African American newspapers

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Freedom's Journal, considered the first African American newspaper published within the United States Freedom's Journal, Vol. 1 No. 3, front page.png
Freedom's Journal , considered the first African American newspaper published within the United States

African American newspapers (also known as the Black press or Black newspapers) are news publications in the United States serving African American communities. Samuel Cornish and John Brown Russwurm started the first African American periodical, Freedom's Journal, in 1827. During the Antebellum South, other African American newspapers sprang up, such as The North Star, founded in 1847 by Frederick Douglass.

Contents

As African Americans moved to urban centers beginning during the Reconstruction era, virtually every large city with a significant African American population had newspapers directed towards African Americans. These newspapers gained audiences outside African American circles. Demographic changes continued with the Great Migration from southern states to northern states from 1910 to 1930 and during the Second Great Migration from 1941 to 1970. In the 21st century, papers (like newspapers of all sorts) have shut down, merged, or shrunk in response to the dominance of the Internet in terms of providing free news and information, and providing cheap advertising. [1] [2]

History

Charles Alston's illustration celebrating the 116th anniversary of African American newspapers "STILL A WEAPON FOR FREEDOM" - NARA - 535601.jpg
Charles Alston's illustration celebrating the 116th anniversary of African American newspapers

Origins

Most of the early African American publications, such as Freedom's Journal, were published in the North and then distributed, often covertly, to African Americans throughout the country. [3] The newspaper often covered regional, national, and international news. It also addressed the issues of American slavery and The American Colonization Society which involved the repatriation of free blacks back to Africa. [4]

19th century

Some notable black newspapers of the 19th century were Freedom's Journal (1827–1829), Philip Alexander Bell's Colored American (1837–1841), the North Star (1847–1860), the National Era , The Aliened American in Cleveland (1853–1855), Frederick Douglass' Paper (1851–1863), the Douglass Monthly (1859–1863), The People's Advocate , founded by John Wesley Cromwell and Travers Benjamin Pinn (1876–1891), and The Christian Recorder (1861–1902). [5]

In the 1860s, the newspapers The Elevator and the Pacific Appeal emerged in California as a result of black participation in the Gold Rush. [6] The American Freedman was a New York-based paper that served as an outlet to inspire African Americans to use the Reconstruction era as a time for social and political advancement. This newspaper did so by publishing articles that referenced African American mobilization during that era that had not only local support but had gained support from the global community as well.[ citation needed ] The name The Colored Citizen was used by various newspapers established in the 1860s and later.

Pdf of the 1892 book The Afro American Press and its Editors by Irvine Garland Penn The Afro-American press and its editors (IA afroamericanpres00penn 0).pdf
Pdf of the 1892 book The Afro American Press and its Editors by Irvine Garland Penn

In 1885, Daniel Rudd formed the Ohio Tribune , said to be the first newspaper "printed by and for Black Americans", which he later expanded into the American Catholic Tribune , purported to the first Black-owned national newspaper. [7] The Cleveland Gazette was established in the 1880s and continued for decades.

The national Afro-American Press Association was formed in 1890 in Indianapolis, Indiana. [8] [9]

In 1894, Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin founded The Woman's Era , the first nationally distributed newspaper published by and for African American women in the United States. [10] [11] The Woman's Era began as the official publication of the National Association of Colored Women, and grew in import and impact with the founding of the National Federation of Afro American Women in 1895. It was also one of the first newspapers, along with the National Association Notes , to create journalism career opportunities for Southern black women. [12]

Many African American newspapers struggled to keep their circulation going due to the low rate of literacy among African Americans. Many freed African Americans had low incomes and could not afford to purchase subscriptions but shared the publications with one another. [13]

20th century

African American newspapers flourished in the major cities, with publishers playing a major role in politics and business affairs. By the 20th century, daily papers appeared in Norfolk, Chicago, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. [14] Representative leaders included Robert Sengstacke Abbott (1870–1940) and John H. Sengstacke (1912–1997), publishers of the Chicago Defender ; John Mitchell Jr. (1863–1929), editor of the Richmond Planet and president of the National Afro-American Press Association; Anthony Overton (1865–1946), publisher of the Chicago Bee; Garth C. Reeves Sr. (1919–2019), publisher emeritus of the Miami Times; and Robert Lee Vann (1879–1940), the publisher and editor of the Pittsburgh Courier . [15] In the 1940s, the number of newspapers grew from 150 to 250. [16]

From 1881 to 1909, the National Colored Press Association (American Press Association) operated as a trade association. The National Negro Business League-affiliated National Negro Press Association filled that role from 1909 to 1939. [17] The Chicago-based Associated Negro Press (1919–1964) was a subscription news agency "with correspondents and stringers in all major centers of black population". [18] In 1940, Sengstacke led African American newspaper publishers in forming the trade association known in the 21st century as the National Newspaper Publishers Association. [19]

Poster from the U.S. Office of War Information, 1943 ROBERT LEE VANN - LAWYER, EDITOR, CRUSADER - NARA - 535681.jpg
Poster from the U.S. Office of War Information, 1943

During the 1930s and 1940s, the Black southern press both aided and, to an extent, hindered the equal payment movement of Black teachers in the southern United States. Newspaper coverage of the movement served to publicize the cause. However, the way in which the movement was portrayed, and those whose struggles were highlighted in the press, displaced Black women to the background of a movement they spearheaded. A woman's issue, and a Black woman's issue, was being covered by the press. However, reporting diminished the roles of the women fighting for teacher salary equalization and “diminished the presence of the teachers’ salary equalization fight” in national debates over equality in education. [20]

Lyndon Johnson meets with newspaper publishers in 1965. Johnson meet National Newspaper Publishers Association.jpg
Lyndon Johnson meets with newspaper publishers in 1965.

There were many specialized black publications, such as those of Marcus Garvey and John H. Johnson. These men broke a wall that let black people into society. The Roanoke Tribune was founded in 1939 by Fleming Alexander, and recently celebrated its 75th anniversary. The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder is Minnesota's oldest black-owned newspaper [21] and one of the United States' oldest ongoing minority publication, second only to The Jewish World.[ citation needed ]

21st century

Many Black newspapers that began publishing in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s went out of business because they could not attract enough advertising. They were also victims of their own substantial efforts to eradicate racism and promote civil rights.[ citation needed ]As of 2002, about 200 Black newspapers remained. With the decline of print media and proliferation of internet access, more black news websites emerged, most notably Black Voice News , The Grio , The Root , and Black Voices.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

An African American is a citizen or resident of the United States who has origins in any of the black populations of Africa. African American-related topics include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin</span> American publisher, journalist, African American civil rights leader, suffragist, and editor

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">John H. Murphy Sr.</span> American publisher (1840-1922)

John Henry Murphy Sr. was an African-American newspaper publisher based in Baltimore, Maryland. Born into slavery, he is best known as the founder of the Baltimore Afro-American, published by the AFRO-American Newspaper Company of Baltimore, Inc. This newspaper is one of the oldest operating black family-owned newspapers in the U.S.A.

<i>Baltimore Afro-American</i> Newspaper in Baltimore, Maryland

The Baltimore Afro-American, commonly known as The Afro or Afro News, is a weekly African-American newspaper published in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the flagship newspaper of the AFRO-American chain and the longest-running African-American family-owned newspaper in the United States, established in 1892.

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<i>The Womans Era</i> African-American womens newspaper

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<i>The Afro-American Press and Its Editors</i>

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Claude Albert Barnett was an American journalist, publisher, entrepreneur, philanthropist, civic activist, Pan-Africanist, and founder of the Associated Negro Press (ANP). He started the first international news agency for black newspapers. He was an advocate against segregation in the military and blood supply. He was an activist force in journalism. He promoted Pan-Africanism. The (ANP) documented the Civil Rights Movement in the United States of America, and struggles for independence in Africa. Associated Negro Press was a Pan-African news service. Claude Barnett, Robert S. Abbott, and John H. Johnson were three of the most influential African-American media entrepreneurs in the 20th century. They were based in Chicago, Illinois. Barnett is said to have advanced the role of the Black Press in press coverage, news sharing, advertising, public relations, and professionalism.

The Associated Negro Press (ANP) was an American news service founded in 1919 in Chicago, Illinois by Claude Albert Barnett. The ANP had correspondents, writers, reporters in all major centers of the black population in the United States of America. It supplied news stories, opinions, columns, feature essays, book and movie reviews, critical and comprehensive coverage of events, personalities, and institutions relevant to black Americans. As the ANP grew into a global network. It supplied the vast majority of black newspapers with twice weekly packets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helen Appo Cook</span> Community activist

Helen Appo Cook was a wealthy, prominent African-American community activist in Washington, D.C., and a leader in the women's club movement. Cook was a founder and president of the Colored Women's League, which consolidated with another organization in 1896 to become the National Association of Colored Women (NACW), an organization still active in the 21st century. Cook supported voting rights and was a member of the Niagara Movement, which opposed racial segregation and African American disenfranchisement. In 1898, Cook publicly rebuked Susan B. Anthony, president of the National Woman's Suffrage Association, and requested she support universal suffrage following Anthony's speech at a U.S. Congress House Committee on Judiciary hearing.

The Colored Women's League (CWL) of Washington, D.C., was a woman's club, organized by a group of African-American women in June 1892, with Helen Appo Cook as president. The primary mission of this organization was the national union of colored women. In 1896, the Colored Women's League and the Federation of Afro-American Women merged to form the National Association of Colored Women, with Mary Church Terrell as the first president.

The National Afro-American Press Association, formerly known as the National Colored Press Association, was established in 1890 in Indianapolis as a result of African American newspapers emerging around the country. With its creation came the election of Timothy Thomas Fortune, an American journalist and civil rights activist, as its chairman. Some other notable names that were a part of this association for a time were John Mitchell Jr., journalist, politician and civil rights activist, and Cyrus Field Adams, a civil rights activist and newspaper editor and manager, both having a role as president. Even with the increase of black newspapers and journalism, the longevity and success of the newspapers were limited, with funding being a primary reason for that. African-American newspapers allowed space for a racial minority to publish thoughts and promote discussions with other people in their community. The National Afro-American Press Association provided an umbrella for Afro-American newspapers, journalists, and civil rights activists, and gave them a space to continue to fight for rights and discuss their political aims.

References

  1. ↑ Arvarh E. Strickland and Robert E. Weems, eds. The African American Experience: An Historiographical and Bibliographical Guide (Greenwood, 2001), pp. 216–230. ISBN   978-0313298387
  2. ↑ Simmons, Charles A. The African American press: a history of news coverage during national crises, with special reference to four black newspapers, 1827–1965. McFarland, 2006, p. 2. ISBN   978-0786403875
  3. ↑ Jacqueline Bacon, "The history of Freedom's Journal: A study in empowerment and community." Journal of African American History 88.1 (2003): 1–20. in JSTOR Archived 2016-11-07 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ "Honoring African American Contributions: The Newspapers". Archived from the original on 2023-08-13. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
  5. ↑ Knowlton, Steven. "LibGuides: African American Studies: Newspapers: 19th century". Libguides.princeton.edu. Archived from the original on November 5, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
  6. ↑ "History 313: Manual – Chapter 3". Archived from the original on 2016-04-01. Retrieved 2016-07-27.
  7. ↑ "Daniel Rudd". Star Quest Production Network (SQPN). 2020-02-03. Archived from the original on 2020-06-11. Retrieved 2020-10-20.
  8. ↑ Nina Mjagkij, ed. (2001), Organizing Black America: an Encyclopedia of African American Associations, Garland, ISBN   978-0815323099
  9. ↑ Gonzalez 2011.
  10. ↑ Stabel, Meredith (2021). Radicals, Volume 2: Memoir, Essays, and Oratory: Audacious Writings by American Women, 1830-1930. University of Iowa Press. p. 173. ISBN   978-1-60938-768-6.
  11. ↑ "The Woman's Era". Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin. Retrieved 2024-02-12– via Lewis H. Beck Center at Emory University.
  12. ↑ Wade-Gayles, Gloria (1981). "Black Women Journalists in the South, 1880-1905: An Approach to the Study of Black Women's History". Callaloo (11/13): 138–152. doi:10.2307/3043847. ISSN   0161-2492.
  13. ↑ Rhodes, Jane (1998). Mary Ann Shadd Carry: The Black Press and Protest in the Nineteenth Century. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. pp. 120–123. ISBN   0253213509.
  14. ↑ Jacqueline Bacon, Freedom's journal: the first African-American newspaper (2007).
  15. ↑ Patrick S. Washburn, The African American Newspaper: Voice of Freedom (2006).
  16. ↑ Mott, Frank Luther (1950). American Journalism: The history of newspapers in the United States 1690–1950. Macmillan. p. 794.
  17. ↑ "National Colored Press Association". nkaa.uky.edu. Archived from the original on 2022-02-07. Retrieved 2022-02-07.
  18. ↑ "Associated Negro Press", Encyclopedia of Chicago , Chicago Historical Society, archived from the original on June 8, 2008, retrieved March 20, 2017
  19. ↑ Osgood, Harley (2018-09-30). "The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) (1940– )". Black Past. Archived from the original on 2022-02-07. Retrieved 2022-02-07.
  20. ↑ Aiello, Thomas (February 2018). "'Do We Have Any Men to Follow in Her Footsteps?': The Black Southern Press and the Fight for Teacher Salary Equalization". History of Education Quarterly. 58 (1): 94–121. doi: 10.1017/heq.2017.50 . ISSN   0018-2680.
  21. ↑ "About". Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. Retrieved 2024-02-12.

Further reading

Primary sources

  • Dunnigan, Alice. Alone Atop the Hill: The Autobiography of Alice Dunnigan, Pioneer of the National Black Press (University of Georgia Press, 2015)
  • La Brie, Henry G. III, Black Pulitzers and Hearsts, oral history collection at Columbia University's Butler Library with over 80 interviews with Black publishers and editors
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