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The 1998 Nelson Poynter Award Dinner
The historic Heritage Inn in downtown St. Petersburg was the site of this year's Nelson Poynter Award Dinner. The dinner honored St. Petersburg Times Publishing Company Chairman Andrew Barnes with the 1998 Nelson Poynter Award. Columbia professor James W. Carey delivered the keynote address.
The ACLU honored Barnes to recognize his staunch defense of the First Amendment and his efforts in keeping The St. Petersburg Times the nation's leading independently owned newspaper.
An unexpected guest at the dinner was a papiermach‚ replica of a colorful bull that "mysteriously disappeared" from the Barnes family ranch right before the dinner. His colleagues at the St. Petersburg Times goodnaturedly presented him with the bull which was carried in and placed before him at the podium.
Also honored with the ACLU of Florida's first ever Lifetime Achievement Award. was noted ACLU activist and former Brevard Chapter and State Board President James Hooper. Accepting the award was Jim's widow "Smitty" Hooper, who talked stirringly about her husband's activism and devotion to the ideals of the Bill of Rights and the work of the ACLU. She was accompanied by her young grandson, Jimmy "Cletus" Hooper. She was greeted by a rousing standing ovation after her moving acceptance.
During the weekend of the dinner, St. Petersburg was also home to a rally of Harley Davidson enthusiasts, many of whom headquartered at the Heritage Inn. The cocktail reception, held in the hotel's lobby, became a conglomerate of leatherclad bikers and the more conservatively dressed ACLU supporters. We are happy to report that, during the reception, bikers showed their support for the ACLU with chants that muffled out the din of the Harleys.
It was a fun, festive and informative evening. Participants were treated to good food, thoughtprovoking speakers, an opportunity to recognize hardworking civil libertarians, and an evening of camaraderie with other ACLU supporters.
