On  Chauncey Bailey's Death
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Editorial

Today, at approximately 7:30 am, an old friend and a dedicated Black reporter of the Oakland Bay Area was killed/assassinated on the streets of Oakland by a hooded assassin who specifically targeted him.  Chauncey Bailey had been a reporter for the Oakland Tribune for many years in a city he grew up in and loved. He honestly and unapologetically reported African American news like few other journalists would.

For a number of years he hosted a daily TV news program on the late Chuck Johnson's Black TV Network, Soul Beat. Bailey's reporting was an almost dedication to the Black community during a time  when other local Black journalists at the SF Chronicle and the Oakland Tribune seemed to shy away from Black journalism and lean toward a neoconservative slant.

Bailey also dabbled in film making and short videos. For a short time he attempted to produce low budget Black movies, but that venture did not become as lucrative as he desired. Yet he was always working in innovative ways to expose the African American community in new and positive dimensions.

I met Chauncey when I was the director of  Alameda County's Juvenile Courts. He joined us as we attempted to publicize the plight of young Black males, as we hosted conferences and seminars, and as we attempted to educate the Black community of Oakland on ways to reclaim our troubled Black youths. He sat in our councils and roundtables as we pondered solutions; he also introduced us to Black journalists in the Bay Area who were dedicated to the Black community and identified Black journalists who deplored the African American beat or any notion of serving the Black community by their profession--that was valuable knowledge to have.

When I moved on and established The Quarterly Mirror, later Gibbs Magazine, he was one of the first to congratulate us and wish us well. In all, Chauncey Bailey was primarily dedicated to helping the African American community through his journalism. I do not pretend to have any idea why he was targeted in this killing, but the Black reporter who dedicated his talents to the Black community is the Chauncey Bailey I knew and will remember, especially on this sad day of his murder.

Frank A. Jones, PhD.,
CEO of Gibbs
8/2/07