President Barack Obama’s inauguration was the greatest display of unity he ever witnessed during his career in journalism, Otis Sanford told participants attending the launch of his third book, June 16.
“Maybe this is finally what it means to be one nation under God,” Sanford said, “Perhaps this is what the dream of a more perfect union feels like.” In spite of the bitter cold, people of all races and ethnicities came together to celebrate the election of the first black president of the United States.
WMC-TV news anchor Joe Birch led discussion of the book, Newsman: The Road from Route 2, Box 9, held at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library.
Journalists and television/radio broadcast personalities from across the city, including colleagues and former colleagues from The Commercial Appeal, The Daily Memphian, The University of Memphis, WREG-TV, WANT-ABC24 and WKNO/PBS/NPR attended, as well as family and friends.
Sanford, who has been a member of Greater Middle Baptist Church more than 25 years, expressed his reverence and admiration for then Pastor Benjamin Hooks and his wife, Frances. Numerous GMBC church members were present, including his wife, Elaine, Dr. Sheralyne Brevard, Delores Asberry, Gloria Etheredge, Wesley Lay, Lydia Lay, Ruth Munn, Walter Nichols, April Rankin, Sheryl Rankin, Crystal Sanders, and Lois Williams.
Sanford traced his life’s journey from his humble beginnings on Route 2, Box 9 in Como, Miss. to his rise as a master journalist/commentator, professor and author. He shared some of his most exciting, significant, difficult and poignant stories as a journalist and advised young people to :1) know some things, 2) ask questions, and 3) get a mentor.
Propelled by his father’s insistence that Otis know what was happening in the world around him and his mother’s love of words, Sanford felt, at any early age, that he was probably destined to becoming a journalist.
He expressed his love for his adopted city of Memphis and the overflow crowd at his book launch was a testament of the city’s love and admiration for him. Newsman: The Road from Route 2, Box 9 is available at www.OtisSandord.com.
