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White House Correspondents' Dinner honours black journalist once barred White House Correspondents' Dinner honours black journalist once barred
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The White House Correspondents' Association was scheduled to mark its 100th anniversary on Saturday night by honouring Harry McAlpin, the first black reporter to attend a presidential news conference.The White House Correspondents' Association was scheduled to mark its 100th anniversary on Saturday night by honouring Harry McAlpin, the first black reporter to attend a presidential news conference.
The organisation, the host of Saturday's annual White House Correspondents' Dinner has established a scholarship bearing McAlpin's name. McAlpin's son Sherman, who lives in Maryland, was scheduled to attend and meet President Barack Obama.The organisation, the host of Saturday's annual White House Correspondents' Dinner has established a scholarship bearing McAlpin's name. McAlpin's son Sherman, who lives in Maryland, was scheduled to attend and meet President Barack Obama.
In February 1944, Franklin Delano Roosevelt invited 13 leaders of the National Negro Publishers Association (NNPA) to the White House; three days later, McAlpin was standing outside the Oval Office, waiting for his first news conference as a White House reporter.In February 1944, Franklin Delano Roosevelt invited 13 leaders of the National Negro Publishers Association (NNPA) to the White House; three days later, McAlpin was standing outside the Oval Office, waiting for his first news conference as a White House reporter.
One of his contemporaries approached with a deal. Stay out here, the reporter told McAlpin. The other White House correspondents would share their notes, and McAlpin would have a chance to become an official member of their association. McAlpin marched into the Oval Office anyway. Afterward, President Roosevelt shook McAlpin's hand and said: "I'm glad to see you, McAlpin, and very happy to have you here."One of his contemporaries approached with a deal. Stay out here, the reporter told McAlpin. The other White House correspondents would share their notes, and McAlpin would have a chance to become an official member of their association. McAlpin marched into the Oval Office anyway. Afterward, President Roosevelt shook McAlpin's hand and said: "I'm glad to see you, McAlpin, and very happy to have you here."
McAlpin, who became a fixture at the White House during the Roosevelt and Truman administrations, never got a WHCA membership.McAlpin, who became a fixture at the White House during the Roosevelt and Truman administrations, never got a WHCA membership.
"Harry McAlpin is someone who should be recognised and shouldn't be forgotten," National Journal correspondent George Condon, the WHCA's unofficial historian, said this week."Harry McAlpin is someone who should be recognised and shouldn't be forgotten," National Journal correspondent George Condon, the WHCA's unofficial historian, said this week.
WHCA President Steven Thomma noted that the group is much more diverse now than in the days when it refused membership to blacks, thus excluding them from presidential press conferences.WHCA President Steven Thomma noted that the group is much more diverse now than in the days when it refused membership to blacks, thus excluding them from presidential press conferences.
"Not quite where this press corps probably ought to be to have the kind of voices and questions we want to hear, but I think we've made some progress," Thomma said."Not quite where this press corps probably ought to be to have the kind of voices and questions we want to hear, but I think we've made some progress," Thomma said.
Before McAlpin, minority reporters had been excluded from many official Washington news conferences. That changed after the creation of the NNPA in 1941. John Sengstacke, the publisher of the Chicago Defender and one of the creators of the NNPA, opened a Washington bureau and hired McAlpin, a lawyer, as a part-time correspondent.Before McAlpin, minority reporters had been excluded from many official Washington news conferences. That changed after the creation of the NNPA in 1941. John Sengstacke, the publisher of the Chicago Defender and one of the creators of the NNPA, opened a Washington bureau and hired McAlpin, a lawyer, as a part-time correspondent.
Roosevelt press secretary Stephen Early refused to introduce McAlpin to the president, as was customary at that time, leading McAlpin to walk up to Roosevelt alone, said Earnest L Perry Jr, who wrote about the attempt to credential a black White House correspondent for the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.Roosevelt press secretary Stephen Early refused to introduce McAlpin to the president, as was customary at that time, leading McAlpin to walk up to Roosevelt alone, said Earnest L Perry Jr, who wrote about the attempt to credential a black White House correspondent for the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.
McAlpin was never credentialed to cover Congress. Louis Lautier ended up being the first accredited African-American congressional reporter.McAlpin was never credentialed to cover Congress. Louis Lautier ended up being the first accredited African-American congressional reporter.
McAlpin eventually left Washington to practice law in Louisville, Kentucky, and later became the president of the local NAACP chapter. He died in 1985.McAlpin eventually left Washington to practice law in Louisville, Kentucky, and later became the president of the local NAACP chapter. He died in 1985.
Several journalists will be awarded prizes for their coverage of the presidency and national issues.
Glenn Thrush of Politico and Brianna Keilar of CNN won the Aldo Beckman Award, which recognizes excellence in the coverage of the presidency. Peter Baker of The New York Times and Peter Maer of CBS News won the Merriman Smith Award for deadline coverage. Megan Twohey of Reuters and a partnership between The Center for Public Integrity's Chris Hamby and ABC News' Matthew Mosk and Brian Ross won the Edgar A. Poe Award for coverage of issues of national significance.