Chicago, Illinois (August 14, 1911 -May 29, 1991) age 79 yrs

ETHEL L. PAYNE was an internationally recognized writer and commentator. She was also a syndicated columnist. She was a long-time reporter for the Chicago Defender, one of the leading African American newspapers in the United States. She was the first African American woman to get accreditation as a White House correspondent. In her honor, the prestigious annual Ethel L. Payne International Award for Excellence in Journalism was established in 1998.