Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation

Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation
AbbreviationFJM Foundation
FormationJune 26, 2019 (5 years ago) (2019-06-26)
Founders
TypeNonprofit organization
501(c)(3)
PurposeEstablishment of a memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to commemorate journalists
HeadquartersWashington, D.C., United States
MethodDonations
Key people
  • David Dreier
  • (Chairman)
  • Barbara Cochran
  • (President)
  • Vince Randazzo
  • (Project Director)
  • Julie Moos
  • (Special Adviser)
  • Molly Levinson
  • (Communications)
  • Paul Goldberger
  • (Architecture Advisor)
  • Ethan Reznik
  • (Coordinator)
Websitewww.fallenjournalists.org

The Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation (FJM Foundation) exists to construct a permanent memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to honor fallen journalists.[1] The effort was launched as an initiative of the Tribune Publishing Company by its chairman, David Dreier, at the National Press Club Journalism Institute in June 2019. That marked the first anniversary of the deadliest assault against journalists in United States history.[2][3] On June 28, 2018, a gunman killed five employees in the newsroom of Tribune's Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland.[4][5]

Dreier, who is a former senior member of the United States House of Representatives (1981–2013) and a longtime champion of press freedoms, has said that he looks forward to leading this multi-year effort to its completion.[6][2][3]

The only memorial commemorating journalists located in Washington, D.C., resided at the Newseum, which closed at the end of 2019.[7] Dreier has said that, in addition to the mass shooting at the Capital Gazette in 2018, the closing of the Newseum provided inspiration for the FJM project.[8]

The Annenberg Foundation and the Michael and Jackie Ferro Foundation have provided initial funds for the FJM Foundation.[9]

  1. ^ "Foundation sets plan for US memorial for fallen journalists". France 24. 2019-06-25. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  2. ^ a b Cook, Chase. "Lawmakers pledge support for fallen journalist memorial, a seven-year endeavor". capitalgazette.com. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  3. ^ a b "NewsConference: Fallen Journalist Memorial in the Works". NBC Los Angeles. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  4. ^ Williams, Timothy (2019-10-28). "Suspect in Capital Gazette Shooting Pleads Guilty". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  5. ^ Felice, Selene San. "One year after June 28: Capital Gazette says goodbye to Maryland Avenue". capitalgazette.com. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  6. ^ "About". Fallen Journalists. Archived from the original on 2019-06-21. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  7. ^ Stelter, Brian (2019-06-23). "Foundation seeks memorial for journalists who died doing their jobs". WISC. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  8. ^ News Conference: Fallen Journalists Memorial Act legislation introduced, retrieved 2019-12-14
  9. ^ "Memorial proposed for fallen journalists year after shooting". AP NEWS. 2019-06-23. Retrieved 2019-12-14.