In Memoriam
Claude Lewis, founder of National Association of Black Journalists, passes away at 82
Claude Lewis, founder of the National Association of Black Journalists and a founder of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists, has passed away.

Claude Lewis, founder of the National Association of Black Journalists and also a founder of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists (PABJ), has died according to his grandson Judah Wilson.
He was 82.
Statement of Claude Lewis death
“This is a very sad day. Claude was a great mentor for me at The Bulletin. He always had time to talk with a young journalist trying to navigate the newsroom. He was the calm spirit that guided many of us,” said former colleague and NABJ Founder Sandra Dawson Long Weaver.
Journalism career
Lewis was a highly respected journalist and mentor to many journalists.
Born and raised in the Bronx, he attended New York City public schools and graduated from City College with a degree in English.
Lewis worked as an editor and reporter for newspapers and magazines, such as Newsweek, New York Herald Tribune, and The Philadelphia Bulletin.
Social justice
Claude Lewis covered the civil rights movement in the 1960s. He met with and interviewed Langston Hughes, James Baldwin, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. In 1968, Lewis left a meeting in Philadelphia to join the King family in Memphis immediately after receiving the news that King was shot.
Lewis formed the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists in 1973 with Chuck Stone and Acel Moore, and the group would go on to become one of the 44 founders of the National Association of Black Journalists in 1975 in Washington, D.C.
“Claude was a journalist miles ahead of his time, and he achieved recognition long before many recognized him,” said Paul Brock, another NABJ co-founder.
Claude Lewis legacy
Lewis died at his Cherry Hill, New Jersey home on Thursday morning.
He’s survived by his wife Beverly, four children, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. A memorial service is planned for a later date.
----------------------------------------------------------
Connect with Unheard Voices on X, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube
Download the app on Google Play or ITunes.
----------------------------------------------------------
Unheard Voices Magazine is a news reporting platform covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.
Discover more from Unheard Voices Magazine
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
-
New Jersey1 week ago
New Jersey mother says 2-year-old daughter was missing a braid when she picked her up from day care
-
News4 weeks ago
South Carolina veteran dies on his birthday while saving 13-year-old boy from drowning
-
Black And Missing4 weeks ago
Update: The body of missing Ohio 13-year-old has been found; her father charged for her murder
-
Crime & Justice2 days ago
Two former Delaware firefighters charged with hate crimes after reportedly chasing Black co-worker with a noose
-
Crime & Justice3 weeks ago
Authorities release cause of death for Kei’Mani Latigue
-
Social Justice3 days ago
California man in jail awaiting trial files lawsuit claiming deputies left him paralyzed
-
Crime & Justice5 days ago
Walmart employee shoots multiple co-workers
-
Crime & Justice6 days ago
Mother and teen daughter fatally shot inside their New Jersey home