WASHINGTON, Aug. 16, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TV One's New One Now, the only daily news program targeting Black viewers, is dedicating its entire show on Monday, Aug. 17 (9-10 a.m. ET), to the passing of civil rights activist and leader Julian Bond. Chairman Emeritus and a former Chairman of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Bond passed away at the age of 75 on Aug. 15 in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. NAACP executive leaders Cornell Brooks, President and CEO, and Roslyn Brock, Chairman of the National Board of Directors; National Urban League President and Chief Executive Officer Marc. H. Morial; Founder and President of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.; and Charles E. Cobb, Jr., professor and former activist with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee; will join News One Now host and managing editor Roland S. Martin to celebrate and pay tribute to Bond's life's work and contributions to the Civil Rights Movement. Additional guests, including newsmakers, politicians and experts, will join the program.

Martin and guests will reflect on Bond's numerous milestones and achievements, including:

• Political Organizing: Founding member of the Committee of Appeal for Human Rights, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)
• Executive Leadership: Positions with the SNCC (communications director), NAACP (chairman emeritus and chairman), SPLC (founding president, president emeritus)
• Public Service: Twenty year public service career with four terms in the Georgia House of Representatives and six terms in the Georgia Senate; one of 11 African Americans elected to the Georgia House of Representatives after the passage of the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act of 1965; 1986 unsuccessful Democratic primary run for U.S. House of Representatives for Georgia's 5th congressional district
• Human Rights: Successful 1966 United States Supreme Court ruling allowing him to serve in the Georgia House of Representatives after the state denied his First Amendment right to Freedom of Speech following his opposition to the Vietnam War
• Political Activism: Leader of a challenge delegation from Georgia at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, and the first African American nominated as Vice President of the United States
• Social Justice Educator: Professor at notable institutions, such as American University, Drexel University, Williams College, University of Pennsylvania, University of Virginia and Harvard University.
• Media Voice: Commentator (NBC Today, Byline), host (America's Black Forum), narrator (PBS's Eyes on the Prize), journalist (Viewpoint, Nation, The New York Times) and author (A Time to Speak, A Time To Act)

TV One's News One Now continues its commitment to honoring the legacy of notable African Americans with its special show devoted to Bond. Previously the news program paid tribute to Maya Angelou, Ruby Dee and Nelson Mandela.

ABOUT NEWS ONE NOW:

Emanating from the heart of Washington D.C. in a state-of-the-art studio that offers a stunning view of the Capitol building, News One Now airs Monday through Friday on TV One from 9-10 a.m. ET. News One Now is hosted by Roland S. Martin, the 2013 National Association of Black Journalists' Journalist of the Year and former host of TV One's long-running, award-winning weekly news program, Washington Watch with Roland Martin. Each morning, Martin – who also serves as the program's managing editor – sifts through the headlines of the day to spotlight matters that greatly impact the African American community. Beyond radio and television, News One Now reaches audiences 24/7 with exclusive program content and extended editorial on NewsOne.com and the NewsOne mobile app. News One Now is an evolution of Interactive One's award-winning digital brand NewsOne.com that launched in 2008 and reaches millions of African Americans each month.

ABOUT TV ONE:

Launched in January 2004, TV One (www.tvone.tv) serves 57 million households, offering a broad range of real-life and entertainment-focused original programming, classic series, movies and music designed to entertain and inform a diverse audience of adult Black viewers. The network is the exclusive home of News One Now, the only live daily news program targeting Black viewers. In December 2008, the company launched TV One High Def, which now serves 14 million households. TV One is solely owned by Radio One [NASDAQ: ROIA and ROIAK, www.radio-one.com], the largest radio company that primarily targets Black and urban listeners.