The Black Press: Informing A People

Black newspapers: From community roots to the digital age

In the 21st Century, an era in which there is an online publication for every interest and taste, how does a newspaper catering to African-Americans survive?

Part of the answer is that the black press has embraced new technology, using websites and social media platforms to inform, engage and connect with readers like never before.

The Village Celebration, The Root, and the Grio have appeared on the scene as well — offering in-depth coverage of issues and events related to African-American life for a national audience. Even the Huffington Post has joined the ranks of media for black consumers, with its “Black Voices” section.

Still, newspapers catering to local black communities continue to publish in cities around the country. This week, we’ll introduce you to four black newspapers that are surviving and thriving in the digital age.

Black newspapers in the 21st Century

The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), also known as the Black Press of America, counts more than 200 newspapers among its membership today.

The website BlackPressUSA.com, aggregates content from many of NNPA’s member newspapers around the country. The “About Us” section reads:

“BlackPressUSA.com is the joint web presence of America’s Black community newspapers and the NNPA News Service — the last national Black Press news wire. It is a project of the Black Press Institute, a partnership between the National Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation and Howard University”

Speaking at North Carolina State University in February 2013, Reginald Owens, F. Jay Taylor Endowed Chair of Journalism at Louisiana Tech University, spoke of a new day for newspapers catering to a black audience.

The campus newspaper said Owens pointed to “a recent resurgence of the black press both in print and online. The aims of the black press today have shifted to dealing with institutionalized racism like job discrimination, racial profiling and voter discrimination.”

Timeline: Four newspapers, four stories

The publications we’ll introduce you to this week have unique histories.

1905 The Chicago Defender is first published

• Founded by Robert S. Abbott • Known for reporting on “The Great Migration,” anti-lynching legislation, and the creation of a “kids section” famously called Bud Billiken.
• Today: Owned by Real Times Media 
• Circulation: 8,420 (2012)

1919 The Kansas City Call first published

• Founded by Chester A. Franklin
• From its inception, the paper’s “news policy has been constructive, presenting the achievements and worthwhile happenings among the African-American community, rather than crime and other stereotypical aspects of the news.”
• Today: Donna F. Stewart, Publisher & President
• Circulation: N/A
• Scripps Media, Inc., certifies that its advertising sales agreements do not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity. All advertising sales agreements contain nondiscrimination clauses.

1928 (March) St. Louis American is first published

• Founded by Judge Nathan B. Young and several African-American businessmen, including Homer G. Phillips
• “The only local African-American newspaper continuously published since 1928, and the longest continuously published weekly newspaper in the St. Louis area”
• Today: Owned by Donald Suggs
• Circulation: distributes 70,200 print copies every

Thursday 1928 (August) The Atlanta Daily World is first published

• Founded by William Alexander Scott II
• In 1932, became a daily–the first black daily in the U.S. in the 20th century and the first successful one in all U.S. history
• Today: Owned by Real Times Media
• Circulation: N/A

Author bio: Holly Edgell has more than 20 years experience as a journalist. She is currently Community Editor at WCPO.com, the Scripps digital and broadcast property in Cincinnati.