Michael Days, a respected journalist from Philadelphia, passed away suddenly on Oct. 18 in Trenton, New Jersey, at the age of 72.
Michael Days, a respected Philadelphia journalist known for mentoring future generations of reporters, died suddenly on Oct. 18 in Trenton, New Jersey, at 72, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
A mentor to many who worked under his leadership at the Philadelphia Daily News and Philadelphia Inquirer, Days leaves behind his wife, Angela Dodson, an author and journalist, who is being comforted by the outpouring of support and love from journalists who knew him.
“He was the kind of person who wanted to serve,” Dodson said. “People could talk to him, and he had something wise to say.”
Widely respected in journalism, Days received Hall of Fame honors from both the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and the Pennsylvania News Media Association. He served as president of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists (PABJ) and, at the time of his passing, led NABJ-Philadelphia, a chapter formed as an alternative to PABJ.
“People loved him,” Dodson said. “He commanded such respect that I used to say, people would elect him president of anything.”
“You could walk into his office anytime and talk to him,” Ruderman said. “He just was very approachable — but also, you respected him.”
In recent years, Days continued mentoring journalists over long phone calls, which his wife enjoyed listening to.
“What we all need is somebody who listens to us, and he was a master at that,” Dodson said.
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Source: Black Enterprise
