About the Award
The William A. Reed Lifetime Achievement Award was created in 2001 and is presented to one individual each year who demonstrates exceptional commitment and service to Religion Newswriters Association and its members.

The award’s namesake, William A. Reed, was the first African-American president of the RNA, serving from 1976-78. He was also the first African-American to work full time for The Tennessean in Nashville, and one of the first African-Americans on the religion beat. W.C. Fields, a Southern Baptist Convention spokesman said of Reed, "I always felt that he was not only a good newsman, he was very sensitive to the implications of the stories he was writing.” Reed died in 1991.

Past winners include:

• 2013: Adon Taft, The Miami Herald (read)
• 2012: Paul Carlson, Religion News Service (read)
• 2010: Gustav Niebuhr, The New York Times (read)
• 2009: Gayle White, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (read)
  
• 2008: John Dart, Los Angeles Times (press release, PDF)
• 2007: Russ Chandler, Los Angeles Times (press release, PDF)
• 2006: Dick Ostling, The Associated Press (press release, PDF)
• 2005: Ed Briggs, Richmond Times-Dispatch (press release, PDF)
• 2004: David E. Anderson, Religion News Service (press release, PDF)
• 2003: Richard Philbrick, Chicago Tribune (press release, PDF)
• 2002: Helen Parmley, The Dallas Morning News (press release, PDF)
• 2001: Willmar Thorkelson, Minneapolis Star (press release, PDF)

How to nominate someone
Please submit via e-mail the name of the person you'd like to nominate, along with a brief paragraph about why you think he or she deserves to be a lifetime achievement award winner. Nominee names are due to RNA by March 30. The winner is chosen in spring and honored at RNA's Awards Banquet each fall.