The Historical Black Press Foundation is an organization that represents and is focused on the Black Press.
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In 1827, a group of prominent, free African-American citizens from all around the eastern seaboard had a meeting in the New York home of Bostin Crummell. Among the many subjects discussed was the resounding need for a media outlet that would allow the African-American community to voice its views on various political, economical, and social issues. The end result of hours af brainstorming was the first newspaper written by and for African-Americans, "Freedom's Journal". The paper was edited by Rev. Samuel Cornish and John B. Russwurm.
During the more than 180 years since the debut of Freedom's Journal, the Black Press has served as both a mouthpiece and bulletin board for the entire African-American community. In that time it has communicated the struggles and successes of the African-American community as a whole. Still with more work to be done, members of today's Black Press continue to build upon the blueprint left by Pioneers like Robert S. Abbott, Frederick Douglass, Charlotta Bass, and Oliver Harrington.
In order to restore the Black Press to its honored tradition, an organization formally called the Historical Black Press Foundation, which is based in Washington, D.C., is working to improve the image of the Black Press by creating Web sites, publications and writing opinion editorials highlighting the accomplishments of the industry. Founded in 1999 for the efforts of a white paper written regarding the Digital Divide's effects on Black media, the Historical Black Press Foundation was reorganized in 2000.
For the past five years, the Historical Black Press Foundation has grown to be the largest organization that represents and focused on the Black Press with ties to over 400 Black newspapers and magazines. The Black Press fosters dialogue between the mainstream media and minority news organizations, executives and professionals by producing the Who's Who in Black Media directory which lists all of the nation's Black newspapers and magazines. The Black Press makes up over 400 Black-owned newspapers and Black magazines plus provides services to over 2,000 Black authors. The Historical Black Press Foundation seeks to "enhance the Black Press through technology."
Although newsroom diversity is a hot-button issue, there isn’t enough information available to companies, organizations or individuals regarding the Black Press. If your company has a press release that it wanted to send to the historically Black media industry, chances are that you wouldn’t know where to turn to get the directory information that you need. The Historical Black Press Foundation addresses these needs while turning a profit.
Market research for the Historical Black Press Foundation included conducting in person surveys about the number of people who read the Black Press, subscribe to their local Black newspapers, and the number of people who said they would read more Black newspapers if their publications where placed online, since the majority of the people surveyed indicated that they regularly use the Internet to read news.
The Black Press continues to grow in respect by academics, media professionals and companies committed to diversity.
To help change the public image of the Black Press, the organization publishes:
Known as “the official publication for media diversity,” Black Press Magazine has changed the way America sees the Black Press.
Published monthly, Black Press Magazine article topics have included:
To ensure that the public and scholars could continue to find all of the Black newspapers and Black magazines, Black Press Yearbook: Who's Who in Black Media was created. According to Editor and Publisher magazine, "the Black Press Yearbook files a hole" (EP March 2004). In addition to providing professional development, the Black Press gives exposure minority media executives, professionals and companies committed to diversity. Every September, the Historical Black Press Foundation produces the Black Press All Star Awards and Onsite Media Clinics. In September 2006, the Black Press will induct Gordon Parks and John H. Johnson into the Black Press Fallen Heroes Hall of Fame at the All Star Awards.