Details

Collection Summary
Collection: FND005 - SHSND Foundation - Newspaper Hall of Fame
Series: Tribute
Folder: DIG
Item: 00007
Title: Norman Black, Jr.
Date: 1986
Creator:
Inscription/Marks:
Summary: Norman D. Black Jr. (1913-1969) was the third generation of his family to be publisher of The Forum in Fargo. Norman B. Black became owner of the Fargo Forum in 1917, and was one of the first two inductees to the North Dakota Newspaper Hall of Fame. His son, Norman D. Black, became publisher of The Fargo Forum following his father's death in 1931, and continued in the post until his death in 1944. His untimely death thrust the position of publisher on his 31-year-old son, Norman D. Black Jr., who had worked at The Forum in various positions since his graduation from Northwestern University in 1935. When the war ended a year after he took over, Norman D. Jr. guided The Forum through the period of readjustment to peacetime living. He served on the Chamber of Commerce, including a term as president, and became president of Rotary as his father and grandfather before him. He served with the Community Chest, Salvation Army, YMCA and also found time to expand the business interests of The Forum Publishing Co. In 1955 the Moorhead Daily News, which had been founded in the 1800s, was hard-pressed to keep up with the rising costs of doing business and replacing worn-out equipment. Norman D. Jr. agreed to make the purchase and tried to keep the paper functioning, but after two-and-a-half years of red ink he merged the two papers. In 1935 Forum stockholders had purchased a minority interest in WDAY, under the leadership of Norman D. Jr., and in 1950 he became president of WDAY Inc. after Forum Publishing acquired controlling interest. WDAY had expanded into television when a channel became available to Fargo, and it wasn't long before WDAY added WDAZ-TV at Devils Lake-Grand Forks. The purchase of a replacement press and the planning of another addition to The Forum building were the final expansion efforts of the third Norman Black. He died unexpectedly on September 25, 1969, at the age of 56. He had served in his position for 25 years, almost twice as long as either his father or grandfather. In 1986, Norman D. Black Jr. became the 31st member of the North Dakota Newspaper Hall of Fame.
Red ID: FND_I_77447 Image ID: 509266 Image Notes: 10950 00005 00007

Collection: FND005 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: SHSND Foundation - Newspaper Hall of Fame
Date:

Summary: The Hall of Honors features the biographies of recognized leaders in North Dakota's newspaper industry. This resource is sponsored by the North Dakota Newspaper Association and the NDNA Education Foundation.

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