defender
3rd Place: New York Amsterdam News
Entertainment Coverage – Armstrong Ellington Award
1st Place: Afro-American Newspaper, Baltimore
2nd Place: Washington Informer
3rd Place: Atlanta Voice
Sports – Don King Award
1st Place: Afro-American Newspaper, Baltimore
2nd Place: St. Louis American
3rd Place: Atlanta Voice
Youth and Children Coverage
1st Place: The Sacramento Observer
2nd Place: Philadelphia Tribune
3rd Place: Savannah Tribune
Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle – Ada S. Franklin Award
1st Place: Houston Defender
2nd Place: The Sacramento Observer
3rd Place: Atlanta Voice
Special Editions – Leon H. Washington Award
1st Place: St. Louis American
2nd Place: Philadelphia Tribune
3rd Place: Washington Informer
Original Advertising Campaign – E. Washington Rhodes Award
1st Place: St. Louis American
2nd Place: New Pittsburgh Courier
3rd Place: Seattle Medium
Layout & Design (Tabloid) – Robert L. Vann Award
1st Place: Washington Informer
2nd Place: Texas Metro News
3rd Place: New York Amsterdam News
Layout & Design (Broadsheet) – Robert L. Vann Award
1st Place: St. Louis American
2nd Place: Philadelphia Tribune
3rd Place: Michigan Chronicle
Website Excellence – A. Philip Randolph Award
1st Place: New Pittsburgh Courier
2nd Place: Michigan Chronicle
3rd Place: St. Louis American
Facebook Campaign
1st Place: The Sacramento Observer
2nd Place: Forward Times
3rd Place: Michigan Chronicle
Instagram Campaign
1st Place: Texas Metro News
2nd Place: Chicago Defender
3rd Place: Michigan Chronicle
Video Campaign
1st Place: St. Louis American
2nd Place: Houston Defender
3rd Place: L.A. Sentinel
Community Service – Karl Murphy Award
1st Place: Baltimore Times
2nd Place: L.A. Sentinel
3rd Place: Texas Metro News
Community Engagement – W.A. Scott II Award
1st Place: Dallas Weekly
2nd Place: Houston Defender
3rd Place: Philadelphia Tribune
Newspaper Excellence – John H. Sengstacke Award
1st Place: Philadelphia Tribune
2nd Place: Afro-American Newspaper, Baltimore
3rd Place: Atlanta Voice
Newsletter Excellence
1st Place: New Pittsburgh Courier
2nd Place: Savannah Tribune
3rd Place: Michigan Chronicle
“This is an opportunity to showcase the amazing publications, publishers, and journalists, and their staff who keep the Black press alive,” NNPA Fund Chair and Houston Forward Times Publisher Karen Carter Richards stated.
#NNPA BlackPress
Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association
The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”
The post The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.” appeared first on BlackPressUSA.
Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association
The East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA) and Youth Alive! came together on Aug. 21 to share with their community all that Black August means to them.
Held on EOBA’s patio at 816 98th Ave. in Deep East Oakland, the two organizations hosted their second annual Black August Experience, featuring a food tasting, financial literacy and mindfulness workshops, and voter registration with the League of Women Voters Oakland (LWV).
Black August is known as a time to uphold the legacy of prisoners who protested their conditions by fasting, fighting, and educating themselves on the economic and political circumstances that contributed to their incarceration.
According to its website, “EOBA is a multi-service youth and community development hub that goes far beyond the ring. While rooted in the discipline of boxing, for nearly 40 years EOBA has also integrated robust programs in workforce development, food justice, afterschool enrichment, financial literacy, mentorship, and wellness.”.
The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”
Through Coro California, another leadership organization serving young people across the state for 80 years, they gained a broader understanding of Black August.
EOBA Executive Director Dawna Williams spoke about how much she learned about Black August from the youth who created it. “I let them educate me,” she said. Instead of talking about prison reform and mass incarceration, Williams and youth interns found that Black August meant so much more. “We would have done a disservice if we had just focused on who the people were and what their situation was…We tried to take their message from back in the day and make it relevant to the young people today. What do they need to know?”
Youth interns created and placed posters around the patio to help participants understand how traditional Black foodways, civic engagement, financial literacy, and the power of education are relevant to Black resistance today.
An EOBA member described Black August with Youth ALIVE! as “a whole vibe. “This year we added the Fun Zone for the kids, because you really cannot go wrong with a Fun Zone. I also loved seeing everyone chillin’ in the outdoor lounge, catching some Vitamin D and just enjoying a Friday evening together.”
The food tasting, a popular event from last year, featured traditional Black foods such as black-eyed peas, johnny cakes, and fried chicken. Led by Williams, the tasting included a talk about how these traditional foods were made and why they are forms of Black resilience.
The “‘Plate of History’ was a favorite of the online writers. “Fun, educational, and did I mention delicious? Our Taste of History cook, Angela Southall, served up some good eats while connecting food to history and culture.”
The writer also commended the “League of Women Voters Oakland for their civic leadership and for getting our young people informed, ready, and registered to vote.”
Overall, it was a “good Friday event in East Oakland,” the writer said.
Upcoming Black August events: Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The websites for East Oakland Boxing Association, Youth Alive! and CORO are sources for this report.
Jana Lang is an Oakland resident, teacher, gardener and poet participating in the Propel News Initiative.
The post The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.” appeared first on BlackPressUSA.
#NNPA BlackPress
EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts
Is your home EV charging setup ready? Dealerships may not warn you about critical outlet and circuit needs. Find out before you plug in!
The post EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.
Dealerships won’t tell you: charging this big battery at home isn’t always simple. Verify your outlet capacity, circuit, and setup before assuming level one or basic outdoor outlets will suffice.
Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/A9Cd2SspoaQ
#AutoNetwork
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Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts
Don’t get tricked at the dealership! Learn essential car buying secrets to secure the best deal and avoid hidden traps.
The post Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.
Before stepping into a dealership, secure bank pre-approval for your financing rate. Then, get the out-the-door price in writing. Never discuss monthly payments until that number is fixed. Test road noise and rear visibility yourself. Decline add-ons with a simple ‘Not today’. Check backseat space with your tallest household member.
Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/maAOBjO1puY
#AutoNetwork
The post Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.
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