TO OUR READERS

By BRUCE HALLETT PRESIDENT

Each week TIME strives to deliver comprehensive and compelling journalism, for which we are rewarded with the loyalty of some 23 million readers. Occasionally, however, our efforts bring another kind of reward: public recognition by our peers. Last month the New York Association of Black Journalists honored us with four awards for stories about African-American affairs.

--National correspondent Jack E. White for the second consecutive year received two prizes: one for "overall excellence in writing and reporting," the other for his column, Dividing Line.

--Contributor James Kunen won first place in feature writing for his cover story "The End of Integration" (April 29, 1996), a detailed examination of the painful failure, during four decades, to desegregate our nation's public schools.

--Senior writer Richard Lacayo, contributor Lance Morrow and correspondents White, Elaine Lafferty and James Willwerth shared the general-news prize for the Oct. 9, 1995, cover story, "O.J. and Race: Will the Verdict Split America?," which assessed the escalating racial rhetoric surrounding the Simpson trial.

These accolades came on the heels of a tribute from the National Association of Black Journalists to senior writer Elizabeth Gleick for her June 19, 1995, article "Rich Justice, Poor Justice," an account of how badly black defendants fare in court when they lack the financial resources available to, say, O.J. Simpson.

White speaks for all the winners when he says, "The goal in my column and in other stories is to examine and expose some of the nonsense that Americans continue to believe about race. Generally, whites tend to downplay the extent of their racism--and blacks tend to overplay it. We could use a lot more openness and honesty."

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In a speech to the Time-Life Alumni Society several years ago, Jim Gaines, then TIME's managing editor, said, "What is absolutely necessary, what we will perish without, is an atmosphere that feels like home to expressive, smart, emphatic and incandescent people." For 20 years Time Inc. has been home to the expressive, smart, emphatic and incandescent Jim Gaines. Most recently Time Inc.'s corporate editor, Jim was the first person ever to serve as managing editor of three of our titles--PEOPLE, LIFE and TIME--and wherever he worked, he inspired those around him. Alas, Jim has announced that he is joining the Time-Life Alumni Society--leaving the company to write and teach in Colorado. We wish him what he gave us for two decades: nothing but the best.