2025 NABJ Recap: Three Cleveland Journalism Legends Inducted Into NABJ Hall of Fame

By: Tyisha Blade

The city of Cleveland took center stage at this year’s National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Convention & Career Fair, as three of its own — Wayne Dawson, Leon D. Bibb, and Gregory L. Moore — were inducted into the NABJ Hall of Fame. The honor was bestowed during the Hall of Fame Induction Luncheon on Friday, August 8, 2025 at Huntington Convention Center, part of the NABJ 2025 Convention which ran August 6–10 in downtown Cleveland.

For Wayne Dawson, co-anchor of WJW/Fox 8 News in the Morning, the recognition is another milestone in a storied career that has made him one of Northeast Ohio’s most trusted broadcast journalists. With 11 regional Emmy Awards, membership in the Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and the Cleveland Press Club’s Chuck Heaton Award among his accolades, Dawson has spent decades delivering news with professionalism and heart. Dawson’s Hall of Fame induction comes less than a year after he publicly shared his battle with oral cancer and celebrated being cancer-free.

Dawson mentioned that he was surprised when he learned of his induction. 

“It’s unreal, but I appreciate and am humbled by the honor,” he said during an interview for the Greater Cleveland Association of Black Journalists. 

Dawson considers it a blessing to have spent so many years in his profession and to still genuinely enjoy the work he does. 

“It’s something that’s a part of me,” he said. “A poor guy from East Cleveland has been able to hang in there for 45 years, that itself, is nothing but God.”

Leon D. Bibb’s induction adds another chapter to his pioneering career. Over the decades, Bibb earned 10 local Emmy Awards and interviewed an array of history-makers, from Presidents Barack Obama and George H. W. Bush to astronaut Neil Armstrong. His work has been recognized with numerous honors, and in Cleveland, a section of Parkway Avenue now bears the name “Leon Bibb Way.” 

Bibb noted that he was honored to be named a Hall of Famer and he is also grateful to do the work that he set his heart on at just 11 years old. His induction honors not just his groundbreaking role, but also his enduring commitment to telling Cleveland’s stories. “Journalism is in my blood, and I knew as early as the sixth grade that this is what I wanted to do,” Bibb said.

Gregory L. Moore entered the Hall of Fame as one of the nation’s most respected editors. Moore served as managing editor of the Boston Globe before leading The Denver Post, during which the paper won four Pulitzer Prizes. He has earned NABJ’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the Benjamin C. Bradlee Editor of the Year Award, and served as co-chair of the Pulitzer Prize Board. He is also one of the founding members of the Cleveland chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists.

“To find out I was inducted was a gratifying experience," Moore said. “It’s a selective process... It’s rewarding when you get that kind of recognition for a body of work over a 40-year career. I tried to make a difference for the communities that we cover. I tried to make a difference in diversity in the newsroom.”

The legendary NABJ Hall of Fame inductees from Cleveland share similar sentiments about the NABJ organization. Dawson mentioned that NABJ is a sense of unity, support, and network building. Bibb shared his initial work for NABJ as a member of the Black Media Workers in Cleveland, and that he witnessed NABJ unfold at its beginning stages. Moore noted his work of being a ‘change agent’ and encouraging young journalists to continue to study the craft.

Their inductions are more than personal milestones, they are a celebration of Cleveland’s deep legacy in journalism. All three honorees have not only excelled in their craft but have also opened doors for future generations of Black journalists. From the anchor desk to the editor’s chair, they have shaped how communities see themselves and how their stories are told.