Freedom’s Journal became the first
black-owned and operated newspaper in the United States,
established the same year that slavery was abolished in New York state. The paper’s primary purpose was to counter
the other pro-slavery and racist papers already in publication. The editors
began their first publication with the words, “We wish to plead our own
cause. Too long have others spoken for us. Too long has the publick (sic) been
deceived by misrepresentations, in things which concern us dearly."
It not only
provided local and national news but also published weddings, birth and death
announcements, job postings for African Americans and profiled successful
African-Americans such as Phyllis Wheatley (first published black poet). Its
two-year existence helped over forty black-owned newspapers become established
by the Civil War.
All issues of the
paper can be found at the Wisconsin Historical Society (this link): http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/libraryarchives/aanp/freedom/
No comments:
Post a Comment