Donald Trump to attend national Black journalists convention in Chicago on Wednesday (2024)

Former President Donald Trump’s campaign announced Monday that he would attend the National Association of Black Journalists conference in Chicago this week, participating in a Q&A session with political journalists at noon on Wednesday.

The event will be moderated by Rachel Scott, senior congressional correspondent for ABC News; Harris Faulkner, anchor of “The Faulkner Focus” and co-host of “Outnumbered” on Fox News; and Kadia Goba, politics reporter at Semafor.

Trump decided to appear at the NABJ annual gathering in the wake of a 2024 presidential campaign that has been upended since President Joe Biden announced on July 21 that he would not seek another term. Trump is making the stop at the convention as part of his bid for Black votes.

His campaign said in a release, “Trump will engage in a Q&A with political journalists before an audience of registered convention attendees that will concentrate on the most pressing issues facing the Black community.”

The convention runs from Wednesday through Sunday at the Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Ave., and will host thousands in the industry for workshops, speaking events, forum discussions, career advancement opportunities and more.

Ken Lemon, NABJ president and a reporter at WSOC-TV in Charlotte, North Carolina, said attendance numbers are tracking ahead of previous conventions and could end up surpassing the record 4,105 that attended the 2019 convention in Miami.

Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times

“Our registration numbers are climbing, and by the time this thing is over this could be close to a record for us at NABJ, as far as attendance goes,” Lemon said.

The convention in Chicago is already the second highest-attended NABJ convention ever, with 3,625 people registered, organizers said. Last year’s event, which was attended by 3,606 people and held in Birmingham, Alabama, was the third largest.

Lemon said many more will register as the convention nears, and final attendance numbers won’t be known until the event winds down. He credited this year’s high interest in the convention in part to the city and its offerings.

“The location is wonderful, and it really lives up to itself,” Lemon said. “I heard great things about it before coming, and judging by how our members are responding to it, I think the feeling is mutual.”

Lemon also said attendees are drawn to the convention’s workshops, special guests and speakers, which in the past have included celebrities such as actor Michael B. Jordan and political figures like Barack Obama during his days as a senator.

Associated Press

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Organizers extend invitations to candidates of both parties during election years. Vice President Kamala Harris was sent an invite when it became clear in the last couple of weeks she was on her way to becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, Lemon said. NABJ had yet to hear back from Harris’ team as of Monday.

The theme for this year’s convention is “Journalism Over Disinformation.” Several of the scheduled workshops tackle that topic, including one titled “Real or Fake: Spotting Misinformation and Disinformation” and another called “The Battle for Truth in an Age of Disinformation.”

The convention will also highlight some of Chicago’s historic cultural contributions. The final day of the convention will feature a gospel brunch headlined by award-winning American gospel singer Yolanda Adams. The gospel brunch hasn’t been held during the convention for several years and is being relaunched in honor of Chicago being the birthplace of gospel music, Lemon said.

The convention is also looking to the future of the industry. There are workshops centered on the emergence of artificial intelligence and how it can be used to both spread and combat misinformation.

Brandon Pope, president of NABJ’s Chicago chapter and an Emmy-winning multimedia journalist, said it’s important for journalists to get a grasp of the technology to safeguard against its potential dangers, particularly during an election year.

“We all know how prevalent misinformation-disinformation is, and AI can complicate that,” Pope said. “We also know within our industry AI is coming, so instead of crossing our arms and pouting we have to adapt, figure out how to work with it or within it.”

Pope said the high interest in the Chicago convention shows the “collective power of hardworking Black journalists” as well as the “vibrant media ecosystem” in the city, which he said is important to the “bedrock” of Black journalism.

“We have an ecosystem here that should be celebrated and showcased to the world, especially in a time where journalism is under attack,” Pope said. “We can show people how to get it done, and that diverse voices still matter and ultimately help lead to better news coverage for collective audiences.”

Pope said the high attendance numbers also speak to the important role Black journalists will play during this election cycle, helping to navigate conversations on diversity, democracy, civil rights and social inequities.

“It’s a recognition that this is important, this is a pivotal time that we need to be present, engaged, support each other and push through collectively to tell our stories and inform our audiences,” Pope said.