News conference with Tony Brown, host of PBS’s Tony Brown’s Journal and featured speaker for this year’s Cary Kwanzaa celebration taking place on Thursday, December 27 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Herbert C. Young Community Center.

December 27, 2001, 11 a.m.

Herb Young Community Center, 404 N. Academy St., Room A

Tony Brown has written two powerful books, Black Lies, White Lies: The Truth According to Tony Brown and Empower the People: The Conspiracy That Is Stealing Your Money and Freedom. Brown is an active advocate of economic policies which foster competitiveness and self-reliance. Although dealing with problems that cannot be ignored, both books focus on the future and on solutions.

Tony Brown is a man of action who challenges Black America to take the leadership role in perpetuating its own course. He was chosen as the keynote speaker for a summit conference of 150 national Black organizations on self-help. He established the Buy Freedom Network, a nationwide drive to create new jobs and home-based businesses. This media entrepreneur has been an innovator in many areas. He was the first and founding dean, as well as professor, of the School of Communications at Howard University, where he established a highly distinguished academic and professional record. Concerned with the shortage of Blacks in the communications industry, he initiated an annual careers conference at Howard, which was highly successful in securing jobs for qualified Blacks in the field of communications.

Tony Brown is best known, however, for his work as a journalist. He is the commentator of the PBS series Tony Brown's Journal, the longest-running public-affairs series on PBS and the second longest-running of all PBS series. Brown’s weekly television series was selected by the New York Daily News as one of the top 10 television shows of all time that presents positive Black images. Tony Brown's Journal was the only current program ranked in the top 10. The TV series was also nominated for the 1991 NAACP Image Award for "Outstanding News, Talk or Information Series/Special."

Sponsored by the Town of Cary and the Ujima Group, Inc. Cary Kwanzaa is a communal, non-denominational, secular celebration that honors African-American people and their heritage.