The birth of the Black newspaper in America took place in the form of abolitionist newspapers that spoke out against enslavement. These papers were an essential part of the Abolitionist movement in America, and many of them gave the Black community an important voice on issues that directly affected them and their communities. These newspapers spread Enlightenment-era ideas of equality and the rights of Black Americans and fought back against the negative and disparaging news that was regularly published about Black Americans in white-owned newspapers. Freedom’s Journal, The Liberator, The Colored American, and The North Star were all either operated and published by African American men or were supported by monetary contributions and printed regular articles from them. All of these newspapers built the momentum of the Abolitionist Movement and paved the way for the Civil Rights Movement to come. They were a vitally important way for Black people to speak out, circulate news and assistance to their communities, and change the way Black Americans were viewed.

TIMELINE

1688  – the first known recorded anti-slavery incident, Quakers protested the act of slaveholding

1713-1773 –  America annually imports roughly 15,000 enslaved people

1714 – 59,000 enslaved persons in America

1758 – Abolitionist movement begins in America

1780-1789 – Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and New York outlaw slavery

1804 – every northern state had some form of emancipation in their legislation

1808 –  the import of enslaved persons were abolished in all states except South Carolina

1816 –  American Colonization Society (ACS )founded 

1827 – Freedom’s Journal founded, the first African American owned and operated newspaper in the USA

1831 – The Liberator founded by William Lloyd Garrison

1833 – the militant abolitionist group called the American Anti-Slavery Society is formed

1837 – Phillip A. Bell published the first issue of his weekly newspaper called “Weekly Advocate”, later renamed “The Colored American”

1842 – James Forten, financial backer and contributor to The Liberator, dies at age 75

1847-1851 – The North Star runs, founded by Fredrick Douglass

1850 – Fugitive Slave Act, made it possible to reclaim runaway formerly enslaved persons 

1865 – The Liberator ceases publication, ending with the ratification of the 13th amendment 

REFERENCES

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