First convention of the North Carolina Press Association

The North Carolina Press Association (NCPA) is an American,

nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

devoted to protecting and promoting

newspapers A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as politics, business, spor ...

and

freedom of the press Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the fundamental principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic media, especially published materials, should be considered a right to be exerc ...

in the state of

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

. It was established in 1872 in

Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...

and met for its first convention on May 14, 1873 in Goldsboro, North Carolina. The founding father and first president of the NCPA was Joseph Adolphus Engelhard, of the ''Wilmington Journal''..

History

At the suggestion of Joseph Adolphus Engelhard, the North Carolina newspaper journalist met in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1872 to organize an association that would become the NCPA. On May 14, 1873, the first convention of the NCPA was held in the court house on Walnut Street in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Joseph A. Engelhard was the first president of the association. Engelhard was a veteran of the Civil War, railroad owner, and owner of the now defunct ''Wilmington Star'' newspaper. The original motives for the formation of the North Carolina Press Association in 1873 was the concern about quack advertising and the need to form a fraternity for newspaper persons. The association held annual meetings and often provided recommendations to the North Carolina General Assembly on issues such as improving education, post offices and roads; the need for accurate information about state resources such as minerals; poor reading habits in the state; and improving the profession of journalism in the state. Since 1929, the NCPA has held annual contents in news reporting. In 1949, the NCPA organized a School of Journalism Foundation, Inc. that aided in the development of the school of journalism at the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...

. In the later part of the 1900s, the NCPA became an advocate for

First Amendment First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...

freedom, especially concerning full access to government and judicial information. The NCPA has a 12-member board of directors that is headquartered in

Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southe ...

.The North Carolina General Assembly is vigorously lobbying the organization on matters of journalistic interest.

Membership

Membership in the North Carolina Press Association includes almost all North Carolina state, county, and community newspapers; collegiate members; and corporate/associate members. The NCPA is located physically at 5171 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, North Carolina. The NCPA has a presence on Facebook for communicating with members and the public. Notes:

References

Bibliography

* * * * {{cite book, editor=Sherrill, J.B., title=Historical Records: North Carolina Press Association 1873-1887, publisher=North Carolina Press Association, year=1930 1873 establishments in North Carolina North Carolina Press Association