#NNPA BlackPress

Former NNPA Chairman Dorothy Leavell Reflects on the Black Press

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “The chairman has a direct responsibility for their membership and to be speaking for them in every way to make sure that their rights, their names, and all, are brought to the forefront of other publishers that comprise the board, and to develop policies,” Leavell said.

Published

6 years ago

July 17, 2019

Oakland Post

Former Chairman, Dorothy R. Leavell, publisher of the Chicago and Gary Crusader Newspapers, said she won’t let anything stand in the way of her fighting for the success of the Black Press.

Part Two in a series, as the NNPA prepares to Celebrate 80Years as the Voice of Black America

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

“Can I tell you?”To hear those words means one of two things (or both):

It means that Chicago and Gary Crusader Publisher and former National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Chairman Dorothy R. Leavell, is about to school you on some history, or make a pointed observation.

Either way, it’s advisable that you pay attention. You’re about to learn something.

“Can I tell you, as chairman, and I don’t let them call me chairwoman or chairperson because I think the title should be unisex and I’m going to make it unisex, but when you say chairman, you get that attention,” said Leavell, who won election to chairman in 2017 and served through June 2019.

“The chairman has a direct responsibility for their membership and to be speaking for them in every way to make sure that their rights, their names, and all, are brought to the forefront of other publishers that comprise the board, and to develop policies,” Leavell said.

A custodian and historian of the Black Press, Leavell recalls serving as president of NNPA in 1995, when she served two terms in the position, which preceded the creation of the board chairman role.

“And, can you imagine that some of the issues are very similar to today’s,” Leavell said.

“And some of the issues are quite different. I can remember in 1995, people were having debates about what the Black Press is and that we needed to have panel discussions, which we have today,” she said.

Building bridges became an emphasis for Leavell in the 1990s, including making a connection to Africa.

“I led a delegation to Nigeria and got highly criticized, but I felt that we needed that connection with our homeland that every other ethnic group, nationality, has,” Leavell said.

As chair, Leavell traversed America seeking to heighten awareness of the continued importance of the Black Press.

“I see my responsibility as chairman to always carry the banner for the Black Press. To speak about the Black Press to corporate America and others to help them understand the importance of utilizing the publications of the Black Press to get their message out,” she said.

Recently, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced legislation that would effectively punish federal agencies who fail to include the Black Press in advertising spending.

For decades, the Black Press had to fight for the rights of African Americans and for its own membership in the face of an unfriendly federal government, Leavell said.

“In 1944, they tried to block us from printing the truth about the war and our soldiers and [more recently], they prevented us from having someone report from the White House and so many other things that have been closed off to us and so here we are in 2019 and God bless Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton for her initiative,” Leavell said.

“Can I tell you, we are constantly evolving but I [saw] myself as chairman of the board, as an ambassador and I [was] [there] every day dealing with what’s happening in our newspaper offices, the challenges, and how we continue to do things,” she said.

This year marks Leavell’s 51st as a publisher and she believes she still has more to offer locally in Chicago and nationally for the NNPA.

“Can I just say, when I first became a publisher, I had two children. And I was a widow.

And I had two newspapers,” Leavell said.

“And I had to figure things out,” she said.

One of the things Leavell had to figure out was being a strong woman in a male-dominated industry.

“When I became publisher, it was about five other women who were publishers and most of them were senior citizens because they had inherited their publications similar to me,” she said.

“But I was a young woman … and I remember this constant struggle of never having enough and wondering is this all there is to life for me.”

However, from her past, a voice arrived that would change everything for Leavell.

“He [her former high school principal] came to my newspaper and he said, ‘I’m so proud of you.’ I said, ‘wow,’” Leavell said.

“He said what I was doing was important because people looking for information would not otherwise get it if it weren’t for the newspaper and he said we were speaking up for people who didn’t have anyone to speak up for them,” Leavell said.

Leavell said she won’t let anything stand in the way of her fighting for the success of the Black Press.

She has a story to tell, one she hopes one day to carve out the time to put her life’s experience in a book, and one that will ultimately begin with, “Can I tell you.”

“This is my passion,” Leavell said.

“It is what I am, and it is what I continue to aspire for our industry and for our institutions. And yes, the Black Press is an institution — just like the Black Church,” she said.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

L.A. City Councilman O’Farrell calls on state for more funds for homeless

Don't Miss

Former NNPA Chairs Talk Yesterday, Today and the Future

Oakland Post

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

Remembering George Floyd

Published

11 hours ago

May 25, 2025

Oakland Post

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

OP-ED: Oregon Bill Threatens the Future of Black Owned Newspapers and Community Journalism

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

Published

2 days ago

May 23, 2025

Oakland Post

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
President and CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association

For decades, The Skanner newspaper in Portland, the Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium have served Portland, Oregon’s Black community and others with a vital purpose: to inform, uplift and empower. But legislation now moving through the Oregon Legislature threatens these community news institutions—and others like them.

As President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), which represents more than 255 Black-owned media outlets across the United States—including historic publications like The Skanner, Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium—l believe that some Oregon lawmakers would do more harm than good for local journalism and community-owned publications they are hoping to protect.

Oregon Senate Bill 686 would require large digital platforms such as Google and Meta to pay for linking to news content. The goal is to bring desperately needed support to local newsrooms. However, the approach, while well-intentioned, puts smaller, community-based publications at a future severe financial risk.

We need to ask – will these payments paid by tech companies benefit the journalists and outlets that need them most? Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors, and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption, and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

Legislation that sends money to these national conglomerate owners—without the right safeguards to protect independent and community-based outlets—rewards the forces that caused this inequitable crisis in the first place. A just and inclusive policy must guarantee that support flows to the front lines of local journalism and not to the boardrooms of large national media corporations.

The Black Press exists to fill in the gaps left by larger newsrooms. Our reporters are trusted messengers. Our outlets serve as forums for civic engagement, accountability and cultural pride. We also increasingly rely on our digital platforms to reach our audiences, especially younger generations—where they are.

We are fervently asking Oregon lawmakers to take a step back and engage in meaningful dialogue with those most affected: community publishers, small and independent outlets and the readers we serve. The Skanner, The Portland Observer, and The Portland Medium do not have national corporate parents or large investors. And they, like many smaller, community-trusted outlets, rely on traffic from search engines and social media to boost advertising revenue, drive subscriptions, and raise awareness.

Let’s work together to build a better future for Black-owned newspapers and community journalism that is fair, local,l and representative of all Oregonians.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., President & CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Hate and Chaos Rise in Trump’s America

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Tactics ranged from local policy manipulation to threats of violence. The SPLC documented bomb threats at 60 polling places in Georgia, traced to Russian email domains.

Published

2 days ago

May 23, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The Southern Poverty Law Center has identified 1,371 hate and antigovernment extremist groups operating across the United States in 2024. In its latest Year in Hate & Extremism report, the SPLC reveals how these groups are embedding themselves in politics and policymaking while targeting marginalized communities through intimidation, disinformation, and violence. “Extremists at all levels of government are using cruelty, chaos, and constant attacks on communities and our democracy to make us feel powerless,” said SPLC President Margaret Huang. The report outlines how hard-right groups aggressively targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives throughout 2024. Figures on the far right falsely framed DEI as a threat to white Americans, with some branding it a form of “white genocide.” After the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, a former Utah legislator blamed the incident on DEI, posting “DEI = DIE.”

Tactics ranged from local policy manipulation to threats of violence. The SPLC documented bomb threats at 60 polling places in Georgia, traced to Russian email domains. Similar threats hit Jewish institutions and Planet Fitness locations after far-right social media accounts attacked them for trans-inclusive policies. Telegram, which SPLC describes as a hub for hate groups, helped extremists cross-recruit between neo-Nazi, QAnon, and white nationalist spaces. The platform’s lax moderation allowed groups like the Terrorgram Collective—designated terrorists by the U.S. State Department—to thrive. Militia movements were also reorganized, with 50 groups documented in 2024. Many, calling themselves “minutemen,” trained in paramilitary tactics while lobbying local governments for official recognition. These groups shared personnel and ideology with white nationalist organizations.

The manosphere continued to radicalize boys and young men. The Fresh & Fit podcast, now listed as a hate group, promoted misogyny while mocking and attacking Black women. Manosphere influencers used social media algorithms to drive youth toward male-supremacy content. Turning Point USA played a key role in pushing white nationalist rhetoric into mainstream politics. Its leader Charlie Kirk claimed native-born Americans are being replaced by immigrants, while the group advised on Project 2025 and organized Trump campaign events. “We know that these groups build their power by threatening violence, capturing political parties and government, and infesting the mainstream discourse with conspiracy theories,” said Rachel Carroll Rivas, interim director of the SPLC’s Intelligence Project. “By exposing the players, tactics, and code words of the hard right, we hope to dismantle their mythology and inspire people to fight back.”

Click here for the full report or visit http://www.splcenter.org/resources/guides/year-hate-extremism-2024.