Publisher Cheryl Smith Honored With Portrait Unveiling on FAMU’s Thelma T. Gorham Distinguished Alumni Wall

The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) proudly congratulates member publisher and veteran journalist Cheryl Smith on the unveiling of her portrait on Florida A&M University’s Dr. Thelma T. Gorham Distinguished Alumni Wall, a moment that celebrates not only an accomplished career, but the lasting impact of HBCUs on Black journalism, Black excellence, and Black leadership.

Smith’s portrait was unveiled Oct. 17, 2025, placing her among the distinguished alumni honored by FAMU’s School of Journalism & Graphic Communication, and marking a milestone for the Black Press. According to the event announcement, Smith became the first member of the Black Press to be recognized on the wall, a historic nod to the institutions and storytellers who have long covered our communities with courage, truth, and purpose.

For Smith, the honor is personal, rooted in legacy, mentorship, and the standards set by the educators who shaped her craft.

“I feel honored to have my picture on the wall because Dr. Thelma T. Gorham was one of the best teachers/professors I have ever had,” Smith said.

That statement captures what HBCUs have always done best: pour into talent, build confidence, demand excellence, and then release graduates into the world ready to lead. The moment also underscores a message worth repeating: HBCUs are important and deserve our support, even if you didn’t attend one. These institutions have educated generations of journalists, public servants, doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, and changemakers, often with fewer resources and greater expectations, while still producing outsized impact.

Many alumni and supporters describe that impact as more than a fond memory; it’s a responsibility. FAMU, in particular, has laid the foundation for countless success stories, sparking a “pay-it-forward” mindset that extends beyond one campus to the entire HBCU ecosystem. Supporting HBCUs is not simply nostalgia; it’s an investment in the next generation of leadership and truth-tellers.

A legacy of “truth to power”

Smith’s honor also recognizes a career defined by service and substance. The program highlights her 45 years of speaking truth to power and giving voice to the voiceless “from New Jersey to Tallahassee to Dallas and internationally,” reflecting the reach of her journalism and the respect she has earned across communities.

Her achievements include multiple honors and inductions, including recognition connected to the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and the African American Education Archives and History Program Halls of Fame, according to the event announcement.

Smith’s leadership extends beyond reporting. She is noted as a Golden Life member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a life member of NABJ and the FAMU National Alumni Association, and has served on national boards connected to NABJ, the Society of Professional Journalists, and NNPA, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to strengthening the profession and opening doors for those coming behind her.

In addition to the portrait unveiling, the announcement notes that a fund was established during the program with an initial donation of $25,000, resulting in the creation of the Cheryl Smith’s Soldiers Without Swords Endowed Scholarship at FAMU, established in honor of the Black Press and the legacy of journalists who have long served as advocates, watchdogs, and community historians.

Cheryl Smith’s portrait on the Dr. Thelma T. Gorham Distinguished Alumni Wall is bigger than a ceremony; it’s a statement that Black journalists belong in the canon of honored alumni; that HBCUs remain essential to the pipeline of talent and that the Black Press continues to shape history in real time.