John B Smith Sr.
ATLANTA – Atlanta City Councilmember Michael Julian Bond will honor veteran newsman John B. Smith, Sr. with a reception and proclamation Monday, March 7 at Atlanta City Hall, 55 Trinity Avenue.
The noon reception will be followed by a 1:00 p.m. proclamation presentation during the regularly scheduled Atlanta City Council meeting.
Smith is the publisher and chief executive officer of The Atlanta Inquirer and is celebrating 55 years with the newspaper.
In February 1961, he worked a as a part-time advertising salesman while teaching high school math.
He rapidly moved up to advertising manager to vice president to publisher and owner.
When he took the helm, he helped organize several social and civic organizations for a better life for Atlanta citizens.
He played an integral role with the Atlanta Student Movement and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.
During the height of the civil rights movement, The Atlanta Inquirer filled the void for students to possess a voice left unheard by other media.
The newspaper became not only an educational tool, but also a distinctive, viable route of communicating news of, by, and within the African-American community.
He has served as the chairman, first vice chairman, and second vice chairman of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, known as The Black Press of America, commanding responsibilities of the newspaper federation which is comprised of 200 plus African- American newspapers nationwide.
Smith has been appointed to many boards, has served on numerous committees, has a long list of community involvement, has been an active member of different civic and community organizations, and has received many awards and honors for his contribution to journalism.