Donna K. Ladd (born October 9, 1961)[1] is an American investigative journalist who co-founded the Jackson Free Press, a community magazine,[2] and later, the Mississippi Free Press, an online news publication that emphasizes solutions journalism where Ladd currently serves as editor.[3] She is noted for highlighting the historical and continuing role of race in current events,[4][5] for investigative reporting that helped convict klansman James Ford Seale[6] for his role in the 1964 civil rights kidnappings and deaths of Henry Hezekiah Dee and Charles Eddie Moore,[7] and for her coverage of Frank Melton, the controversial mayor of Jackson, Mississippi.[8]

Biography

Early life and education

Ladd was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi. In 1983, Ladd completed her B.A. in Political Science at Mississippi State University and left to pursue a career in journalism. She helped start The Colorado Springs Independent,[9] Colorado Springs' first alternative newsweekly, in 1993. After editing and then writing for the paper for several years, she moved to New York City where she wrote for The Village Voice[10] and pursued a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University.

Family

Ladd returned to Jackson, Mississippi. She lives with author and Jackson Free Press publisher and technology/blogging consultant Todd Stauffer, her partner of 20 years.

Career in Mississippi

In 2001, Ladd returned to Mississippi after an 18-year absence and co-founded The Jackson Free Press. She serves as editor-in-chief and regularly contributes op-eds and investigative pieces. She took the name from The Mississippi Free Press,[11] a now-defunct investigative civil rights newspaper from the 1960s.

The JFP, as it is called locally, launched in 2001 with a fully interactive Web site, with a wide variety of blogs and forums. Ladd teaches workshops on incorporating reporting and the Web around the country.[12]

She is one of the few female political voices in Mississippi, sometimes drawing criticism as well as recognition for her outspoken progressive commentary on her blog. Her investigative work on Barbour has attracted attention from national blogs.[13][14]

Justice and reconciliation

In July 2005, Donna Ladd and photographer Kate Medley joined Thomas Moore and Canadian Broadcasting filmmaker David Ridgen in a trip to Moore's hometown of Meadville, Mississippi. They intended to investigate and call for justice for the 1964 Klan murders of his brother, Charles Moore, and his friend Henry Dee. In the paper's first story about the trip, published July 20, 2005, the JFP revealed that the lead suspect, James Ford Seale, was living in the area, although The Clarion-Ledger and other media had reported that he was no longer alive.[15] In January 2007, the Justice Department announced that Seale had been indicted for federal kidnapping and conspiracy charges in connection with the case.[16] Ladd's work on the case drew national and international attention, including from NPR, CNN, BBC, CBC Radio, CBS Radio, Editor & Publisher, and the Poynter Institute.[16][17][18] In June 2007, Seale was convicted of federal charges and sentenced to life in prison.[19]

Diversity work

Ladd is the national Diversity Chair for the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. She teaches annual writing workshops at the Academy for Alternative Journalism at Northwestern University every summer, a program to increase diversity in the alternative press.[20]

Her work for racial conciliation and justice in the state have been recognized widely, including in a Glamour magazine profile, as well as by other media outlets.[21][22]

Ladd serves on the board of directors of the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies and as its national Diversity Chair.[23] She is also vice president of the ACLU of Mississippi.

Awards

  • In 2006, Ladd and Mississippi NAACP chapter president Derrick Johnson were co-recipients of the Friendship Award, an annual prize given by Jackson 2000, a racial reconciliation group.[24]
  • Ladd has received six awards from the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies for her investigative work and political commentary, including for her Dee-Moore series and as part of the team that investigated Mayor Frank Melton.[25]
  • 2005, Ladd was designated one of Mississippi's leading 50 businesswomen by the Mississippi Business Journal[26]

References

  1. ↑ Burton, Tommy (October 9, 2013). "Jackson Free Press". Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  2. ↑ Kuldell, Heather (2007-06-15). "AAN Announces AltWeekly Awards Winners". Association of Alternative Newsmedia, 15 June 2007. Retrieved on 2009-11-03 from Archive Archived 2008-06-20 at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ "Making a Difference with Solutions Journalism in Mississippi". The Saturday Evening Post. May 25, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Donna Ladd: Reporting Her Face Off in Mississippi • Association of Alternative Newsmedia". Association of Alternative Newsmedia. October 13, 2005. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  5. ↑ "A Historic Water Crisis Hits Jackson, Mississippi | The Takeaway". WNYC Studios. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  6. ↑ "On the Trail of a Civil Rights-Era Cold Case". NPR.org. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Americas | US man in 1964 race attack charge". BBC News. January 25, 2007. Retrieved February 13, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Special Coverage: Frank Melton". Jackson Free Press. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved December 29, 2011.
  9. ↑ Where are they now? csindy.com
  10. ↑ "Village voice > news > Naming Names by Donna Ladd". Archived from the original on May 31, 2008. Retrieved March 20, 2008.
  11. ↑ "StackPath". www.lib.usm.edu. Archived from the original on June 22, 2008.
  12. ↑ "Writers and Designers Workshop | Association of Alternative Newsweeklies". Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved September 23, 2007.
  13. ↑ "Jackson Free Press | Haley's Unholy Alliance". Archived from the original on October 5, 2007. Retrieved September 23, 2007.
  14. ↑ "Think Progress » Giuliani: Corruption-Laden Haley Barbour 'On The Top Of Everybody's List' For VP". ThinkProgress. Archived from the original on September 13, 2007.
  15. ↑ "Jackson Free Press | I Want Justice, Too". Archived from the original on October 26, 2007. Retrieved February 13, 2011.
  16. 1 2 "City Weekly Salt Blog: Archives January 2007-February 2009: Out In the Open". February 6, 2007.
  17. ↑ "News Gems : Mississippi Turning". Archived from the original on February 10, 2007. Retrieved February 20, 2007.
  18. ↑ "Poynter Online - Thursday Edition: A Civil Rights Case Solved". Archived from the original on February 15, 2007. Retrieved February 20, 2007.
  19. ↑ Bebawi, Mark (2007-08-26). "Mississippi journalist DONNA LADD on the 1964 Klan double murder prosecution and conviction". The Monitor, 26 August 2007. Retrieved on 2009-11-03 from http://themonitor.wordpress.com/2007/08/26/show-details-for-august-26th-2007/.
  20. ↑ "Donna Ladd: Biography" Archived December 1, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Jackpedia
  21. ↑ "Donna Ladd: Award-Winning Journalist Brings a New Voice to Mississippi" Archived October 18, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, Standing on My Sister's Shoulders, accessed 3 Nov 2009
  22. ↑ Howard Ball, "It's Time Mississippi Established a Truth and Reconciliation Commission", History News Network, 25 Sep 2006, accessed 3 Nov 2009
  23. ↑ "Association of Alternative Newsweeklies". Archived from the original on October 4, 2006. Retrieved February 20, 2007.
  24. ↑ "Jackson 2000", Mississippi Business Journal, 6 Mar 2006, accessed 3 Nov 2009
  25. ↑ Association of Alternative Weeklies. Retrieved from "Association of Alternative Newsweeklies". Archived from the original on October 12, 2006. Retrieved January 27, 2007..
  26. ↑ "50 Leading Business Women 2005: Donna K. Ladd", The Mississippi Business Journal, 17 Oct 2005, accessed 3 Nov 2009
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