Chuck Stone

Chuck Stone

Charles Sumner "Chuck" Stone, Jr. (born July 21, 1924) is a former Tuskegee Airman, an American newspaper editor, columnist, professor of journalism, and author. After completing his service in World War II, Stone already had been admitted to Harvard University but chose to matriculate at Wesleyan University. In the 1940s, he was the first African-American undergraduate in several decades at Wesleyan, graduating in the class of 1948 and serving as the commencement speaker. Stone subsequently received a master's degree in sociology from the University of Chicago.

He was the first president of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ, 1975–1977). According to his brief biography on the NABJ site, "Because of his reputation for integrity, he became a trusted middleman between Philadelphia police and murder suspects, more than 75 of whom 'surrendered' to Stone rather than to the cops."

As an editor at Harlem's New York Age, the Washington, D.C. Afro-American, and the Chicago Daily Defender, he was strongly associated with the Civil Rights and Black Power movements. He also served three years as a special assistant and speechwriter for Rep. Adam Clayton Powell Jr. of the 22nd congressional district of New York, chair of the House Education and Labor Committee. Stone later worked as a columnist for The Philadelphia Daily News from 1972 to 1991.

He taught journalism at the University of Delaware for several years. He then became Walter Spearman Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he retired in 2005.

Nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize, Stone was inducted, in August 2004, by the NABJ into its Hall of Fame. On March 29, 2007, Stone attended a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol rotunda, where he and the other veteran Tuskegee Airmen (or their widows) were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by President George W. Bush in recognition of the Airmen's service during World War II.

Stone is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He was a member of the fraternity's World Policy Council, a think tank whose purpose is to expand Alpha Phi Alpha's involvement in politics, and social and current policy to encompass international concerns.

He is the father of Krishna Stone, Allegra Stone and Charles Stone III, creator and star of the Budweiser "Whassup!" television commercials, and director of movies such as Drumline, Mr. 3000, and Paid In Full.