recall from personal observation how that great orator, reformer,
statesman and journalist could in a column on his editorial page wield
a pungent pen against the enemy of his race so forcefully by turning
out polished and gentlemanly invective articles that neither feared
nor spared but manfully denounced and exposed those who held or upheld
slavery. And in another column on that same editorial page he could
just as ably use an unsurpassed tactful ability in penning mutual and
grateful paragraphs to the loyal friends of his race, who were at once
more strongly allied to his side; or, he could in a third column just
as diplomatically word a concilatory open-letter to the half-decided
whites who, after thoroughly reading and thoughtfully thinking over
his heart-rending and convincing sentences were usually completely
persuaded to friendly join his cause for the freedom of his people.
And the increasing denouncements and criticisms that are read in the
Northern white press against the present barbarous peonage systems
carried on in the South today are but very very faint echoes of the
clarion and stenotorian thunderings that electrically flashed, roared
and rumbled seventy years ago throughout the world from the columns
of “The North Star” or from the actual lips of Fred Douglass while
lecturing in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales against the real
slavery that the South was then savagely carrying on with his race.
Another pioneer in this line of work is Phil H. Brown of Kentucky, who
has been following newspaper writing for over thirty years. Aside from
being an editor on daily and weekly journals, he has been connected
with the Chicago Daily News, The New York Journal and the New York
Sun all white papers. He has also written articles for Frank Leslie’s
New York publications and the humorous magazines “Judge”. For three
national campaigns Mr. Brown has ably directed the newspaper publicity
among American Colored people for the Republican National Committee.
He has just been appointed under President Harding’s administration as
Commissioner of Conciliation in the Department of Labor.
Another seasoned scribe of the “old school” who is yet, after fifty
years of active newspaper work, able to give the “new school” young
reporters many valuable pointers, as to the best kind of punch
(sparkling but not wet) to put into their night write-ups, is the spry
and jolly Civil War veteran, Sergeant Ralph Hawkins.
Charles Stewart, as a scribe of the first order, has put more than two
score years in this field in gathering news for some of the leading
white and Colored papers of the country. His abilities as a good mixer,
keen observer, good reasoner and an expert shorthand writer enabled him
years ago by using his clever disguises to get the inside secret and
puzzling facts to make numerous big newspaper write-ups on important
and vital events that had not been unearthed, after repeated trials,
by, some of the country’s most expert white newspaper reporters.
The late Richard W. Thompson was a man of wide newspaper experience
and knowledge. He was at different times on the editorial staffs of
the Washington Colored American and the Indianapolis World. He was the
founder of a newspaper bureau in Washington, D.C. from where he sent
out his famous letters to Colored papers throughout the country. He
was without doubt one of the hardest workers Colored journalism has
ever had. On more than one occasion the writer has seen Mr. Thompson
take down notes all day and sit up that entire night getting out press
releases for the next day.
In the deanship of newspaper work with T. T. Fortune is A. J. Murphy,
editor of his nationally known Afro-American published in Baltimore,
Md. Newspaper men who come in contact with Mr. Murphy are greatly
encouraged and benefited as the results of his unusual journalistic
abilities and experience extending over scores of years.
Ralph W. Tyler, World War newspaper writer and now on the editorial
staff of the Cleveland Advocate, and L. T. Thompson World War
Historian, are among the foremost newspaper men in the Race today.
To them, on account of their bravery to face all kinds of perils and
unselfish expending of tireless efforts to get true facts first-hand,
goes much of the honor or the gathering and compiling of the data
pertaining to the accurate history of the American Colored soldiers and
sailors in the World War.
Cleveland G. Allen, one of the best known of the younger newspaper
men of the race, is making journalism his profession. Aside from
being the only Negro reporter in 1911 at the Ecumenical Conference at
Toronto, Canada, and acting as traveling newspaperman with the late
Bishop Alexander Walters, he was for many years one of Dr. Booker T.
Washington’s Northern publicity men. It was mainly through his efforts
that the name of a Negro, Frederick Douglass, was first brought before
the Hall of Fame, and through his newspaper work an investigation was
conducted against the discriminations of Colored sailors in the U. S.
Navy. He has written a great deal for daily newspapers of New York and
the entire country on the Negro question and at one time conducted a
National News Bureau for the Negro Press. Having studied in Union High
School, Greenville, S. C.; in the New York Evening High School three
years where he won oratorical honors; two years of journalism in New
York University; studying at the Angelus Academy of Music where he
won a scholarship; and at present taking up special work at Columbia
University: Mr. Allen, on account of the above preparations and
experiences, is well fitted to hold his present positions as a member
on the editorial staff of “Home News” a large white newspaper in New
York, and as an appointed lecturer on Negro Music for the Board of
Education in New York City. He has a brother, Henry Allen, who is also
a prominent newspaperman at Stamford, Conn.
Among America’s foremost Colored women newspaper writers of today is
Frances Berry Coston of Indianapolis, Ind. Her chief work is in feature
articles and stories. Having graduated from Berea College; from the
Chicago University post-graduate course in literature and languages;
from the Pulitzer School of Journalism at Columbia University and from
the celebrated Harvard Starred Course in English, (given primarily
for authors and journalists) Mrs. Coston is well prepared and fully
capable to hold her present position. She is Literary Correspondent for
the Indianapolis News, one of the largest and most influential white
dailies, not only in the West, but throughout the country. Because of
her unusual efficiency and versatile abilities as a writer, she is
permitted by the editorial staff to turn out articles on any subject or
along any literary line she may desire. Mrs. Coston is given all the
work she can do on the literary page of this paper, and in connection
with the Book Review Department of the News, she is allowed to make her
own selections from the literary editor’s desk.
While still in his teens during the early nineties, Jas. A. Jackson
of Bellefonte, Pa., started his newspaper career with the Daily News,
a white newspaper published in his home town. Since that time he has
developed to such a high standard until today he stands among the most
widely known feature short story Colored and white writers of today.
His stories have frequently appeared on the magazine pages of the
Sunday editions of the New York Sun and the New York Herald. On account
of his very wide travels throughout the United States and abroad, he
has become acquainted with many of the most prominent newspapermen on
both sides of the ocean. With several of these writers and authors
he has joined in writing articles for some of America’s most popular
magazines as well as noted newspapers published in European countries.
In 1912 he wrote a lengthy article, “The Negro At Large” and in 1918
he wrote “The Underlying Cause of Race Riots.” These masterpieces of
journalism were greatly quoted by many newspapers and magazines, after
the articles had first appeared in the New York Globe. Mr. Jackson’s
latest literary step was made when he recently accepted a membership on
the editorial staff of “The Billboard”, as Dramatic Reviewer. This is
an amusement weekly (white) publication that was founded in New York
many years ago and today has a circulation of over two hundred thousand
copies a week.
The two daily newspapers run by Colored people in the United States are
W. T. Andrews’ Baltimore Herald that is published in Baltimore, Md.,
and Arthur Craig’s The Daily Star which is published in New York City
where it has a daily circulation of over forty thousand copies.
Among the Colored newspapers in the United States, Robt. S. Abbott’s
Chicago Defender (World’s Greatest Weekly) is recognized as having
the largest circulation. This newspaper recently moved into its own
two hundred fifty thousand dollar, three-story, modern building that
contains a print shop, four linotype machines, and four-deck Goss
straight-line press.
“The late Christopher James Perry was born in Baltimore, Md., September
11, 1854. At an early age he went to Philadelphia, where he obtained
employment and became a student of the public night school. In 1884,
after some of his writings had been published, he became a special
writer for the Sunday Mirror, of Philadelphia, to report the activities
of the Negroes of the city. He later started the Philadelphia Tribune,
a Negro weekly, which has been published for 36 years. This newspaper
is published in the Tribune Building and has a $100,000 plant of which
Mr. Perry was the sole owner.” Quoted from the Sept. 1921 issue of the
Crisis:
Another one of the best nationally known Colored papers that is doing
business in its own establishment that is completely equipped with the
most modern newspaper machinery is Fred R. Moore’s New York Age. This
paper is one of the oldest and most popular in the field, and is also a
weekly issue. There are other Colored newspapers throughout the country
that are in their own modernly equipped establishments.
Those named in the following listed cities are just a few of
the Colored newspapers that, on account of their up-to-date
instructive-news, all round influence for encouragement and inspiration
and constant race loyalty, have won race leading reputations of the
first quality for themselves and their editors not only in their own
cities but throughout and beyond their own states:
Atlanta, Ga.
B. J. Davis’ Atlanta Independent, A. Grace’s
Atlanta Post, Chas. Howell’s Atlanta Constitution.
Atlantic City, N. J.
J. A. Lightfoot’s Atlantic City Advocate,
Harry Jackson’s Atlantic City News.
Augusta, Ga.
Editor Simmons’ The Echo.
Baltimore, Md.
A. J. Murphy’s The Afro-American, W. T. Andrews’ The Daily Herald.
Birmingham, Ala.
O. W. Adams’ Birmingham Reporter.
Boley, Oklahoma.
G. W. Perry’s Boley Progress, A. L. Moore’s Boley News.
Boston, Mass.
Wm. M. Trotter’s Boston Guardian, Wm. Murray’s Boston Chronicle.
Buffalo, N. Y.
E. O. Brown’s Buffalo American.
Brooklyn, N. Y.
Wm. McKinney’s Brooklyn Informer.
Camden, N. J.
Marcus Mann’s Camden Tribune.
Charleston, S. C.
D. J. Jenkins’ Charleston Messenger.
Charlotte, N. C.
J. W. Crocketh’s Progressive Messenger.
Chattanooga, Tenn.
J. J. Oldfield’s Chattanooga Defender.
Chicago, Ill.
R. S. Abbott’s Chicago Defender.
W. C. Linton’s The Whip, J. A. Taylor’s
The Broad Ax, W. D. Neighbors’ The Chicago Idea.
Cincinnati, O.
W. P. Dabney’s The Union, Hardin Tolbeat’s Cincinnati Journal.
Cleveland, O.
H. C. Smith’s Cleveland Gazette, A. Forte’s Cleveland Advocate.
Columbia, S. C.
J. A. Roach’s Southern Indicator.
Columbus, O.
J. W. Carter’s Ohio State Monitor.
Danville, Va.
H. T. Houston’s The Headlight.
Dayton, O.
J. A. Rives’ Dayton Forum.
Denver, Col.
J. D. Rivers’ Denver Statesman, C. S. Muse’s The Denver Star.
Des Moines, Iowa.
E. Mash’s The Bystander.
Detroit, Mich.
W. P. Kemp’s Detroit Leader. The Compass.
Dallas, Texas.
J. R. Jordan’s The Dallas Express.
Fort Worth, Texas.
J. I. Dotson’s Fort Worth Hornet.
Gary, Ind.
J. D. Cooke’s Nat’l Defender & Sun.
Greenville, S. C.
C. C. Clarkson’s Southern Enterprise.
Harrisburgh, Pa.
F. L. Jefferson’s The Advocate Verdict.
Helena, Ark.
H. W. Hallaway’s Interstate Reporter.
Houston, Texas.
C. F. Richardson’s Houston Informer.
Indianapolis, Ind.
G. L. Knox’s The Freeman, J. D. Howard’s
The Ledger, A. E. Manning’s The Indianapolis World.
Jackson, Miss.
J. W. Hair’s The Farmer.
Jacksonville, Fla.
J. A. Simm’s The Florida Sentinel.
Kansas City, Kan.
T. Kennedy’s Kansas City Advocate.
Kansas City, Mo.
C. A. Franklin’s Kansas City Call, N. C. Crews’ The Sun.
Little Rock, Ark.
L. N. Porter’s Arkansas Banner.
Los Angeles, Cal.
F. M. Roberts’ The New Age, C. A. Spear’s The Eagle.
Louisville, Ky.
I. W. Cole’s Louisville Leader, Wm. Warley’s Louisville News.
Lexington, Ky.
E. D. Willis’ Lexington Weekly News.
Madison, Wis.
J. A. Josey’s Wisconsin Weekly Blade.
Memphis, Tenn.
S. W. Broome’s The Memphis Times, J. E. Washington’s The Western
World Reporter.
Minneapolis, Minn.
R. B. Montgomery’s The National Advocate.
Mobile, Ala.
George U. Cloud’s Mobile Forum.
Montgomery, Ala.
J. E. McCall’s The Emancipator.
Mound Bayou, Miss.
W. M. Lott’s National News Digest.
Muskogee, Okla.
W. H. Twine’s Muskogee Cimeter.
Nashville, Tenn.
H. A. Boyd’s Nashville Globe, W. A.
Water’s Peoples Advocate, Bessie P. Rhoda’s Nashville Eye.
Newark, N. J.
Editor Pollard’s New Jersey Observer.
New Orleans, La.
Jas. E. Gayle’s The Vindicator.
Newport News, Va.
M. N. Lewis’ The Star.
New York City, N. Y.
J. H. Anderson’s Amsterdam News, Geo. Harris’
New York News, W. H. Ferris’ The Negro World, The Daily Star.
Norfolk, Va.
P. B. Young’s Journal & Guide.
Oakland, Cal.
E. Marshall’s California Voice.
Oklahoma City, Okla.
R. Dungee’s The Black Dispatch.
Omaha, Neb.
J. Albert Williams’ The Monitor.
Phila., Pa.
Chris Perry’s Philadelphia Tribune,
J. W. Parks’ Philadelphia American, Arthur Lynch’s Public Journal.
Phoenix, Ariz.
A. R. Smith’s Phoenix Tribune.
Pine Bluff, Ark.
J. H. Harrison’s The Monitor.
Pittsburg, Pa.
Robt. L. Vann’s Pittsburg Courier.
Portland, Org.
E. D. Cannady’s The Advocate.
Portsmouth, Va.
C. C. Summerville’s The Virgil.
Princeton, N. J.
D. La Tourette’s Princeton Packet.
Providence, R. I.
F. R. Purnell’s The Advance.
Raleigh, N. C.
L. M. Cheeks’ Raleigh Independent.
Richmond, Va.
John Mitchell’s Richmond Planet, Maggie L. Walker’s St. Lukes Herald.
Sacramento, Cal.
J. M. Collins’ Western Review.
San Antonio, Tex.
G. W. Bouldin’s San Antonio Inquirer.
San Francisco, Cal.
J. L. Derrick’s Western Outlook, G. E. Watkins’ Western Appeal.
Savannah, Ga.
S. C. Johnson’s Savannah Tribune.
Seattle, Wash.
S. P. BeDow’s The Searchlight.
Shreveport, La.
M. L. Collins’ Shreveport, Sun, Samuel and Carter’s News-Enterprise.
St. Louis, Mo.
J. E. Mitchell’s St. Louis Argus, C. K. Robinson’s Independent Clarion.
St. Paul, Minn.
J. Q. Adams’ The Appeal.
Tampa, Fla.
M. D. Potter’s Tampa Bulletin.
Terre Haute, Ind.
C. E. Rochelle’s Emancipator.
Washington, D.C.
J. Finley Wilson’s The Washington Eagle,
Mrs. Eva A. Chase’s The Washington Bee,
D. Eugene Taylor’s Washington American, F. M. Murray’s Washington Tribune.
Wichita, Kan.
W. A. Betts’ Wichita Protest, H. T. Simms’ The New Star.
Wilmington, Del.
Editor Nelson’s The Advocate.
Religious Papers
Among the three score and more religious Colored newspapers in America,
R. E. Jones’ Southwestern Christian Advocate of New Orleans, La., R. R.
Wright’s Christian Recorder of Phila., Pa. J. D. Crenshaw’s National
Baptist Voice of Nashville, Tenn. and N. S. Epps’ Baptist Herald
of New York City are some of the most nationally known and widely
circulated.
National Negro Press Association
The National Negro Press Association, of which J. Finley Wilson is
president, is an organization among Colored newspaper editors for the
purpose of uniting them in mutual friendships and understanding. At
their annual meetings they become better acquainted and exchange their
different ideas in order to become better news informers and stronger
champions through their organs for justice to their race.
The Associated Negro Press
Although not yet three years old, the Associated Negro Press, of
which N. D. Brascher of Chicago, Ill., is editor-in-chief, is already
exerting a wonderful influence in the field of Negro journalism and
is doing excellent work in so efficiently gathering and so promptly
releasing to its newspaper members the most vital current events of the
day.
The noble and tireless efforts of the Colored editors, in trying to
help convert the prejudiced white people of the United States from
their unjust hatred, discrimination and cruelties upon the Negro race
just because of its progress, are each day being more ably backed up by
the American white press. As the writer has said in the chapter dealing
with church work, white papers throughout the country are increasing
in numbers in making their editorials stronger and stronger in justly
denouncing mob rule, its results and future reaction upon these United
States. This sentiment in the white press is increasing and spreading
so rapidly that even white papers in different parts of the South are
fearlessly joining this movement for right.
In the summer of 1918 a Southern paper, the San Antonio Express of
Texas set aside a fund of one hundred thousand dollars to be used in
helping to put down lynching in the United States. This money is to be
used to pay rewards for the arrest and conviction of all persons taking
part in lynchings. Other Texas white papers, the Houston Post and
the Austin American have on different occasions come out strongly in
contending for fair treatment and justice to the Colored people.
With reference to the jury which heard the evidence in the peonage
trial of John S. Williams, Georgia white planter, accused of killing
eleven Negro farm hands, and on trial for the slaying of one of them,
and which jury brought in a verdict of guilty, with life sentence,
but urged “mercy” on the court; the following editorial by Thomas W.
Loveless appeared in a Georgia white paper, The Enquirer-Sun, according
to an article that came out in the April 16, 1921 issue of the Chicago
Defender:
“A Newton county jury has tried John S. Williams, the Jasper county
multimurderer, found him guilty, and recommended him to the mercy of
the court. By what process of reasoning the jury arrived at this form
of verdict is difficult if not well nigh impossible to imagine. This
is, if we try to analyze it by any ‘process of reasoning’, but if we
brush aside all subterfuge and hypocrisy and tell the plain truth about
it, the verdict--as great a travesty of justice as it is--is not so
difficult to understand.
“And this plain truth is we have not yet reached that stage of grace,
or of justice, in Georgia where we ‘hang a white man for killing a
nigger’, as the expression is and has long been ...
“However, the owner and operator of this Georgia ‘murder farm’ escapes
with his own life--a penitentiary sentence--and perhaps a pardon later
on if he lives long enough and his family can bring enough influence to
bear.
“Thus do we again ‘advertise Georgia.’ God help her.”
Referring to the recent Tulsa, Oklahoma race riot, in which the mob
destroyed forty-four blocks of Negro property, the following extracts
are parts of an editorial that appeared in the July 7, 1921 issue of a
white newspaper, The National Tribune of Washington, D.C.
“The Burning Disgrace of ‘Race Riot’”.
“As we have said before, there is a strong element in Tulsa coming from
the renegade whites who fled out of the reach of justice to start
a so-called “race riot” on any pretext. The more that the situation
is studied the less provocation there was for such an outrage. The
absurdity of the white girl’s story that she had been insulted by a
negro boy was apparent on its face. It is said her reputation was not
of the best and no one apparently stopped to think of the impossibility
of such an outrage in the most public place in a city of 100,000
people. The elevator which she was running was in the most conspicuous
part of the building.
“The riot was made possible by the worthlessness of the police and
judiciary. As usual in a place of such sudden rise to greatness as
Tulsa, the vicious elements have entirely too large a control of
the municipal authorities. The houses of ill-fame, gambling joints,
bootleggers, and other criminals have too much to say as to the
selection of officials. For 14 years Tulsa has been in the absolute
control of this element. The better class of people were too much
absorbed making the easy money possible there to bother themselves and
give up any time to politics.
“Quite a number of negroes have made fortunes in Tulsa and they became
the special objects of the mob. One colored man owned and operated
a printing plant with $25,000 of printing machinery in it. It was
assailed and burned to the ground by a mob led by a man who had been
working a linotype at a salary of $48 a week. Of course, this linotype
man professed to be a “perfect Southern gentleman” and superior to a
negro, although he degraded himself by working for him at good wages.
Dr. A. C. Jackson, a colored physician, who was called by competent
authorities the most able negro surgeon in America, was marked for the
wrath of the mob because he owned $100,000 worth of property. He tried
to fight against the mob and surrendered under a pledge of protection,
but was murdered on his way to jail.” ...
The above are but a few of the many such editorials that have recently
come under the notice of the writer, and if white editors who run out
such editorials could just mingle among the masses of both races where
their papers are read and listen to the comments being made, they
would be amazed to note the influence for good that such writings are
exerting. And if now in this critical period of racial unrest, the
majority of white editors through this land together with the white
clergy will take such stands for law and order, the race prejudice in
this country will be checked before its barbarism pulls the United
States down, down, down to the very lowest and most despised race among
all nations and countries--civilized and uncivilized. For this unjust
public sentiment can only be checked and changed by the right kind of
influences starting from the white pulpits and printing rooms. The
frequent clashings of swords cannot force about such a change, but the
constant exchange of reasoning sermons and editorials can persuade such
a change to come about.
If it is the fear of losing their congregations and churches that
prevents so many white ministers from taking such a stand; then the way
to be outspoken (instead of silent) against mob sins and crimes, and
still keep “Mrs. Wolf” from grinning at them through their parsonage
windows, is for all of them to become outspoken. And as their people
must continue to have churches and be preached to, those ministers
would still hold their pulpits as they would then be the only kind of
preachers (outspoken) to listen to.
If it is the fear of losing their subscribers and seeing their papers
go into the waste baskets that keeps so many white editors from
taking such a rightful stand; then the way to keep and increase their
subscribers and at the same time keep “Mr. Wolf” from sniffing around
the kitchen doors, is for all editors to begin to use the “Golden
(printer’s guiding) Rule” to measure out their editorials on the Race
questions. As their people must have newspapers in order to learn what
is going on in the world, rather than get no papers they would buy the
only kind (the fair and just) that would then be printed. And in using
the above methods in bringing about brotherhood and Christlike feelings
between the two races, no one would be the loser, but all would be the
gainers.