The Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists (PABJ) is saddened to hear of Malcolm Poindexter’s passing today. PABJ honored Mr. Poindexter with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 at its Banquet of Honors. Mr. Poindexter’s journalism career, which started in 1947, spanned more than half a century and included a significant body of work at various print, broadcast and radio media outlets in Philadelphia.
Mr. Poindexter worked for CBS3, KYW Newsradio, The Philadelphia Tribune, The Bulletin, Jet, Ebony, the Associated Negro Press, and the London Daily Express. He was recognized with over 300 community awards and earned multiple Emmys and other journalism honors. Mr. Poindexter was inducted in the Hall of Fame of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia and the Broadcast Pioneers of Pennsylvania. He retired in 2001.
“Malcolm was a renaissance journalist, ahead of his time,” said PABJ president Sarah Glover, a Daily News staff photographer. “He was a multi-media journalist when there wasn’t such a concept. He was able to master the various forms of media– print, broadcast and radio– and excelled in all that he did journalistically. Today’s journalists should take a cue from Malcolm and his legacy. He not only blazed a trail as a black journalist, he accomplished more than most journalists might be capable of in two lifetimes.”
Malcolm was one of the first people 6ABC reporter Lisa Thomas-Laury met when she came to Philadelphia in 1978. She recalled him as “a gentleman and truly great guy.” Thomas-Laury introduced Malcolm to an intern shadowing her on assignment one day and the intern remarked about his short stature. Thomas-Laury said, “Malcolm’s one of the tallest men I know.”
Daily News columnist Elmer Smith recalled Malcolm’s significance and humble spirit. Smith said, “Given Malcolm’s pioneer status and how much he accomplished, he was unassuming. He was a television star and you got no sense of that.”
Philadelphia Inquirer editor emeritus and PABJ founder Acel Moore considered Mr. Poindexter a dear friend. When speaking of him, Moore said, “Malcolm was a constant stabilizing figure in radio and television. He was also an admirable man and an outstanding citizen. He was a man respected by everybody.”
PABJ extends its sympathy to the Poindexter family.
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