By Attorney Peter Graham Cohn
Black History Month is the perfect time for each of us to pause, reflect and celebrate the wonderful contributions that African American people within our midst have made to our heritage and history. Sometimes we forget to consider those near and dear to us who have been faithfully witnessing and recording the milestones and achievements that our brothers and sisters are making every day. Dr. Amelia Ashley-Ward of the San Francisco Sun-Reporter Newspaper is one of those chroniclers who has so often lifted up others whose life stories have not been told and enabled them to achieve their personal best in life and to give back to their communities through a diverse range of public and private service.
For some 78 years, the Sun-Reporter – founded by Dr. Carlton Goodlett and Mr. Thomas Fleming in 1944 and led by Dr. Amelia Ashley-Ward since 1997 – has been that beacon and legendary news journal of Northern California “dedicated to the cause of the people so that no good cause shall lack a champion and evil shall not thrive unopposed.” In 1979, Amelia graduated from San Jose State University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism and, after serving as an intern at the Sun-Reporter during her final year of study, was hired as a reporter by Dr. Goodlett and took up the paper’s mantle of being a leading advocate for others. In 1984, she was promoted to Managing Editor; and, in 1994, she became the Publisher. In 1997, she bought the entire Sun-Reporter Publishing Company which includes the California Voice, the Metro and the Sun-Reporter.
Throughout her career, Amelia has exemplified the mission of the Sun-Reporter and has stood firm on behalf of those who needed a champion and whose stories would not otherwise be told. Like the great tradition of her newspaper, she has always been willing to give voice to those in need and to be fearless in undertaking unpopular causes. As a result, civic leaders have always sought the counsel of the Sun-Reporter in confronting challenging issues of the day as well as support in their administrative and legislative initiatives, and campaigns for public office. In 2014, Amelia created and implemented the Talented 25 tradition of annually telling and publishing the stories of the lives of those in various positions of private or public service. Amelia’s innovation set a wonderful example for the African American press and community because it embodied what Dr. King underscored in his inspiring quote: “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” As a result, Amelia and her late Editor – Gail Berkley – interviewed some 150 souls over the years to capture all the key influences and mentors in their lives and their philosophies that have enabled them to serve others. These narratives were developed to inspire the future generations of up-and-coming African American community leaders on how they too can best serve in very meaningful ways.
On December 16, 2021, Amelia’s proud ancestors and the elders – who were summoned – had the honor of witnessing San Jose State University turning the bright light of history onto the life and legacy of Dr. Amelia Ashley-Ward by awarding her the honorary Doctorate Degree of Humane Letters during its 2021 Commencement ceremony. She was awarded the Degree by SJSU President Mary Papazian in front of her family and friends and the 571 graduates of the College of Social Sciences along with their families and supporters. Her family delegation was led by her son Evan Carlton Ward and her sisters Shunda Ashley-Criswell and Lytoria Ashley-Little.
In awarding the Degree, President Papazian read both the extensive citation that was the basis for the academic action taken and the Degree itself that was signed by her, the Governor, the Chancellor and the President of the California State University Trustees. The declaration of the Degree stated: “The Trustees of the California State University on the recommendation of San Jose State University hereby confer upon AMELIA ASHLEY-WARD the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters with all the rights, privileges and honors pertaining thereto, given at San Jose State University.” The Citation to Amelia’s extraordinary career by the University began as follows: “Amelia Ashley-Ward has been a strong voice for more inclusive journalism throughout her career.” It then proceeded to memorialize her illustrious career, honors and awards both in journalism and public service.
Amelia has now joined an elite list of distinguished individuals that San Jose State University has very selectively chosen to honor with such an award beginning with President John F Kennedy in June of 1963. After awarding the Degree, Dr. Papazian invited the new doctor to address the graduates regarding both the meaning of the award and their graduation.
In her typical tradition of uplifting others, Dr. Ashley-Ward inspired the graduates to pursue their careers and dreams by never accepting “No” or “You can’t” and by always employing “the power of positive defiance” to remove any impediments to their goals. She shared insights with the graduates as to how a little African American girl who migrated from Mississippi to San Francisco – and raised by a dedicated single mom (the late Ms. Louise Ashley) – pursued her dream of working in journalism. In doing so, she never let the gatekeepers of the halls of power or anyone block her access or prevent her from achieving success in her chosen field that was often dominated by those who were white and male.
Amelia graphically shared with those gathered how – as a reporter, editor, publisher and owner of the Sun-Reporter – she was able to lift up and empower others. She cited the example of a young African American female lawyer who came to her in 2003 and wanted to run to become the District Attorney of San Francisco against a very well-known white male incumbent. The lawyer was told no, that it was not her time, and she should defer to the incumbent. Amelia and the Sun-Reporter took up her cause in the face of all the naysayers and the young lawyer – whose name was Kamala Harris – ran and won. As Amelia noted, the rest is history in that Kamala subsequently became California’s Attorney General and U.S. Senator.
That history also played out for the graduates on that day in December when a moving letter was officially read to the graduates from the Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris in which she captured the essence and value of Amelia’s career. The Vice President’s words provided additional motivation to the graduates for pursuing paths of excellence not only in journalism or the social sciences but also in public service.
She wrote: “For more than 40 years, Amelia has shone the light of truth. She has told the stories that others ignore. She has held the powerful to account. And she has upheld the highest journalistic standards through it all.”
She added: “Amelia has built the Sun-Reporter – a keystone African American media for more than 75 years – into one of the most important and influential newspapers in the United States.”
Like the Vice President, Ms. Berkley was also a dear friend and admirer of Amelia and she had shared how proud she was of Amelia receiving this distinguished and well-deserved honor from San Jose State University. Having collaborated with Amelia on a number of the Sun-Reporter most popular and sought-after Special Editions covering major events affecting the African American community in Northern California, Gail insisted prior to her recent passing that the Sun Reporter have another Special Edition lifting up and honoring Dr. Amelia Ashley-Ward on the receipt of her honorary Doctorate Degree from San Jose State University.
This Special Edition honors that wish, keeps true to the great tradition of the Sun-Reporter, and makes clear the importance of all of us continuing to support the Sun-Reporter and the African American media so that wonderful life stories – like Amelia’s – can be documented and chronicled to inspire others to have the courage to be champions for those who are in great need of someone to stand up for them. Congratulations to Dr. Amelia Ashley-Ward.
Attorney Peter Graham Cohn has represented the SFNAACP Branch and the public school children of San Francisco in the San Francisco school desegregation case in federal court from 1978 – 2006. He has worked with the national NAACP – including the late Chairman Emeritus Julian Bond – for over 45 years at the national, regional, state and local levels. He has also been an advisor and counsel to the SFNAACP Branch since the 1970’s. He can be reached at: [email protected].
