Chapter IV · THE PERIOD OF TRANSITION (1880-1900)

Number of Papers Increases

The last twenty years of the nineteenth century were marked by an increase in the number of papers published. More than 150 papers were being published by Negroes in thirty different states before the dawn of the new century. To trace the history of all of these papers would be useless, if not well nigh impossible, as but few of them were long-lived or permanent. Most of them were started for the achievement of a single end, and having served the temporary need disappeared. There are, however, several papers which were established during this period that demand treatment because of their longevity and present existence.

Philadelphia Tribune

Among this group is The Philadelphia Tribune, founded by Christopher J. Perry in 1884. Perry, who was sole owner of his paper, had had much experience in Journalism before becoming a publisher. His work as editor of the Colored Department of The Sunday Mercury, had established his reputation as a journalist.

Remarkable Success Under Perry

Since its founding, its editor has worked unceasingly towards its development and as a result the success of the paper has been remarkable. Today the paper exists, and in spite of the death of its founder in 1920, is still carried on by his heirs. Today The Philadelphia Tribune occupies an enviable position among Negro papers, and is undoubtedly one of the twelve best Negro papers in the United States. At the time of his death, Christopher Perry was president of The National Negro Press Association.

The Age Oldest Negro Paper in New York City

The oldest Negro newspaper published in New York City at the present time is The New York Age. It was founded in 1888 by T. Thomas Fortune, the living dean of Negro newspaper editors. Fortune began his journalistic career as a boy in the office of a white paper published in Marianna, Fla. His first editorship came in 1880, when he became connected with The New York Globe. Under the guidance of Fortune, The Age was perhaps the greatest Negro newspaper of the period. Garland Penn, in his Afro-American Press (published in 1891), styles, Fortune as “the most noted man in Afro-American journalism.”

Richmond Planet Edited by Mitchell

The Richmond Planet, founded by John Mitchell, Jr., in 1884, is another Negro newspaper that has enjoyed longevity. Mitchell seems to have been a born newspaperman, and practically all of his life he has devoted himself to journalism. Despite his location in the Southland, Mitchell has ever been a bold and fearless writer. Today The Richmond Planet still exists, with John Mitchell, Jr., at its head, and has a circulation of over 25,000.

Smith and The Cleveland Gazette

The Cleveland Gazette was begun in August, 1883, with H. C. Smith as sole owner. It was considered as one of the best edited papers in the United States. Smith was an ardent politician, and his editorials advocating Republicanism were exceptionally pointed and well put. The paper was one of the few Negro papers of the period that was a financial success. The Cleveland Gazette is still published by H. C. Smith. It has a circulation of approximately 20,000.

William Chase and The Bee

Perhaps the strongest Negro newspaper ever published in Washington, D. C., is The Washington Bee, of which William Calvin Chase is editor and founder. Chase is especially noted for his bull-dog tenacity in exposing and attacking fraud. He has always been one of the “big guns” in editorial artillery. Chase is still editor of his paper, and The Bee buzzes as of old.

The Freeman First Illustrated Negro Weekly

The first illustrated Negro newspaper was The Indianapolis Freeman, founded by Edward Cooper of Indianapolis, Ind., July 14, 1888. The paper consisted of eight pages, and gave a complete review of the doings of Negroes everywhere. The extensive use of cuts and illustrations made the paper famous. As an all around newspaperman, Cooper was without a peer, and under his management the paper reached a pre-eminent position in Negro Journalism. Today The Freeman is owned and controlled by George L. Knox, and it still enjoys a wide range of popularity. The paper features theatricals and sports. The present circulation is about 30,000.

Afro-American Founded in 1893

The founding of The Afro-American in 1893, by W. M. Alexander marks the beginning of a paper which today figures most conspicuously in Negro Journalism. About 1896, the paper came into the hands of J. H. Murphy, Sr.,[5] who is now its managing editor at the age of eighty. More will be said of The Afro-American in connection with the chapter on Present Day Papers.

Leading Papers in 1897

A list of the leading Negro newspapers in America in 1897, compiled by J. T. Haley in his book Sparkling Gems of Race Knowledge, includes the following: The Colored American, Washington, D. C.; The New York Age; The Indianapolis Freeman; The Cleveland Gazette; The Boston Courant; The Richmond (Va.) Planet; The Huntsville (Ala.) Gazette; The Southern Age, Atlanta, Ga.; The Progress, Helena, Ark.; The Elevator, San Francisco, Cal.; The Colorado Statesman, Denver, Colo.; The Appeal, Chicago, Ill.; The Afro-American, Baltimore, Md., and The Denver (Colo.) Star.

Organization of Negro Correspondents

It would be improper to close a discussion of the period without mentioning the organizing of the “Associated Correspondents of Race Papers” on April 23, 1890. The object of the organization was to establish a better medium of communication from the capital. This step was perhaps the first real effort for unison among Negro newspapers, and marked a growing spirit of journalistic co-operation and interdependency.