Black Press Day

Black Press Day is an annual American holiday dedicated to the black press. It marks the event when the first writings created by black people began to appear. This marked a new era in the fight against racism. It is on March 16.

History

The story of Black Press Day begins back in 1827 when a group of African-American enthusiasts with enough connections and status gathered in the home of a man named Boston Crummell. In a meeting of sorts, they tried to find solutions to the problems that blacks faced in society. The word “black” was actively used in various social organizations at that time. It was necessary to gain access to the media so that members of the Negro race would become full members of society, which, in turn, would get rid of stereotypes and stop disparaging black people.

It was on March 16, 1827, that S. Cornish and D. Russwurm published the first printed edition of the Journal of Liberty. Their slogan went something like this: “You’ve written about us many times, now it’s time to take matters into your own hands.” By the Civil War period, there were already more than 30 newspapers from black writers in the United States. The work of the creators of the first edition was successfully continued. Published articles called for the eradication of racism and actively promoted jobs from employers who were comfortable accepting black workers.

Interesting facts

• In 1941, a special organization was formed that brought together black authors. It was called the National Negro Publishers Association. In today’s world, it brings together more than two hundred written publications.
• The activism of the black press made it possible to pass laws devoted to the expansion of black rights. Since about the 1960s, black people have been free to participate in elections and various civic organizations. The era of racism was slowly receding into the past.
• Today there are more than 40 million African Americans and other dark-skinned nationalities living in the United States.

How to celebrate

Read newspapers created by black authors. Visit museums to see the first copies of the black press. Share this new information with family and friends.

Tell us about Black Press Day on social networks. Ask other users what interesting facts they know about the black press.

When is Black Press Day in 2025?

Black Press Day is observed on March 16 each year.

Observations