Society of Professional Journalists
The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is the oldest organization representing journalists in the United States. It was established on April 17, 1909, at DePauw University,[3][4] and its charter was designed by William Meharry Glenn.[5][1]
"SPJ", "Sigma Delta Chi", and "Quill (magazine)" redirect here. For other uses of "SPJ", see SPJ (disambiguation). For the Sigma Delta Chi sorority, see Sigma Delta Chi (sorority). For other uses of "quill", see Quill (disambiguation).Formation
April 17, 1909[1]
3909 N. Meridian Street, Indianapolis, Indiana
Patricia Gallagher Newberry[2]
Matthew T. Hall - President-Elect
Chapters[edit]
SPJ has nearly 300 chapters across the United States.
Membership[edit]
Its membership base is more than 6,000 members of the media.
Activities[edit]
The society's chapters bring educational programming to local areas and offer regular contact with other media professionals. SPJ initiatives include a Legal Defense Fund that wages court battles to secure First Amendment rights; the Project Sunshine campaign, to improve the ability of journalists and the public to obtain access to government records; the magazine Quill; and the annual Sigma Delta Chi Awards, which honor excellence in journalism.
Awards[edit]
Eugene S. Pulliam First Amendment Award[edit]
The Eugene S. Pulliam First Amendment Award is awarded annually by the Society of Professional Journalists in honor of publisher Eugene S. Pulliam's dedication to First Amendment rights and values. The award seeks "to honor a person or persons who have fought to protect and preserve one or more of the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment."[10]