Dorothy Brush "Random Thoughts" Published Feb. 15, 2006

Black newspapers played a huge role in American history

Blacks have contributed so much for so long to the history of our nation, I wonder, why was February, the shortest month of the year, designated as Black History month? I have no answer, but I do know black newspapers played an important role in black history in the United States.

Long before there was a Civil Rights Movement, the first black newspaper appeared in 1827. Freedom's Journal was published in New York City and stated in its first issue, "We wish to plead our own cause." Historians believe the content was aimed mainly at white readers who probably supported production costs and second, at that time so many blacks were slaves who had never had the opportunity to learn to read.

In spite of drawbacks, it was not long before other African-American newspapers appeared with names that indicated their causes - Impartial Citizen, Freeman's Advocate, Palladium of Liberty. In 1839 in an article in the Colored American, the writer stated that he was living in a free state and yet when he traveled by train, even though he was well dressed and had money, he was forbidden to sit in any section but the colored cars. He concluded, "You boast of free institutions but you grind the colored people in the dust by destroying their spirit of self-respect."

Frederick Douglas was born a slave and was self-educated. In 1838, he escaped to freedom in Massachusetts. By 1847, he had written antislavery letters to leading newspapers and lectured on the subject in America and Europe. In that year he received funding from British supporters to start his newspaper, the North Star. For the next 16 years, it was a strong voice among those involved in the emerging black press or as opponents called them "race papers."

As early as 1865, Colored American was founded in Georgia dedicated "to the promotion of harmony and good-will between the white and colored people of the South." In the post Civil War years the Bee, the black newspaper in Washington, DC, was an influential voice on politics.

There were at least 80 black newspapers in the country before the turn of the century. During that early period, Chattanooga had seven papers published for the black community which made up 43 percent of the population. One of those was The Weekly Blade, founded in 1898 by ex-slave Randolph Miller. He came to the city in 1864 and worked as a pressman for the white newspaper until he started his own paper. Miller was a strong editorial voice against the injustices practiced. The influential paper continued for 16 years until Miller's failing health in his 84th year brought an end to the publication.

The horrors of lynchings were exposed by many courageous black writers although even a mention of the practice was fraught with danger. After the death of three friends by lynching, Ida B. Wells wrote the facts in her paper, the Memphis Free Speech. The newspaper office was destroyed and she moved to Chicago because of fear for her life. There she continued writing and protesting the many segregationist practices used against blacks.

The black press often was attacked for the views they put forth. The office of the Jackson (MS) Advocate was burned 21 times in 20 years but it was not silenced.

Black History Month is richer for the strength of a black press that refused to buckle to pressure. Long before Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech, they too had the dream.

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Dorothy Copus Brush is a Fairfield Glade resident and Crossville Chronicle staffwriter whose column is published each Wednesday. She may be reached at ebrush@frontiernet.net