#NNPA BlackPress

The Storied History of the Black Press Part II

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “African American journalism has played a dual role, serving as purveyors of news and information and as agents of social change,” Dr. Jane Rhodes, the head of the department of African American studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago, said, noting that the Black Press has always been a source of black American political power.

Published

6 years ago

June 27, 2019

Oakland Post

Purveyors of news and information. Agents of social change.

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. DuBois, Ida B. Wells Barnett, Langston Hughes, Romare Bearden, James Weldon Johnson, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Daisy Bates are all names that are notable in many ways.

But, their contributions to the Black Press remain profound.

It’s the talent and fearlessness of such editors, publishers, journalists, cartoonists and contributors that have allowed the Black Press to survive and thrive regardless of many obstacles.

Today, the names of others including Bob Bogle, Dorothy Leavell, Danny Bakewell, Sr., Rod Doss, Rosetta Miller Perry and John Oliver – continue to carry forward the Black Press banner.

In a white paper posted on the website of the University of Illinois at Chicago, Dr. Jane Rhodes, the head of the department of African American studies said the Black Press [remains] a critical aspect of African American history and culture.

Rhodes likened the importance of the Black Press to churches, political and service organizations, and schools and universities.

“The Black Press has been central to community formation, protest, and advocacy, education and literacy, and economic self-sufficiency,” Rhodes wrote.

Importantly, Rhodes noted that the Black Press “did not always follow the transformation of the mainstream press from a strictly partisan institution to a mass medium governed by ideals of objectivity.”

“African American journalism has played a dual role, serving as purveyors of news and information and as agents of social change,” Rhodes said, noting that the Black Press has always been a source of black American political power.

Journalist Vernon Jarrett once wrote about the importance of the Black Press to African Americans: “We didn’t exist in the early papers. We were never born, we didn’t get married, we didn’t die. We didn’t fight in any wars. We never participated in anything of scientific achievement. We were truly invisible, unless we committed a crime.”

“But, in the Black Press, the Negro press, we did get married,” Jarrett said.

“They showed us our babies being born. They showed our graduations. They showed our Ph.D.’s.”

In a feature by the California Newsreel titled, “The Black Press: Soldiers without Swords,” several journalists noted the history of the Black Press and they highlighted a period in the late 1940s and early 1950s when black newspapers helped lay the groundwork for the Civil Rights movement.

The feature film’s narrators said the greatest achievements of the Black Press during that time were its “uncompromising political activism, increasing visibility, and recognition of its journalistic excellence.”

“Black newspapers muted their militancy to fend off accusations of Communism, and to appease big advertisers who had finally become interested in attracting black consumers,” the journalists noted.

At the same time, the mainstream press began to integrate its staffs, and hired some of the best African American reporters away from black newspapers.

As the Civil Rights movement developed, the Black Press covered breaking events across the country. Black newspapers sent reporters into whites-only lunch counters, to write about their experiences of being harassed and refused service.

They covered demonstrations, riots, and speeches by leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Honoring that history continues today.

With its annual convention in Cincinnati this year, the National Newspaper Publishers Association again gathers with its past and future in mind.

The convention provides an opportunity for publishers of the Black Press to plot a course that helps African-American-owned newspapers to continue the mission of its forefathers.

“It gives us an opportunity to meet and convene to talk about issues that we normally don’t have the time to sit and discuss,” said Cloves Campbell, publisher of the Arizona Informant.

“It’s an opportunity for us to learn about some of the trends and things that are happening in the world, and how we can continue to motivate,” Campbell said.

Denise Rolark Barnes, publisher of the Washington Informer, said the importance of the role Black Press has in the community can never be overstated.

“We have the responsibility to uplift the black community and we take that role seriously,” Rolark Barnes said.

“We try and find ways to get our message out and to articulate what our community’s needs are and how we are actually working to serve those needs,” she said. “I think the number role we have is to keep our community informed, educated and inspired.”

Oakland Post

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#NNPA BlackPress

Black Feminist Movement Mobilizes in Response to National Threats

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States.

Published

1 week ago

May 30, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States. The event, led by the organization Black Feminist Future, is headlined by activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis. Paris Hatcher, executive director of Black Feminist Future, joined Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known to outline the mission and urgency behind the gathering, titled “Get Free.” “This is not just a conference to dress up and have a good time,” Hatcher said. “We’re building power to address the conditions that are putting our lives at risk—whether that’s policing, reproductive injustice, or economic inequality.” Hatcher pointed to issues such as rising evictions among Black families, the rollback of bodily autonomy laws, and the high cost of living as key drivers of the event’s agenda. “Our communities are facing premature death,” she said.

Workshops and plenaries will focus on direct action, policy advocacy, and practical organizing skills. Attendees will participate in training sessions that include how to resist evictions, organize around immigration enforcement, and disrupt systemic policies contributing to poverty and incarceration. “This is about fighting back,” Hatcher said. “We’re not conceding anything.” Hatcher addressed the persistent misconceptions about Black feminism, including the idea that it is a movement against men or families. “Black feminism is not a rejection of men,” she said. “It’s a rejection of patriarchy. Black men must be part of this struggle because patriarchy harms them too.” She also responded to claims that organizing around Black women’s issues weakens broader coalitions. “We don’t live single-issue lives,” Hatcher said. “Our blueprint is one that lifts all Black people.”

The conference will not be streamed virtually, but recaps and updates will be posted daily on Black Feminist Future’s YouTube channel and Instagram account. The event includes performances by Tank and the Bangas and honors longtime activists including Billy Avery, Erica Huggins, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. When asked how Black feminism helps families, Hatcher said the real threat to family stability is systemic oppression. “If we want to talk about strong Black families, we have to talk about mass incarceration, the income gap, and the systems that tear our families apart,” Hatcher said. “Black feminism gives us the tools to build and sustain healthy families—not just survive but thrive.”

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

#NNPA BlackPress

Hoover’s Commutation Divides Chicago as State Sentence Remains

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial.

Published

1 week ago

May 29, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The federal sentence for Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover has been commuted, but he remains incarcerated under a 200-year state sentence in Illinois. The decision by Donald Trump to reduce Hoover’s federal time has reignited longstanding debates over his legacy and whether rehabilitation or continued punishment is warranted. The commutation drew immediate public attention after music executive Jay Prince and artist Chance the Rapper publicly praised Trump’s decision. “I’m glad that Larry Hoover is home,” said Chance the Rapper. “He was a political prisoner set up by the federal government. He created Chicago Votes, mobilized our people, and was targeted for that.”

But Hoover, the founder of the Gangster Disciples, is not home—not yet. Now in federal custody at the Florence Supermax in Colorado, Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial. “There is a divide in the Black community here,” said Chicago journalist Jason Palmer during an appearance on the Let It Be Known morning program. “Some view Hoover as someone who brought structure and leadership. Others remember the violence that came with his organization.” Palmer explained that while Hoover’s gang originally formed for protection, it grew into a criminal network responsible for extensive harm in Chicago. He also noted that Hoover continued to run his organization from state prison using coded messages passed through visitors, prompting his transfer to federal custody.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is widely considered a potential 2028 presidential contender, has not issued a statement. Palmer suggested that silence is strategic. “Releasing Hoover would create enormous political consequences,” Palmer said. “The governor’s in a difficult spot—he either resists pressure from supporters or risks national backlash if he acts.” According to Palmer, Hoover’s federal commutation does not make him a free man. “The federal sentence may be commuted, but he still has a 200-year state sentence,” he said. “And Illinois officials have already made it clear they don’t want to house him in state facilities again. They prefer he remains in federal custody, just somewhere outside of Colorado.”

Palmer also raised concerns about what Hoover’s case could signal for others. “When R. Kelly was convicted federally, state prosecutors in Illinois and Minnesota dropped their charges. If a president can commute federal sentences based on public pressure or celebrity support, others like R. Kelly or Sean Combs could be next,” Palmer said. “Meanwhile, there are thousands of incarcerated people without fame or access to public platforms who will never get that consideration.” “There are people who are not here today because of the violence connected to these organizations,” Palmer said. “That has to be part of this conversation.”

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

#NNPA BlackPress

WATCH: Five Years After George Floyd: Full Panel Discussion | Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real | Live Podcast Event

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 28, 2025

admin

https://youtube.com/watch?v=OsNLWTz6jU0&feature=oembed

May 25, 2020. The world stopped and watched as a life was taken.

But what has happened since?

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

She shares reflections, insights, and the story of a community forever changed. What has a year truly meant, and where do we go from here?

This is more than just a date; it’s a moment in history. See what one leader in the Black press has to say about it.

Recorded live at UROC in Minneapolis, this powerful discussion features:

Panelists: