Michael McCray

New CEO, Arkansas Delta Informer;
Co-founder and host of Whistleblower Summit & Film Festival

Pine Bluff

Former federal whistleblower Michael McCray helped found the annual Whistleblower Summit & Film Festival. The conference originally started meeting in Washington, D.C. in 2007, during national whistleblower week, leading up to “National Whistleblower Appreciation Day,” which is observed nationwide on July 30.

Michael McCray

New CEO, Arkansas Delta Informer;
Co-founder and host of Whistleblower Summit & Film Festival

Pine Bluff

Former federal whistleblower Michael McCray helped found the annual Whistleblower Summit & Film Festival. The conference originally started meeting in Washington, D.C. in 2007, during national whistleblower week, leading up to “National Whistleblower Appreciation Day,” which is observed nationwide on July 30.

“Going through that conference was life-affirming for me,” says McCray, who says one of the ways he gives back to the whistleblower community, now is to host the conference.

The annual summit began as a gathering of whistleblowers and supporters of civil and human rights to convene and discuss the topics of public health and safety, with studies of past prominent figures in the whistleblower community such as Daniel Ellsberg, “Deep Throat,” Arkansas’ Martha Mitchell, security guard Frank Willis, etc.

“When we first started, we had a lot of policy days and a big social event called Movie Night with the Whistleblowers where we would all go down to the tavern and watch popular films like, “All the President’s Men,” “Erin Brockovich,” etc. More people started coming to the social events than the policy events. So, we thought, ‘Wow, what else can we do with this platform?’ Then we started to screen whistleblower films, documentaries, etc. Now, filmmakers like to participate.”

Together with Festival Director Marcel Reid, McCray cofounded and now cohosts the annual Whistleblower Summit & Film Festival, which takes place the week leading up to National Whistleblower Day on July 30, in Little Rock.

The theme for this year’s summit, which takes place in July, is “Does the Truth Still Matter? 50 Years After Watergate.” During this year’s summit, awards will be given in honor of Martha Mitchell and Frank Willis, in honor of minority whistleblowers.

“Going through that conference was life-affirming for me,” says McCray, who says one of the ways he gives back to the whistleblower community, now is to host the conference.

The annual summit began as a gathering of whistleblowers and supporters of civil and human rights to convene and discuss the topics of public health and safety, with studies of past prominent figures in the whistleblower community such as Daniel Ellsberg, “Deep Throat,” Arkansas’ Martha Mitchell, security guard Frank Willis, etc.

“When we first started, we had a lot of policy days and a big social event called Movie Night with the Whistleblowers where we would all go down to the tavern and watch popular films like, “All the President’s Men,” “Erin Brockovich,” etc. More people started coming to the social events than the policy events. So, we thought, ‘Wow, what else can we do with this platform?’ Then we started to screen whistleblower films, documentaries, etc. Now, filmmakers like to participate.”

Together with Festival Director Marcel Reid, McCray cofounded and now cohosts the annual Whistleblower Summit & Film Festival, which takes place the week leading up to National Whistleblower Day on July 30, in Little Rock.

The theme for this year’s summit, which takes place in July, is “Does the Truth Still Matter? 50 Years After Watergate.” During this year’s summit, awards will be given in honor of Martha Mitchell and Frank Willis, in honor of minority whistleblowers.