Melba Sweets – 2008
Known as the Queen Mother of St. Louis journalism, Sweets was a writer, editor and wife of the former longtime owner and publisher of The St. Louis American. She taught a generation of journalists who started in the black press the importance of good grammar, writing and a love of language. At the American, she put her writing and teaching skills to work as an editor with a feared red pen, editing the work of many journalists who went on to work for major newspapers and magazines in the United States. She also co-authored “We’re Tellin’” a gossip and society column.