Rochester publisher Jim Blount remembered: ‘He wanted to give everyone a positive exposure’

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Jim Blount came to Rochester with his wife Carolyne in 1970 to work as a sales rep for IBM. He served in the U.S. Navy Reserves. However, Blount would make his biggest impact in this community, and perhaps in life, when he and his wife became the sole owners of About…Time magazine. It’s one of the oldest African-American publications in the nation.

Jim Blount passed away early Thursday at the age of 80.

Blount left IBM to become the magazine’s president and publisher.

In August, I invited him to talk about the magazine’s success on our public affairs show, Rochester in Focus. The program honored National Black Business Month. Even with 50 years of success, Blount humbly gave the credit to others.

Lynette Adams, News10NBC: Jim, you’ve been in business for 50 years. How have you managed to stay in business that long?

Jim Blount: We’ve had a plethora of extraordinary people to join us on this journey, and we still have extraordinary people with us. We have a photographer who’s 90 years old.

The magazine has covered African-American movers and shakers, from then National Security Advisor Colin Powell to the first black congresswoman, Shirley Chisholm. The magazine also has published such notable series as “Rochester Roots,” exploring the history of African-Americans in the Rochester area.

Retired Wilson Academy Principal Andrew Ray knew Blount well. The magazine is the school’s neighbor on Genesee Street.

“We came together because he was very passionate about showing the best of Rochester and he took time to not only talk with those people who were quote ‘famous’ but also those people who were just toiling in the vineyards. He wanted to give everyone a positive exposure. He was that kind of person,” Ray said.

Blount’s talents and interests were numerous. He was a news analyst on Fox Sports Radio, AM 1280. He served on the Rush-Henrietta Board of Education. he received numerous awards, including the Harriet Tubman Award presented by the governor’s office and the U.S. Postal Service’s Black History Committee Award.

Blount is survived by his wife and three children.