Ewing Awards

The Russ Ewing
Excellence in Journalism Awards
and Scholarship Presentation

The Chicago Association of Black Journalists (CABJ), Chicago's original, professional organization of African American journalists and media professionals established the "Russ Ewing Excellence in Journalism Awards and Scholarship Presentation" in September 2003.

This annual fundraiser includes a media awards competition and scholarship presentation. CABJ presents awards for outstanding coverage of African Americans and issues of special concern to the African American community. The awards salute the accomplishments of Chicago's radio and television broadcasters, print journalists, photojournalists as well as public relations professionals. In addition, scholarships are presented to outstanding college and university students pursuing careers in journalism.

CABJ has chosen to permanently rename its annual recognition of journalistic excellence in honor of the exceptional career of Chicago's own Russ Ewing. Mr. Ewing, who began his media career as a courier for WMAQ TV, is noted for his tough, no nonsense but compassionate and ethical style of reporting. In fact, he won an Emmy award for the very first story he filed as a professional reporter. However, Russ Ewing is most widely recognized as the reporter to whom at-large criminals would surrender themselves. During the course of his career, Russ would escort over 110 at-large criminals to the authorities.

It is CABJ's intent in creating the Russ Ewing Excellence in Journalism Awards to establish a new tradition in honor of Mr. Ewing's sense of ethics, integrity & fairness and to build on the legacy of those journalism and media giants who have blazed trails before us. Our aim is to recognize the hard work being done by Chicago area journalists and media outlets in their coverage of the African American community and to institute the Ewing Awards as one of Chicago's most desired premiere media awards programs.