‘Beyond the Headlines’ film honors NABJ’s 50-year legacy

National Association of Black Journalists founding member Sandra Dawson Long Weaver was emotional as she sat on stage and retold a story from the most recent NABJ Convention in Cleveland. ESPN television personality Stephen A. Smith had seen her following a taping of “First Take” and ran over to hug her. Weaver said he held on tight while thanking her for giving him an opportunity to be a sports writer at the Philadelphia Inquirer some 30 years ago. Weaver hired Smith because she believed he had something special in him that would help him succeed in journalism; she was right.

“I still get emotional thinking about that,” she said.

Weaver and fellow founder Allison Davis received their flowers on the stage inside the Tara Theater on Friday night following a screening of the NABJ documentary Beyond the Headlines: The NABJ Journey. Both women, journalists in their own right during their careers in television production and at newspapers, were prominently featured during the film. “Beyond the Headlines,” which shines a light on the 50-year existence of NABJ, was screened as part of the annual BronzeLens Film Festival. 

Both Davis and Weaver joined NABJ as 20-year-olds and had no idea they would still be talking about the organization five decades later. Each woman said there is a need now more than ever for a film about an organization such as NABJ.

“We wanted to make sure, not only to commemorate NABJ, we felt it was important that we share our story,” said Davis, who was one of the film’s producers. “We feel the film does that.”

Along with Atlanta, there are other cities where screenings of “Beyond the Headlines” is being screened, including in Cleveland during the annual NABJ convention earlier this month. 

“It’s important because this film will reach a wider audience, not just only our NABJ convention audience,” Weaver said. 

Having the idea of a NABJ documentary become an actual documentary was a process worthy of discussion. Davis and Weaver took questions from longtime NABJ member and Atlanta Journal-Constitution Editor-in-Chief Leroy Chapman following the conclusion of the screening. During the Q&A portion of the night, both founding members were open and honest about how they made it into the room on that faithful day in Washington, D.C. There are also moments in the film where other founding members spoke about how they found their way to D.C. from all over the country.

“It is Black history,” Weaver said of the film. “That is one of the reasons we wanted to start this organization. Now it has over 4,000 members.” 

“Our job is to not only tell our stories, but to make sure our young people know our stories,” Davis said during an interview with The Atlanta Voice before the screening.

When asked if either founder believes watching “Beyond the Headlines” should be a required viewing for NABJ members, Weaver said it should.

“I think it is critical that when you come into this organization and see this film,” she said.

Davis agreed.

“I absolutely think all members should see it,” she said. “We do that with our sororities and fraternities, why not with NABJ?” she reasoned. “This film is a way of saying we’re not letting our stories disappear.” 

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