Stanley Dearman
Stanley Dearman, former publisher of the Neshoba (MS) Democrat, is the 2007 winner of the Silver Em Award from the Department of Journalism. Dearman bought the Democrat two years after the killings of three civil rights workers in Neshoba. His editorials are credited with helping change the course of civil rights coverage in the area. The Meridian native sold the paper in 2000 after 34 years. Dearman was honored with a reception in his honor the night of April 19 in Oxford. He also delivered the 2nd annual Stuart Bullion Lecture in Journalism the following day.
The most prestigious journalism award the university bestows, the Silver Em honors a print or broadcast journalist, living or deceased, whose career exemplifies the highest ideals of American journalism.. The Golden Em Award honors an individual who has made significant contributions to journalism education at the university, while the Silver Mike Award recognizes significant contributions to broadcast journalism.The Silver Em is the highest honor given by the department, and since its inception in 1958 it has been given to several Pulitzer Prize winners, editors, distinguished reporters and nationally-known figures. The late Dan Phillips, former assistant publisher of the Oxford Eagle, was last year's Silver Em recipient. A complete list of previous winners is listed below.
1958 George W. Healy, Jr.*
1959 Turner Catledge*
1960 Kenneth Toler*
1961 J. Oliver Emmerich, Sr.*
1963 George McLean*
1964 William B. Street *
1965 Purser Hewitt*
1966 Hal C. Decell*
1967 Paul Pittman*
1968 Hodding Carter, Jr.*
1969 Willie Morris*
1970 T. M. Hederman, Jr.*
1971 Joseph R. Ellis*
1972 Wilson F. Minor
1972 Sam Talbert+*
1973 Mark Ethridge*
1974 John Herbers
1975 H. L. Stevenson*
1976 William Raspberry
1977 Joe L. Albritton
1978 James A. Autry
1979 Jack Nelson
1980 Mary Lynn Kotz
1981 Curtis Wilkie
1982 Harold Burson
1983 John O. Emmerich, Jr*
1983 Gale Denley+
1984 Hazel Brannon Smith*
1984 Gerald Forbes+*
1985 Charles Overby
1986 W.C. "Dub" Shoemaker
1987 Charles Dunagin
1988 Larry Speakes
1988 Edward Fritts#
1989 Rudy Abramson
1989 Robin Mathis#
1990 Hodding Carter III 1991 James L. McDowell, Jr.
1992 Rheta Grimsley Johnson
1993 Dan Goodgame
1994 Bob Gordon
1995 Jere Hoar
1996 Gregory Favre
1997 Stephanie Saul
1998 Lerone Bennett
2000 Jerry Mitchell
2001 Bert Case#
2002 Ira Harkey
2003 Jim Abbott
2003 John Johnson+*
2005 Otis Sanford
2006 Dan Phillips*
2007 Stanley Dearman
*deceased
+Golden Em recipient
#Silver Mike recipient
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Please note: Updated 2008 MSPA information is now available. Click here to download it.