10-21-93 Journalist Carl Rowan Will Meet with Reporters NEWS ADVISORY: JOURNALIST CARL ROWAN WILL MEET WITH REPORTERS Carl Rowan, journalist, author and former diplomat, will be the keynote speaker for the 49th anniversary dinner of the United Negro College Fund on Thursday, Oct. 28, in Columbus. Rowan is one of America's most distinguished journalists and commentators. Prior to the dinner, Rowan will meet with reporters at 4:30 p.m. in the second floor ballroom of the University Club, 21 E. State St. A multbox will be provided. The topic of Rowan's speech at the dinner is "A View from Washington." A native of Tennessee, Rowan, 68, attended Tennessee State University and Washburn University. He then served during World War II as one of the first 15 African Americans to earn a commissioned rank in the U.S. Navy. After the war, he received a bachelor's degree in 1947 from Oberlin College and a master's degree in journalism in 1948 from the University of Minnesota. As a reporter for the Minneapolis Tribune, he wrote articles and books about bigotry in the South that drew national acclaim. He subsequently became the only journalist to receive the Sigma Delta Chi medallion for journalistic excellence in three successive years. President Kennedy appointed Rowan as deputy assistant secretary of state from 1961-63 and as ambassador to Finland in 1963-64. President Johnson named Rowan as director of the U.S. Information Agency in 1964-65. Rowan, a syndicated newspaper columnist since 1965, has done award-winning television documentaries on drug abuse, the Constitution and racial warfare in Africa. His seventh book, Dream Makers, Dream Breakers: The World of Justice Thurgood Marshall, was published earlier this year. He also began a scholarship program, "Project Excellence," six years ago to encourage Black high school students to achieve academically. Rowan has received 44 honorary degrees. He and his wife, Vivien, live in Washington, D.C. For more information on the news availability, contact Steve Sterrett, director of news services at Ohio State, at 292-8472 or Sarah Austin, special assistant to the president for business- community relations, at 292-6569. The dinner will be at 7 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 350 N. High St. The event is one of the highlights of the UNCF's annual campaign for its 41 member colleges and universities. UNCF's national goal for 1993 is $59 million, and the central Ohio area goal is $1,088,000. Reporters are welcome to cover Rowan's dinner speech. Excerpts from the speech may be broadcast in news reports only. Reporters interested in attending the dinner should contact James L. Allen at the UNCF office in Columbus at 221-5309. [Submitted by: REIDV (reidv@ccgate.ucomm.ohio-state.edu) Thu, 21 Oct 93 10:09:16 EST] All documents are the responsibility of their originator.