Editorial: The Black Press strives to serve the community
February 19
00:00
2015
Almost 190 years ago, prominent free black men met in New York City to discuss forming a vehicle to communicate their views on issues that affect the Black community. Up to that time, Black Americans had been denied usual channels of public media.
They decided to publish Freedom’s Journal, the first newspaper produced by Black Americans. Rev. Samuel Cornish and John B. Russwurm, who attended the meeting, became the paper’s editors.
While the editors of Freedom’s Journal acknowledged that white citizens sometimes defended the honor of Black Americans in public forums,, they proclaimed in the first issue, “Too long have others spoken for us … We wish to plead our own cause.”
The Chronicle is proud to be a part of that legacy.
