The President’s Office for Social Justice congratulates WVU Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism associate professor Joel Beeson on his recognition as a 2012 Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award. The award, given out annually by the WVU Center for Black Culture and Research, recognizes an individual embodying the legacy of Dr. King by furthering civil rights, humanitarianism and equality in the state, according to WVU Today.

Professor Beeson is continually a supporter of social justice and annually a presenter at our Diversity Week. This year, he presented “Soldiers of the Coalfields”, where he unveiled hidden stories about race in the coalfields of McDowell County, West Virginia.

Further, Professor Beeson’s oral history project, the West Virginia Veteran’s History Project, which documents the stories of West Virginia WWII veterans, was used this November when the President’s Office for Social Justice recognized WWII Veteran Charles Brown, of Kingwood, at the annual Veterans Appreciation Breakfast.

For more information, please read http://wvutoday.wvu.edu/n/2012/01/16/wvu-martin-luther-king-jr-event-recognizes-photographer-who-shines-light-on-injustice.