The Black Press and the Civil War

 Black people have gone through countless years of racism and injustices. From social life to work life, Black people have had to adapt. 

One of the most important assets to the Black community and Black history was the Black Press. The Black Press was a compilation of Black-owned newspapers that informed and highlighted people about the Black community. Let's take a look at some examples of some Black Newspapers.

Freedom's Journal Background

John Russwurm on the top and Samuel Cornish on the bottom

The Freedom's Journal was the first African American owned and operated newspaper in the United States. They were founded by free born African Americans - John Russwurm and Samuel Cornish on March 16, 1827 in NYC. This newspaper allowed for a safe space for African Americans to get updates on "foreign and domestic news, editorials, biographies, births and deaths" within the local African American community. The idea of this newspaper wasn't to defend African American rights but to create a union and a forum for African Americans to express and advocate their views and rights. The purpose of the journal was to also improve the conditions of the freed Black men and women living in the North.

Phillip Alexander Bell's Colored American 

Picture of Phillip Alexander Bell

Phillip Alexander Bell was a Black Journalist who was born in 1808 in NYC. Bell was in to abolitionist politics in the North East. The original name for this newspaper was The Weekly Advocate. The paper focused on "moral, social, and political elevations of free colored people and the peaceful emancipation of slaves". Many Black writers at the time wrote under different pen names to remain safe during that time. The Colored American was very well known to the Black community and allies. 

The North Star 

Picture of Frederick Douglass

The North Star, later known as the Frederick Douglass Paper was an antislavery newspaper. It was first published on December 3, 1847. The name of the newspaper was just important as the content within it. t was a tribute to the escaping slaves who used the North Star to guide them to freedom. The paper was published in Rochester, New York Rochester was the city that was well known for the opposition to slavery. The motto/mission of the newspaper was "right is of no sex- truth is of no color - God is the Father of us all, and we are the brethren". 

Black Press during the Civil War

The Civil War dates to April 12, 1861 to April 9, 1865. The Civil War was fought between the northern and Southern States or also known as the Unites States of America and the Confederate States of America. Due to many blatant discriminatory ideas and practices, many African Americans were assigned to non-combat related jobs. During the times during the Civil War the New Orleans Tribute was created. It was the first to be published in the South. A journal I read emphasized that the New Orleans Tribute was the voice of "many Black people to form a union to fight for the abolishment of slavery, same rights for and to form political group."