Washington, DC — Civil rights icon Rev. Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., former NAACP executive director and current president/CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), will begin hosting a weekly Black-oriented public affairs talk show on the public television stations nationwide in October. He is the cover story of the October 2020 issue of Speakers Magazine.
“Our nation is polarized by race; polarized by politics; polarized by economics; polarized by health disparities; polarized by the pursuit of education and the education gap; culturally polarized; ethnically polarized; religiously polarized,” Chavis said. “And so, with all of these multiple polarizations that are undergirded by systemic racism, having a national one half-hour in-depth discussion about these issues — particularly from an African-American perspective — which the mainstream media has not really chosen to focus on, will be crucial.”
The Chavis Chronicles will be rare programming as there are currently no weekly talk shows on public television specifically from a Black perspective. More than 62 million homes will have access to the show in 100 markets. They include top Nielson-rated markets: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta.
The Chavis Chronicles weekly show is a thought-provoking half-hour weekly series with an urban American flair, featuring interviews with famous leaders and politicians, doctors and scientists, cultural leaders, and influencers from around the globe.
A social justice activist of more than 60 years, Chavis says his experiences have given him an appeal to people from all walks of life. He started his civil rights career as a youth coordinator for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He earned his Master of Divinity degree from Duke University while serving an unjust 34-year prison sentence as a member of the Wilmington 10, who Amnesty International declared political prisoners. The Wilmington 10 case garnered international attention and was pardoned 40 years later. He also received a Doctor of Ministry degree from Howard University.
“My whole career is about freedom, justice, and equality. But, overarching, the struggle for freedom, justice, and equality is to stand for what’s true. Speaking truth to power, publishing truth to power, distributing truth to power. Now I have an opportunity to broadcast truth to power. If the Chavis Chronicles is going to represent anything, it’s going to represent the truth,” said Chavis.
For details on the show, visit TheChavisChronicles.com
Other speakers in the October issue of Speakers Magazine include:
* Dr. Faylo Delica
* Jermaine Stanley
* Dr. Malissa McLean
* JoVonne Walker
* Vernita Stevens
* Dr. Cynthia Hickman
* Lenora Billings-Harris
There is also an article by Andrea Patrick, “When You Stand Up, It’s Best to Stand Out” in the issue.
“Speakers Magazine continues to amplify the voices of Black speakers that are committed to making a difference in the communities and an impact on the world. Diversity and inclusion are more than just buzz words to them because in the climate today they realize they must speak up and speak louder than ever,” said Pam Perry, the magazine’s publisher.
Watch the video from the issue:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cO1jrYDsLk
For press inquiries, contact Leah Hubbard at staff@pamperrypr.com or (248) 690-6810.