My old and dear friend Danny Schechter died last week of pancreatic cancer. Danny Schechter the news dissector, a great radical journalist, and a critical ally of the African National Congress and the South African revolution lived for 72 years. As a footnote to his life but a big thing in mine he was the first person who organized me into The Movement in 1960.
Danny’s life was and is one of non-stop dedication to social justice and the world revolution.
* Organizer with the Northern Student Movement
* Anti-apartheid activist who worked closely with the African National Congress
* Organizer, along with Steven Van Zandt, Artists United Against Apartheid who released the album Sun City in 1985.
* Producer and director of six nonfiction films about Nelson Mandela from the time he was a political prisoner to his election and service as President of South Africa.
* News Director of WBCN in Boston, an alternative FM Station, where he positioned himself as Danny Schechter Your News Dissector
* Producer for the 20/20 news magazine on ABC and won 2 Emmy awards
* Producer in the early days of CNN