When mainstream media largely ignored the Black community, or positioned us in an unfavorable light, the Black press has been the lighthouse that has illuminated our paths.
From the Freedom’s Journal to the Chicago Defender, and of course, the Los Angeles Sentinel, Black publications and journalists have been on the frontlines fighting for social justice, equality, and basic human rights for Black communities. With the recent killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, Black America is reminded of the power the Black press holds. The rage, the protests, the tears, and the chants screaming, “Black Lives Matter,” inspire Black newspapers and digital media outlets to keep advocating for change.
“We have COVID, we have anti-Black, we have the very tenuous economy and we have the climate catastrophe,” said Dr. Ladson-Billings.
“As we deal with some of the most challenging times in modern history, it is important that we understand the significance of the Black Press in reporting on and recording our history,” said National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Chair, and publisher of the Houston Forward Times, Karen Carter Richards. The NNPA is the national trade association representing America’s Black Press.
After 114 years of using ink on paper to deliver news that informs, educates and empowers the African American community throughout the Windy City, Real Times Media, parent company of the Chicago Defender, has announced that the Chicago Defender will move to a digital-only format with its July 11 edition. The final printed edition will be delivered Wednesday, July 10.
Each year since 2016, General Motors’ Chevrolet brand has partnered with the NNPA, a trade association that represents more than 200 African American-owned newspapers and media companies around the country. The Discover the Unexpected Journalism Fellowship provides a $10,000 scholarship, $7,500 stipend and the road trip of a lifetime to between six and eight students selected for the honor.