Dominique-René de Lerma: Black American Newspapers of the Nineteenth Century

Jacob Fontaine, editor of Austin's first black newspaper, The Gold Dollar, and an influential Baptist minister. Courtesy of Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin.

The University of Texas at Austin
College of Liberal Arts

http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/ransom/newspapers.html

BLACK AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY

Dominique-René de Lerma

            Responding to the stimulus of Judith Anne Still, I began gathering data that would facilitate needed research tools for studies in Black music.  The first of these, issued by Ms Still’s Master Player Library in 2012, offered information on videos related to the music.  The second, to be issued as A register of Black American newspapers and related serial publications is projected for publication later this year, and it is from that source the following is extracted.  Among the projects in preparation is an international bibliography of graduate papers submitted to schools, not just within the United States, but from the southern Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia.  All of this is to be supplementary to a new history of Black music, one that differs from Eileen Southern’s Music of Black Americans (3^rd edition, 1993) in that the coverage is global, directed to the actual music with a liberal arts orientation.

An examination of newspaper from 19^th century America will uncover details on local history, then to be allied with the larger picture.  Here we may secure information on social matters regarding slavery and its aftermath, on migration patterns as the Eastern cities evolved and as the population moved to the West, on political and church histories, and on pre-Renaissance developments and aspirations.  The examination of Black music stimulates an obligatory examination of matters not immediately related to music, admittedly not a factor limited to Black considerations, but one that soon becomes inescapably obvious.

Yet hidden within the articles – and advertisements! – will emerge information on music and musicians, not only on Sissieretta Jones, Blind Tom, Frank Johnson, Justin Holland, and Black society, but on those individuals and events overlooked in later literature.  This is offered with the intent of providing younger scholars as well as established professionals with a stimulus for further explorations, certainly including material for theses and dissertations.

Newspapers, particularly those from Black publishers, have too often been regarded – if at all – as ephemeral, left unsubscribed, with no clear record of when publication started or ended.  It is also sometimes obscured if publications are remembered by various titles or if those with similar names were issued independently or are identical.  The citations below must then be regarded with caution.

The 300 references below indicate only the year of publication inception.  Many of these did not survive a year or two for reasons worthy of subsequent investigation, while the draft of the work extracted here offers additional details as determined from secondary sources.

1781

Freeman’s journal (Philadelphia PA)

1795

Kentucky journal (Frankfort KY)

18??

Black world (Chicago IL).

1804

Mirror (Danville KY)

1806

      Mirror (Russellville KY)

1808

Political theatre (Lancaster KY)

1810

Globe (Richmond NY)

Louisiana planter (Alexandria LA)

1811

Telegraph (Georgetown KY)

1814

Republican auxiliary (Washington KY)

Union (Washington KY)

Western monitor (Lexington KY)

1815

Eagle (Louisville &/or  Maysville KY)

1818

Instructor (Paris KY)

Louisiana rambler (Alexandria LA)

1819

Brookeville enquirer and Indiana telegraph (Brookeville IN)

Louisiana herald (Alexandria LA)

Louisianian (St. Francisville LA)

Louisville pubic advertiser (Louisville KY)

Weekly messenger (Rusellville KY)

1820

Emancipator (Jonesborough TN)

Louisiana advertise (New Orleans LA)

1827

African observer; A monthly journal (Philadelphia PA)

Freedom’s journal (New York NY)

1829

Rights of all (New York NY)

1834

      American anti-slavery reporter (New York NY)

1835

Anti-slavery record (New York NY)

Emancipator (New York NY)

1836

Anti-slavery examiner (New York NY)

Slavery in America (London UK)

1837

Colored American (New York NY)

1838

Mirror of liberty (New York NY)

National reformer (Philadelphia PA)

1840

National anti-slavery standard (New York NY)

1841

African Methodist Episcopal Church magazine (Brooklyn)

1842

Emancipator (Boston MA)

Northern star and freemen’s advocate (Albany NY)

1843

L’album littéraire (New Orleans LA)

1845

      Anti-slavery bugle (New Lisbon OH)

1846

New York dispatch (New York NY)

Non-slaveholder (Philadelphia PA)

1847

National era (Washington DC)

New York weekly (New York NY)

North star (Rochester NY)

Ram’s horn (New York NY)

185?

      Freeman’s champion (Prairie City KS)

1853

Alienated American (Cleveland OH)

1854

Afric-American repository (Pittsburg PA)

American jubilee (New York NY)

1855

Anti-slavery tracts (New York NY)

Radical abolitionist (New York NY)

1856

New Orleans daily Creole (New Orleans LA)

New republic and Liberian missionary journal (Harrisburg PA)

Kansas herald of freedom (Lawrence KS [territory])

1857

Daily nonpareil (Council Bluffs NE)

Indianapolis daily journal (Indianapolis IN)

Mirror of the times (San Francisco CA)

1858

Douglass’ monthly (Rochester NY)

Repository of religion and literature and of science and art (Indianapolis IN)

1859

Anglo-African magazine (New York NY)

National principia (New York NY)

186?

Beacon (East St. Louis IL)

1860

Louisville daily journal (Louisville KY)

1861

Dimanche (New Orleans LA)

Weekly Anglo-African (New York NY)

1862

L’union; The union (New Orleans LA.

Lunar visitor (San Francisco CA)

New South (Beaufort SC)

Pacific appeal (San Francisco  CA)

Weekly gazette (Cairo IL)

1863

Students’ depository (Spartanburg IN)

1864

La tribune de la Nouvelle Orléans (New Orleans  LA)

New Orleans tribune; La tribune de la Nouvelle Orléans (New Orleans LA)

1865

Black Republican (New Orleans LA)

Black Republican and office holder’s journal  (New York NY)

Colored American (Augusta GA)

Colored Tennessean (Nashville TN)

1866

Colored citizen (Cincinnati OH)

Freedman’s torchlight (Brooklyn NY)

Loyal Georgian (Augusta GA)

New York principia (New York NY)

1867

Charleston advocate (Charleston SC)

Colored tribune (Savannah GA)

Daily loyal Georgian (Augusta GA)

1868

Free pass (Charleston SC)

Freedman’s press (Austin & Galveston TX)

National Savings Bank (Washington DC)

Weekly loyal Georgian (Augusta GA)

1869

Arkansas freeman.  (Little Rock AR)

1870

Louisianian (New Orleans LA)

New national era (Washington DC)

1872

      Dallas express (Dallas TX)

1873

Advocate (Chicago)

Concordia eagle  (Vidalia LA)

Echo (Saint Martinsville LA)

Georgetown planet (Georgetown SC)

Missionary record  (Charleston SC)

1874

   Free citizen (Orangeburg SC)

1876

Leavenworth Colored radical (Leavenworth KS)

Maryville Republican (Maryville TN)

1878

Colored citizen (Fort Scott KS)

Colored citizen (Topeka KS)

Conservator (Chicago IL)

Virginia star (Richmond VA)

1879

American citizen (Baltimore MD)

Color visitor (Logansport IN)

Indianapolis leader (Indianapolis IN)

Journal of industry (Raleigh NC)

1880

Africo-American Presbyterian (Charlotte NC)

Carolina enterprise (Goldsboro NC)

Charleston new era (Charleston SC)

Herald of Kansas (Topeka KS)

Kansas weekly herald (Topeka KS)

Topeka tribune (Topeka KS)

1881

African expositor (Raleigh NC)

Alumni magazine (Hampton VA)

Banner-enterprise (Raleigh NC)

Bulletin (Louisville KY)

Gazette (Cairo IL)

Goldsboro star (Goldsboro NC)

Kansas state tribune (Topeka KS)

Three states (Cairo IL)

Weekly review (New Albany IN)

1882

Charlotte messenger (Charlotte NC)

Colored American journal (Palestine TX)

Colored patriot (Topeka KS)

Conservator (Chicago IL)

Denver star (Denver CO)

1883

Indianapolis world (Indianapolis IN)

Western recorder (Lawrence KS)

1884 

A. M. E. Church review (Philadelphia PA)

Alumni magazine (Lincoln University PA)

North Carolina Republican and civil rights advocate (Weldon NC)

Western herald (Galesburg IL)

1885  

Appeal (Chicago IL)

Clipper (Chicago IL)

Observer (Chicago IL)

Topeka tribune and western (Topeka KS)

1886

Afro-American churchman (Norfolk VA)

Bee-free speech (Chicago IL)

Daily record (Omaha NE)

Indianapolis freeman (Indianapolis IN)

Monitor (Brooklyn IL)

Musical messenger (Montgomery AL)

Negro (Boston MA)

State capital (Springfield IL)

Western cyclone (Nicodemus KS)

1887  

Benevolent banner (Topeka KS)

Eagle (Weir City KS)

Free American (Columbus OH)

Justice (Chattanoga TN)

Mouth-piece (Chicago IL)

Negro-American (Boston MA)

Nicodemus cyclone (Nicodemus KS) 

Nicodemus enterprise (Nicodemus KS)

Pulpit and desk (Chicago IL)

Wichita globe (Wichita KS)

1888

Afro independent (Saint Paul & Minneapolis MN)

American citizen (Topeka KS)

Beefree speech (Chicago IL)

Free speech (Chicago IL)

Leavenworth advocate (Leavenworth KS)

Messenger (Springfield IL)

National leader (Washington DC)

National pilot (Petersburg VA)

Plain dealer (Chicago IL)

Progressive educator (Raleigh NC)

Republican (Chicago IL)

Vindicator (San Francisco CA)

1889

Afro-American budget (Evanston & Decatur IL)

American citizen (Kansas City KS)

Appeal  (Saint Paul MN)

Eagle (Chicago IL)

Freeman’s journal (Galveston TX)

Hero (Chicago IL)

Howard’s Negro-American magazine (Harrisburg PA)

Kansas Blackman (Topeka KS)

Leader (Alexandra VA)

1890

A. M. E. Zion quarterly review (Charlotte NC)

Advance (Chicago IL)

American Negro (Springfield MO)

Brotherhood (Chicago IL)

Charlotte post (Charlotte NC)

Crusader (New Orleans LA)

Daily record (Wilmington NC)

Eye (Springfield IL)

Fraternal monitor (Cincinnati OH)

Gazette (Raleigh NC)

Kansas sunflower (Wichita KS)

Ladies’ magazine.  (city of publication?)===

Minneapolis observer (Minneapolis MN)

National Afro-American (Washington DC)

Progress (Omaha NE)

Sentinel (Cairo IL)

Southland (Salisbury NC)

1891  

Afro-American advocate (Coffeeville KS)

Church advocate (Asheville NC)

Church advocate (Norfolk VA)

Freeman’s lance (Peru KS)

Future state (Kansas City MO)

Hampton County elevator (Brunson SC)

Historic times (Lawrence KS)

Jewel (St. Paul MN)

Living age (Denison TX & Langston, Indian Territory)

Negro world (Knoxville TN)

Ohio Falls express  (Louisville KY)

Ringwood’s Afro-American journal of fashion (Cleveland OH)

Southern argus (Baxter Springs KS)

Southern argus (Fort Scott KS)

Topeka call. (Topeka KS)

1892

Advance citizen (Alton IL)

Afro-American advocate (Litchfield IL)

Afro-American sentinel (Omaha NE)

Atchison blade (Atchison KS)

Baptist herald (Florence SC)

Educational era (Baltimore MD)

Eye opener (Parsons KS)

Illinois progress (Quincy IL)

Medical and surgical observer (Jackson TN)

Negro world (Minneapolis MN)

Northwestern recorder (Milwaukee WI)

Parsons weekly blade (Parsons KS)

Sedan lance (Sedan KS)

State ledger (Topeka KS)

1893

Afro-American (Baltimore MD)

Baptist headlight (Topeka KS)

Church organ (Chicago IL)

Colored American (Washington DC)

Daily ledger (Topeka KS)

Enterprise (Omaha NE)

Evening call (Topeka KS)

Midland express (Boyden VA)

1894

Baptist truth (Cairo IL)

Brock’s magazine (New York NY)

Charleston messenger (Charleston SC)

Colored citizen (Helena MT)

Iowa state bystander (Des Moines IA)

Kansas Blackman (Topeka & Coffeyville KS)

Kansas headlight (Wichita KS)

Leavenworth herald (Leavenworth KS)

Monthly review (Boston MA)

National Baptist magazine (Washington DC)

National Baptist world (Wichita KS)

National standard enterprise (Springfield IL)

Negro educational journal (Cartersville GA)

People’s friend (Wichita KS)

Standard (Chicago IL)

Woman’s era (Boston MA)

1895

A. M. E. record (New York)

Broad ax (Chicago IL & Salt Lake City UT)

Christian Science (Chicago IL)

Church record (Chicago IL)

Columbus chronicle (Columbus OH)

Free lance (Chicago IL)

Indianapolis recorder (Indianapolis IN)

National reflector (Wichita KS)

PI (Tuskegee AL)

Reflector (Chicago IL)

Richmond planet (Richmond VA)

Southern educator (Hawkinsville GA)

Topics (Kansas City KS)

1896

All about us (Chicago IL)

American Negro (Springfield MO)

American pilot (Bloomington IL)

Baptist truth (Metropolis IL)

Busy bee (Chicago IL)

New light (Brunson SC)

People’s friend (Topeka KS)

1897

Illinois record (Springfield IL)

Illinois state messenger (Springfield IL)

Iowa Baptist standard (Des Moines IA)

Lowery’s religious monthly (Spartanburg SC)

National association notes (Tuskegee AL)

1898

American (Coffeyville KS)

Colored American (Washington DC)

Colored citizen (Topeka KS)

Daily American citizen (Kansas City KS)

Educator (Kittrell NC)

Fair play (Fort Scott KS)

Golden rule (Vicksburg MS)

Hospital herald (Charleston SC)

Lynk’s magazine (Jackson TN)

Prospect (New York NY)

Russell’s review (Kingfisher OK)

Tri-city oracle (Rock Island IL)

Western Christian recorder (Kansas City KS)

Wichita tribune (Wichita KS)

1899 

Afro-American advance (Minneapolis & Saint Paul MN)

Afro-American citizen (Charleston SC)

Afro-American Presbyterian (Charlotte NC)

Afro-American review (Mattoon IL)

Educator (Huntsville AL)

Helper (Harvey IL)

Howard’s American magazine (Harrisburg PA)

Pittsburg plain dealer (Pittsburg KS)

Negro appeal (Baltimore MD)

Plain dealer (Topeka KS)

Republican courier (New Orleans LA)

Southern Republican (New Orleans LA)

Twin City American (Minneapolis MN)