Community January 18, 2025
Real Deal Press R. T. Andrews
The Greater Cleveland Association of Black Journalists [GCLEABJ (pronounced G-CLE-A-B-J)] has announced the inaugural class of inductees into its newly established Hall of Fame.
The first class consists of twelve members, half of whom will be inducted posthumously. Several others remain professionally active, including Leon Bibb, Alexandria Johnson Boone, and Nate Paige, and Richard “Zoom” Scott.
Paige has been a frequent contributor to The Real Deal Press.
A ceremony honoring the inductees is scheduled for Saturday, February 22, 2025, at the Cleveland History Center.
“We are excited about this opportunity to enshrine those members of our community who blazed trails within Cleveland’s media landscape into a hall of fame,” said Rhonda Crowder, GCLEABJ president. “The recognition is long overdue.”
Nominations were open to the community at large. Any journalists who have worked at media outlets in the greater Cleveland market (including Summit County) living or deceased, were eligible for induction. Final inductees were voted on and selected by current GCLEABJ members.
Here is the inaugural class of the 2025 GCLEABJ Hall of Fame, along with their category of service and most noted organizational affiliation.
GCLEABJ will also honor current journalists during the ceremony. The organization will recognize media professionals for their exemplary work over the past year.
Tickets for the Hall of Fame celebration gala are $150 and are available on the chapter’s website.
“Our inaugural Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony is a great way to get the community excited about the upcoming National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Convention and Career Fair which will take place here in Cleveland next summer,” said Helen Maynard, the chapter's vice president of broadcast.
GCLEABJ is the host chapter for NABJ’s annual convention and career fair, held in Cleveland, August 6-10, 2025, at the Huntington Convention Center, which will also celebrate the organization’s 50th anniversary.
The local chapter, founded in 1975, was reconstituted in 2013 after a fallow period. Since then it has hosted a regional NABJ conference and was named national co-chapter of the year in 2016.
GCLEABJ is comprised of print, radio, TV and digital journalists as well as public relations and communications professionals from across Northeast Ohio. Its mission is to serve and strengthen the community by honestly reflecting the past, accurately reporting the present, and providing support, inspiration, fellowship and opportunities for journalists of color.

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