Bernstein to speak at Journalism Review gala

Carl Bernstein, of the Washington Post reporting duo of Woodward and Bernstein, is the featured speaker at the Journalism Review’s 7th Annual First Amendment Celebration on April 12.  The event begins with cocktails at 6 p.m. at the Edward Jones Headquarters, 12556 Manchester Road, across from the West County shopping center.

Bernstein’s topic will be: “It’s not just the politicians. We the people sent them there. We the press are complicit.”

Four awards will be presented after Bernstein’s talk.

– Former Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael A. Wolff will present the second annual Freedom Fighter award to Thomas Harvey, former director of ArchCity Defenders, and to ArchCity itself.  ArchCity led the way to revealing the injustices of the St. Louis County municipal courts system in the wake of the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson.  Wolff was the first recipient of the Freedom award.

– Kay Drey, the legendary environmental activist, will present Dawn Chapman and Karen Nickel with the Whistleblower award for their leadership of the Just MomsSTL environmental group, which blew the whistle on the contamination of West Lake Landfill.

– Wayne Goode, an iconic former legislator from Normandy, will present the Lifetime Achievement award to Bill McClellan, the Post-Dispatch’s witty, beloved columnist for 35 years.

Charles Klotzer, founder of the St. Louis Journalism Review, will present the Leadership award to the late Roy Malone, former Post-Dispatch reporter and editor of the Journalism Review.  The award will be presented to Terri Waters, Roy’s daughter.

Tickets are $100.  Mail checks payable to GJR/SJR, P.O. Box 28284, St. Louis, Mo. 63132-9998.  For more information contact Dan Sullivan, program organizer at 39djsullivan@gmail.com.