The Atlanta Voice proudly celebrates the induction of Publisher Janis Ware and her late father, J. Lowell Ware (1928–1991), into the 2025 Atlanta Press Club Hall of Fame, honoring their powerful legacy of journalism, justice, and community impact.
A visionary publisher and civil rights advocate, J. Lowell Ware founded The Atlanta Voice in 1966 after co-founding The Atlanta Inquirer, determined to amplify Black voices and tell stories the mainstream press ignored. He used journalism as a force for empowerment and progress, and co-founded the SUMMECH Community Development Corporation to help revitalize Atlanta’s historic neighborhoods.
Today, Janis Ware carries that mission forward as Publisher of The Atlanta Voice and Executive Director of SUMMECH. Under her leadership, The Atlanta Voice has evolved into a modern multimedia platform, and SUMMECH, in partnership, has built more than 1,800 affordable homes in Atlanta’s Mechanicsville community.
Their Hall of Fame induction is more than a milestone. It’s a celebration of family, legacy, and the unwavering belief that media can uplift and transform communities.
Together, Janis and J. Lowell Ware are the heart of Atlanta’s Black press, champions of truth, empowerment, and progress whose influence endures across generations.