Curry, who notably founded “Emerge” magazine and spent his life empowering Black community media, died at the age of 69 this past weekend.
By Sameer Rao
ColorLines, August 22, 2016 —
Colorlines Screenshot of journalist George Curry, taken from Facebook on August 22, 2016.
The world lost an important champion and advocate for Black journalists and culturally-resonant race reporting when George Curry died from heart failure on Saturday (August 20).
Curry’s death at the age of 69 sent shock waves through the media world, with many journalists and contemporaries using social media to acknowledge Curry’s immense contributions:
Marc Lamont Hill ✔@marclamonthill
George Curry loved us so much. And he gave freely, without worry of reciprocity or reward. He was a hero. This hurts.
3:08 PM – 21 Aug 2016
75 75 Retweets 233 233 likes
rolandsmartin ✔@rolandsmartin
#GeorgeCurry was dedicated to the Black Press. He believed in the need for a strong, independent Black media.
8:34 AM – 21 Aug 2016
131 131 Retweets 158 158 likes
Kimberle Crenshaw @sandylocks
Devastated by the loss of George Curry. Before Black Twitter he was our truth teller, fearless against any establishment, Including our own.
2:31 PM – 21 Aug 2016
61 61 Retweets 138 138 likes
Starting his career as a reporter for Sports Illustrated and The St. Louis Dispatch, Curry eventually solidified his reputation as the editor-in-chief at Emerge, “Black America’s Newsmagazine,” from 1993 to 2000. The magazine fearlessly confronted systemic issues that marginalized Black people, including police violence, health disparities and drug law sentencing. The magazine notably ran a 1996 story about Kemba Smith, a college student sentenced to 24 years in jail for a minor role in her abusive boyfriend’s drug ring. The story brought attention to Smith’s case, eventually resulting in President Bill Clinton pardoning Smith in 2000.
The Root reports that Curry was working to relaunch Emerge online; he raised more than $16,000 through a GoFundMe campaign started last year. Several paid people tribute to Curry’s legacy by sharing some of their favorite Emerge covers:
Terrell J. Starr ✔@Russian_Starr #GeorgeCurry was the magazine version of Twitter. He was bold, provocative. Always took on police brutality. 11:19 AM – 21 Aug 2016 116 116 Retweets 121 121 likes
Mark Anthony Neal @NewBlackMan Black Media at a Crossroads: An Interview with #GeorgeCurry http://www.newblackmaninexile.net/2016/08/black-media-at-crossroads-interview.html … #RIP 10:29 AM – 21 Aug 2016 56 56 Retweets 75 75 likes
Michelle McCalope @mmccalope #GeorgeCurry and I worked together at #emerge on this cover story on #jamesbrydjr. So sad that he’s gone. @NABJ 10:18 AM – 21 Aug 2016 4 4 Retweets 6 6 likes
Curry also served as the American Society of Magazine Editors‘ first Black president, as well as editor-in-chief of Black press trade organization the National Newspaper Publishers Association‘s news service. NBC reports that he wrote well into the end of his career, with a syndicated column that ran in nearly 200 Black-owned publications.
