Frederick Douglass was a journalist
He founded The North Star in 1847, the most influential Af-Am pre-Civil War publication
After the Civil war, there was an enormous burst of energy, a desire to communicate, a desire to connect,
with black people establishing newspapers in any town, even tiny ones.” – Phyl Garland
Between 1827-1861, there were more than 2 dozen black newspapers established. The Reconstruction was a “golden age” for African American journalists
Ida B. Wells, co-owner & editor of Memphis Free Speech and Headlight, late 19th
century
Between 1876 and 1919, at least 3,000 black men were murdered by white lynch mobs.
Chicago Defender, founded in 1905 as “the world’s greatest weekly”
Circulation of 100,000 with 500,000 readers
Founded by W.E.B. Du Bois, as
mouthpiece of the NAACP
• It will record important happenings and movements in the world which bear on the great problem of inter-racial relations, and especially those which affect the Negro-American.
• Secondly, it will be a review of opinion and literature, recording briefly books, articles, and important expressions of opinion in the white and colored press on the race problem.
• Thirdly, it will publish a few short articles.
• Finally, its editorial page will stand for the rights of men, irrespective of color or race, for the highest ideals of American democracy, and for reasonable but earnest and persistent attempts to gain these rights and realize these ideals.
• Circulation increased from 1,000 copies to 100,000 by 1918
Ebony Mission StatementEbony celebrated African
American life and culture by depicting the achievements of black Americans. It honored black identity by portraying black life, refuting stereotypes, and inspiring readers to overcome racial and other barriers to success.
Trends in black publishingWhen mainstream publishing sneezes, black newspapers and magazine catch pneumonia
Jet, R.I.P. June 2014
Economics of Magazines
• Cover Price: $3.99 an issue
• Subscription: $12.99 a year discounted
• Full page 4-color ad: about $121,000 for one month
• essence.com: free
Challenge of Black Media• How do you critically cover issues in the
community? (Bill Cosby! Clarence Thomas?)
• White ownership, Essence, BET, Black voices,
• Politics vs economics (Nelly, Essence Music festival?)
• Multi-culturalism & interracial marriage
• The career as black journalist – where to put your talent
Community and Ethnic Media
37 % of New York’s population = foreign born. The combined circulation of these 18 dailies exceeds 500,000. (By contrast, the New York Daily News delivers about 270,000 papers to the city’s five boroughs.)