Week of June 21, 2017 Vol 36 • No 32 • www.thechicagocitizen.com
Entertainment
Weekly
STADIUM TRANSFORMED INTO LARGER-THAN-LIFE PLAYGROUND
+P8
South Suburban
Audit Bureau of Circulation ABC AUDITED
Community Focus
BLACK UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FALLS FOR THE WRONG REASONS P3
News
HBCU STUDENTS “DISCOVER THE UNEXPECTED” WITH THE BLACK PRESS P2
P8
FILM SEEKS TO CHANGE HOW WOMEN & GIRLS SEE THEMSELVES
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ILLINOIS PRESS ASSOCIATION HONORS
WILLIAM “BILL” GARTH, SR., FORMER CEO OF THE CITIZEN By Christopher Shuttlesworth The Illinois Press Association held its 2017 IPA convention on June 7-9, 2017, where they honored long-time members and news-industry pioneers who have impacted lives in their respective communities and through their work in various national organizations at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield, Illinois. “The IPA, which was founded in 1865 as an organization for Illinois publishers, has evolved into more than 450 newspapers, making it the largest state newspaper association in the country,” according to the Illinoispress.org. The Board of Directors determines the legislative and business practices that are carried out by the IPA’s full-time staff of 15 employees. During the 2017 IPA Convention, the Chicago Citizen’s Former Publisher William “Bill” Garth Sr., who passed away on Sept. 23, 2016, was honored for his life-long commitment in the news industry and for his dedicated work as a board member and former President of IPA. Susan J. Walker, who is the General Manager of the Hyde Park Herald, presented
the Distinguished Service Award on June 8, 2017, to the current Chicago Citizen Publisher Darrell Garth, the son of “Bill” Garth. The Citizen Weekly newspaper, was founded by the late Illinois Congressman Augustus Alexander “Gus” Savage, during the height of the Civil Rights era in 1965,” according to the thechicagocitizen.com. Walker said “Bill” Garth worked for the Citizen newspaper as an advertising salesman but then purchased the paper from Savage in 1980. “From there, he started the South Suburban Citizen in 1984 and the Hyde Park Citizen newspaper in 1987,” she said. “Garth led the Citizen newspaper to become the largest African American owned ABC audited newspaper in the mid-west.” The Citizen grew to a circulation of 121,000 and a readership over 400,000. With Garth as the publisher of the Citizen, he made sure to keep the city of Chicago informed and contributed to the growth of local communities. Walker said, Garth wanted to see young African Americans
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William “Bill” Garth, Sr.
www.thechicagocitizen.com • 52 years of serving the Black community
Member