Celebrating Black Press Day: The enduring legacy and significance of the Black press – The Atlanta Voice

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The first Black-owned and operated newspaper in this country’s history hit the streets of New York City nearly 200 years ago. Freedom’s Journal, published by John R. Russworm and Samuel E. Cornish on March 16, 1827, began what continues to be an important piece of American industry, education, and history. 

Black newspapers are almost as old as this country itself. America will celebrate its 249th birthday as a nation on Independence Day, July 4, 2025. The Black Press is described by the Oxford Research Encyclopedia as “an umbrella term that includes a diverse set of publications that include a small number of religious and mostly secular magazines and newspapers published by Black people in the United States from 1827 to the present.”
To put the legacy of the Black Press in better perspective, the United States is only 52 years older than Black newspaper publishing. March 16 is Black Press Day, and the history of Black-owned newspapers and radio stations like Atlanta’s WCLK, for example, will be highlighted. On Thursday, Mar. 13, the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), the trade association representing Black-owned and operated newspapers in the United States since 1840, will host a Black Press Day event at Howard University. NNPA President Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. will deliver a “State of the Black Press” message.  
According to many members of NNPA, the state of the Black Press remains as strong and as necessary as it ever was.
“To say the Black Press is as important now as ever is like saying Black People are more important now than ever,” said Cheryl Smith, publisher of the Texas Metro News and Garland Journal. “All my life, Black people have been important to me. We just needed to see, feel, and believe it, as the Hon. Marcus Mosiah Garvey said. Then, we need to act on those beliefs. We need to fall in love with ourselves and our people. If we look back at every period in our lives since its inception, we can see how significant the Black Press was. We need to see it and believe it every day we get up and I promise you we will be stronger, more vibrant, and powerful people.”
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Though fewer Black newspapers are printed today than during the heyday of the Black Press in the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, there are still many available for purchase and subscription throughout the country. According to data from the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), there are 200 Black newspapers in business.
“With so many media outlets going out of business, news about where Blacks are globally and what we are doing is low on the list of coverage,” said Brenda Siler, a reporter with the Washington Informer. “The Black Press must function more strategically about what to cover and how to get that news to multiple audiences.”

The current situation for all newspapers leaves little room for Black newspapers to miss out on opportunities to reach new readers. Siler added that the Black Press can continue serving readers by “Picking up after audiences. That is how The Black Press can maintain their significance to all communities.”

Books that can never be banned
Plenty of books have been written about the history and significance of the Black Press. Some prime examples of the documentation of the Black Press include History of the Black Press by Armistead S. Pride and Clint C. Wilson II, The African African Newspaper: Voice of Freedom by Patrick S. Washburn, Sam Lacy and Wendell Smith by Wayne Dawkins, This Is Our War by Dr. Francis “Toni” Draper, the CEO and president of Afro American Newspapers, and Carter G. Woodson: History, The Black Press, and Public Relations by Burnis R. Morris and The Defender: How the Legendary Black Newspaper Changed America, by Ethan Michaeli.  
The latter, published in 2016, tells the story of Chicago Defender founder Robert S. Abbott and how what he started at his landlord’s kitchen table became the most influential Black newspaper in the history of this country. 
Dawkins will be among 20 contributors to the Black Press Research Collective anthology of the Black Press, past, present, and future, which will celebrate the 200th anniversary of Freedom’s Journal in 2027
When asked why the Black Press remains important, Dawkins told The Atlanta Voice, “It’s because of the work you and your colleagues do at The Atlanta Voice, serving the mecca of Black political, economic, and creative power. It’s because of the celebration this Sunday at Metropolitan AME Church in Washington, DC, recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Washington Informer and its continued vitality of the legacy Afro-American of Baltimore/Washington, DC. It’s because of the legacy of sports journalists Sam Lacy (Afro-American) and Wendell Smith (Pittsburgh Courier) who used their pens and typewriters to desegregate American sports.”
His message to Black sports writers at Black newspapers and other publications, websites, and social media platforms: “When you are enjoying the NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAA, and WNBA, remember Lacy, Smith, and their sports writing peers.”
The First Black Daily in Atlanta
Many Black newspapers, such as the  Atlanta Daily World, are published online only. Founded by  William Alexander Scott II in 1928, the Atlanta Daily World was one of the first daily Black-owned newspapers in the country. Today, the newspaper’s original location on Auburn Avenue is home to an architecture firm, but the sign and plaque signifying the paper’s importance to the city’s Black community remain visible to all who pass by.  
“The Black Press has always played an important role in documenting the unfiltered truth, often standing as a powerful counter to mainstream narratives. With the rising spread of misinformation, there’s a growing attack on the media,” said Atlanta Daily Word Executive Editor A.R. Shaw. “However, the Black press continues on its mission to highlight untold stories, preserving Black history, and upholding vital institutions that are essential to this nation.” 
2025 and Beyond
The Black Press has educated, enlightened, informed, and entertained readers in this country for 198 years. NNPA President Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis told The Atlanta Voice that the times currently call for the Black Press, with 50-plus million Blacks living, working, and getting their news in this country. 
“The largest Black population in American history are now openly and unapologetically demanding freedom, justice, equality, democracy, and equity,” Chavis said. “The dissemination of this message and narrative is only accurately done by the Black Press in 2025 and beyond.” 

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Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Donnell began his career covering sports and news in Atlanta nearly two decades ago. Since then he has written for Atlanta Business Chronicle, The Southern Cross… More by Donnell Suggs
For more than 59 years, The Atlanta Voice has ably provided a voice for the voiceless. It is the largest audited African American community newspaper in Georgia. Founded in 1966 by the late Ed Clayton and the late J. Lowell Ware, The Atlanta Voice has evolved and redefined its efforts to better connect with the community it serves.
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