By Marva Sneed and Ursula Carlisle
CHERYL SMITH
Florida A&M University
School of Journalism and Graphic Communication
On October 17, 2025, the portrait of veteran journalist Cheryl Smith was unveiled on the Thelma T. Gorham Distinguished Alumni Wall, and she became the first member of the Black Press to grace the wall. This is also a celebration of Cheryl 45 years of speaking truth to power and providing a voice for the voiceless from New Jersey to Tallahassee to Dallas, and internationally, garnering numerous awards, including induction into the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and the African American Education Archives and History Program Halls of Fame.
A Golden Life member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and life member of NABJ and the FAMU National Alumni Association, Cheryl has also served on the National
Boards of the NABJ, Society of Professional Journalists, and National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA).
A true servant leader, Cheryl is a multi-media journalist who has excelled in print, digital, and broadcast journalism while also mentoring, training, and providing scholarships for not only aspiring journalists but also those in need.
