Freedom Newspaper (Raleigh, North Carolina)
30 March 2008
Bankole Thompson is a household name in the media fraternity in Michigan. The Gambian-born American trained editor is currently serving as Senior Editor of one of the largest and most influential African American newspapers in America, the Michigan Chronicle (www.michronicleonline.com) founded in 1936.
As Senior Editor, Thompson directs the editorial expression of the Michigan Chronicle on local, national and international issues. He is responsible for assigning front page stories to reporters and writers of the Michigan Chronicle. In addition to his demanding editorial duties Thompson writes a popular column on the front page of the newspaper.
Thompson's articles are syndicated by BlackPressUSA.Com reaching 15 million readers.
In 2003, Thompson directed lecture series on Third World issues for the Washington-based foreign policy think tank, the Africa Faith and Justice Network at the Brookings Institute, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the National Press Club.
In 2006, the University of Iowa described Thompson as a "distinguished lecturer" following an invitation as keynote speaker for the university's Africa Week. Thompson spoke on the theme "The Media and the African Poverty Crisis."
That same year, his first book, Ignoring The Underprivileged, a critique of the news media's coverage on race and class in America hit the book stores. The book, with a foreword written by veteran Michigan journalist Cliff Russell, host of American Black Journal on Detroit PBS Television, received glowing endorsements and became required reading at Eastern Michigan University School of Journalism and Wayne State University Department of Africana Studies. Jet Magazine called the book a work on "mainstream media's poor coverage of inner cities."
His second book, A Matter of Black Transformation, released in 2007 pushes the frontiers of African and African American socio-economic relationships in the light of China's heightened interest in Africa.
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