Your Black History: Read About America’s First Black-Owned Newspaper
By Victor Trammell
It is often humbling as an African-American to learn about the pioneers who paved the way for racial equality in various trades all across the board.
Presently, Floyd Mayweather is arguably the most dominant figure in the sport of boxing. However, the sacrifices of the late Jack Johnson definitely laid the groundwork for African-American boxers to receive the respect in the sport they earn today.
Beverly Johnson rose to fame as a model. She eventually became the first black model to appear on the cover of Vogue Magazine. Today, her line of beauty and hair products are a flourishing name brand. Madame C.J. Walker definitely pioneered the hair and beauty industry for black women in the early 20th century. Walker is also known as the first black female millionairess.
As a writer by trade, it behooved me to learn in my past about the people who pioneered a craft I have always enjoyed. Some of my idols include men like Lewis Diuguid and James Baldwin. But long before the published writings of those two men came about, the first black-owned newspaper vociferously delivered the honorable cause of black justice and independence in the early 19th century.
The news publication was called the Freedom’s Journal. This paper was founded on March 16, 1827 by Peter Williams Jr. and three other blacks. The founders chose two black social activists named John B. Russwurm and Samuel Cornish to be the editors of the newspaper. The problem with the so-called abolitionist newspapers of the time was that they often portrayed whites as the sole saviors chastened to the duty of aleviating the fearsome grip of white dehumanization of blacks.
In the historic first issue of the Freedom Journal, the paper’s editors wrote:
“Too long have others spoken for us, too long has the public been deceived by misrepresentations. We deem it expedient to establish a paper and bring into operation all the means with which our benevolent creator has endowed us, for the moral, religious, civil and literary improvement of our race.”
The Freedom Journal discontinued around two years after its foundation. However, the paper’s legacy of utilizing the freedoms of speech and free press definitely paved the way for myself and even the online publication I write for today.
17 Responses to Your Black History: Read About America’s First Black-Owned Newspaper
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“The problem with the so-called abolitionist newspapers of the time was that they often portrayed whites as the sole saviors chastened to the duty of aleviating the fearsome grip of white dehumanization of blacks.”
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It appears this type of mental behavior is still amongst negroids, who THINK anglo-euros, helped us during our forced enslavement. They were paid by the government, who was also a part of our forced enslavement, and this is the EXACT reason, why negroids love caucasoids, so much. IT’S CALLED MENTACIDE or MENTAL SUICIDE!!!
I must agree Derrick, Black Americans really do love the perverted catholic…they worship his religion, believes in his lies, allowed him to conquer and divide us, and most of all they are 100% loyal to this perverted devil…they want what the perverted catholic wants, and do what the perverted catholic do; like gay rights, material things…
One thing I learned about the perverted catholic (all chrsitians) is that all of them are liars, criminals, child molestors, and rapist…
There is no such thing as a so-called good christian anywhere on this planet…oops, unless they are getting into trouble or need some help…
There is no negro land, no negro river, no negro country, there is no negroid race of people. OID simply means as or alike. We got rid of negro and all of its sibling in the 60′s. Negro is a Portuguese word for black, we are not Portuguese. The term was first use in the 1850′s created by some white men, who knew less the you.
So now in this digital age, black journalists have a responsibility to print the truth, unbiased and without any judgement, this site does not always show respect to us and the journalistic content in some articles are extremely lacking most times. So in honor of the Freedom Journal start doing what they were unable to do
“Paved the way for racial equality…” for some reason that did not seem like enough today, to fight for when I read it this time.
Seems closed ended, as if there are a people in front of us who are really free. White people are only free in the social construction that they have imposed upon this country. When they are no longer seen as the “moral center” they have what many have called a type of psychological break. When they ealize they are not the moral neutral but a people like the rest of us they have to face that they were given and and have advantages that others do not have. I too, saw life as just life, and thats the way it was. Societies are created by the ruling class and the other groupd come into it and fall into their roles withing another people idea of the way things should be. Whites are so far behind in their abliity to talk about Whiteness and privilege. They run from the truth of themselves not being the smartest or being egalitarian because they adopt Black babies. We should aspire to greater than “equality” but to greatness beyond the parameters that limits us and them. Just my thoughts today.
I do not wat term that we should be called today. I hated being called a negro. We are not black and I find African-American offensive as well. No one says Irish-American or Italian-American anymore. As someone pointed out John Kerry, our future Sec. Of Sates wife is African-American because she was born in S. Africa and is now an american.
African American men make up 6% of the United States population, but 44% of the population in U.S. federal and state penitentiaries. This needs to change.