Clinton is keynote speaker at conference on race and the press

President Clinton at the Shorenstein Center conference.
President Clinton at the Shorenstein Center conference.

June 28, 2001 — In an effort to stimulate discussion about the way important racial-related news stories are reported in the American media, the John F. Kennedy School of Government’s Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy sponsored a Conference on Race and the Press on Thursday, June 28, in Washington, D.C.

Former President William Jefferson Clinton, who initiated a yearlong national dialogue on race, was the luncheon speaker.

There were two panel discussions, featuring prominent journalists and academics, focusing on the subject matter from different perspectives — local and national. Panelists include ABC News anchor Carole Simpson, New York Times deputy managing editor Gerald Boyd, and The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer senior correspondent Ray Suarez.

Other participants include Robert J. Blendon, Professor of Health Policy and Management, Kennedy School; Taeku Lee, Assistant Professor of Public Policy, Kennedy School; and Deborah Mathis, Shorenstein Fellow, former national correspondent for Gannett News Service.