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"The first issue of the Bee was printed on June 3, 1882. William C. Chase, a lawyer, local politician, businessman, and native Washingtonian took over as the paper’s principal editor by the end of the first year of publication, and his superb editorial skills eventually turned the Bee into one of the most influential African American newspapers in the country."

The Colored American began publishing in 1893 under the ownership of Edward Elder Cooper, who had distinguished himself as the founder of the Indianapolis Freeman, the first illustrated African American newspaper. The Colored American operated its presses at 459 C Street in Washington’s northwest quadrant. The weekly publication promoted itself as a national Negro newspaper and it carried lengthy feature stories on the achievements of African Americans across the country. 

The weekly Columbia People’s Recorder (1893-ca. 1925), published “for the elevation of our race, and [as] an exponent of Republican principles,” provided a voice for African Americans in South Carolina for over a quarter of a century. By most accounts, the People’s Recorder was a modestly successful enterprise. 

A major Los Angeles African American newspaper from 1879-1964. There is no index, but some articles are indexed in Blacks in Selected Newspapers, Censuses and Other Sources (YRL Reference Reading Room Z1361.N39 A116b)


Issues from 1950 2005

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