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A sociological analysis of the Negro press in Los Angeles

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A sociological analysis of the Negro press in Los Angeles

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Content A SOCIOLOGICLL AR?'J-,YSIS OF TI33 NEGRO PRESS IN LOS A.KGZLES A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Department of Sociology University of Southern California In Partial Fulf illnrent of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts by Virginia Ann Prince June 1946 This thesis, written by VI4GINIA ANN PRINCE ................................................................................................... under the guidance of hex ... Faculty Committee, and approved by all its members, has beerz presented to and accepted by the Council on Graduate Study and Research in partial fulfill- ment of the requirements for the degree of / Dean Secretary June 1946 Date ...................................................... Faculty Conlmittee Chairman / TABLE OF CCNTEMTS CHAPTEX PAGE I. THE INTRODUCTION ................ 1 The problem .................. 2 Statement of the problem .......... 2 Import~nce of the problem .......... 4 ........... Definition of terms used 5 Sociologicsl anslysis ....... 6 Negro press ................. 7 Org~nization of the reminder of :he thesis . . 9 . ........... I1 PURPOSE OF TIT_% NEGRO PRESS 17 ......... Expression of minority groun 22 Spokesmen for democracy ........... 29 Informative value . . ............ 29 Creator of race consciousness ......... 30 .............. 111. ORIGIN OF ?%?I FRESS -31 Historic sketch of the Los hgeles newspapers.31 Historic sketch of current Negro newspapers . . 36 Historic sketch of current Negro news- ....... papers published in Los Angeles 50 The California Xagle ........... 51 Criterion ................. 57 The Neighborhood News .......... 60 - .......... The - Los Angeles Record 63 .............. 64 Sepia Hollywood iii CmER PAGX .............. IV . INFLIENCE OF TKE PRESS 67 ........... Influence of the newspaper 69 Poll of the influence of the press as pre- .......... sented by the Negro Digest 72 :zuotations from newspapers on the influence and appreciation of the Los Angeles Negro ................. publications 73 ......... . V SOURCE OF ILTERIAL IN ?'HE ?RESS 84 .... Nstional Negro news gethering agencies ............ Special correspondents ................... Releases ....... Public contribution to the press .... VI . ANALYSIS OF T9E LOS 2J?G??LES ??EGRC ?2SSS Similarities and differences in publications . ...... finpearance of the Fegro newspapers .......... News articles in the Dress ......... Crime articles in the press ..... IIilitary news presented in the press ....... The featuie section of the press .................... Sports ............. Pictures and cartoons 113 ................. Advertisements 115 VII* SOCIAL PROBIZUS PRESENTED IN h'EWS ITWB STD ................... EDITORIALS 122 ..... Fair Elnployment Practices Committee ............. Public contributions ............... Race relations ................... Housing Labor .................... .... Protest of out-of-town discrimination .............. Political comments San Frencisco Conference ........... ............ . VIII 5ZTMiNRY AND CONCLUSIONS Summary ................... ................. Conclusions BIBLIOGRaPHY ..................... PAGE .123 . 125 .125 -127 .128 .128 . 129 .131 .134 . 134 -140 . 143 LIST OF TABLES PAGE TABLE I, Percentage of Answers to nDoes the Negro Press Speak for hloet Negroes?" taken from the Negro Digest.. .......... 68 11. Percentages of Answers on "Does the Negro Press Speak for Most Negroes?= Divided into Regions, Taken from the Negro Digegt Poll. . 68a 111. Main Divisions and hlessurements by inches * of the Various Articles Given in Los Angeles Leading Negro Newspapers ......... .lo0 IV, Space in Terms of Inches Devoted to Differ- ent News Items in the Los hgeles Negro ................ Newspapers .lo2 Q, Divisions of Crime Items in Inches Devoted ............. to Each Division .lo3 VI. Space in Inches Devoted to firilitary News in ......... Press, Average per Copy. .lo6 VII. Space in Inches of the Main Feature Divisions in the Los Angeles Negro News- .................. papers .I08 VIII, Space in Inches Showing Ma in Divisions .. of Amusement Items in Negro h'evmpapers .lo9 XI. Space in Inches on Divisions of Items ....... on Sports in the Negro Press 111 Measurement and apace in Inches Given to .............. Religious Items 114 Space in Inches on Divisions of kdvertis- ......... ments in the Negro Press 119 An Analysis of Front Page Stories from ............. Fortune Magazine. 121 Frequency of Opinionated Articles Dealing ........... with Social Problems 124 Todey, perhaps more than ever before, the study of race relations is becoming more prominent in the field of Sociology. Eundreds of race rela tion organizations attempt to learn more of this minority grou? that has been ever present, Yet, certain problems are overlooked too frequently in social studies. To understand a group it is essential that their institutions be studied, for these institutions exist to meet definite needs of the people they serve. The tv,~o main institutions among black Americans are the church and the press. The Church of this minority group is reoog- knized by the majority grouy as being a potent influence. But, from the amount of material available concerning the Negro's press, knowledge on this subject is in its early stages, The Press has a definite influence ucon the reader. It also is a reflection of the race, the ten-per cent of Americans distinguished by darker color. '!&ether or not the press is more powerful than any other institution remains to be seen. Problems of race relations have always been present. Now, they are becoming intensified, especially as the result of World War 11. Increased knowledge of a people, a group, or a cause brings better relationship through understanding. As one studied this tenth of the tsopulation in the TJnited States, a part of the majority races of the world, the supposed differences become minimized with renlization of a ccmmon purgose. This common purpose in the United States-- the theme sone of the press of Americans of African decent-. \ is democracy for all regardless of rece, creed, or color. Statement -- of the problem. It is the purpose of this study to present an analysis of the Negro Press in Los Angeles. It attempts to show from a sociological view the component elements and the chief purpose of the press. The mess is analysed by showing its chief Purpose and functions, the factors th~t camnose the press, and the contents of the various newspapers. Objectivity is sought throuchout. Rating one napes superior 'o another similar paper will not be attempted. It is true that some may have reached a more developed stage journalistically because oftheir experience while others are new in the field. Ry limiting the study to the press of Los imgeles, a more thorough picture may be presented. Only papers published in LOE Angeles by Negros th~t can be purchased by * the public are >resented. They are the ones that would cir- cula te sufficiently to be of sociolo~ical importance. The study is limited to publications th~t have enpeared within the last four years, 1942 to 1945 inclusively. Within the last few years same books have been written with chapters on the Negro press, and sever61 magazine articles have appeared. To my knowledge only three books dealing with the Negro Press exclusively have been nublished, of which only one is in print, namely, DetweilderTs The Negro Press, 1922. Orig- - inal research is therefore imperative in many ways and com- plete informstion is not always possible. The aim of this thesis is to answer the following questions: 1. Is there a need for the Negro nress in Los Angeles? 2. To what extent does it have a real purpose? 3. Row did it start, a nd why? 4. YJhat types of editorials are presented in the Los .Qgeles NeqroTs press? 5. 'Xhet type of advertisements are now carried in the Negro Press? 6. Eotv much space is sctually devoted to crime items? 7. What are the types of materials presented in feature sections? 8. Where does the news of the non-local ty~e of the pagers came from? These are the chief questions that arise concerning the Negro's press. Imnortance of the 2roblem. It has been said thot the -- press is the voice of the people. It reflects what the peogle approve 'of in their society. This concept is being changed, especially in regard to large metropolitan d@ ily I I papers, Newspapers and publications of the Negro, on the other hand, still may be designated as the voice of their group, For this reason, it is importent thet we know some- thing of their voice. The newspaper by its name has an in- formative value. From it we observe the process of inter- I action. In this process the newspaper receives the news and reaction of the public. It also interprets and uncovers in- formation for the public. I I As mentioned _nreviously, the material on this all im- ! portant institution is scarce. By knowing the parts and i the problems faced by the press,.a possible underatanding i I may be obtained from the majority group of this minority i that will be heard. I These newspapers and publications are securing the attention on a national scble that prove to be important I at a time of racial crisis. It is im9ortsnt thrt this knowledge be available for those vtist numbers of citizens that are totally unaware of the many publications of the darker cit izens of Los hgeles. All the publications are not known to the majority of colored ~eople, nor are the publications all knovm to other publishers. Because there are large areas of the Negro ponuletion, and because of the many minor publica- tions, it is possible for Dapers to appear and to disap- pear before their existance are known to many. It is the nurpose of this paper to give informetion c~f these differ- ent papers. Special emphasis is to be placed on the news- papers with large circulations thet may influence a larger port ion of society. Public opinion is becoming an increasingly more im- nortant force in our modern world. The press is one of the chief means of informing the public as well as reacting to public opinion. The Sociological analysis of the Negro press is again importent for it attempts to show the elements that make the Negro press effective in creating and reflec- ting ~ublic opinion. This study does not attempt to evaluate the Negro nress but merely to describe it. This press as a social institution exists because of needs in society that are of bn~ortance to sociology, the study of society. 11. DEFINITIONS OF TERlvlS USED Only the terms tC:t are essential for clearer under- standing of the study are defined in this section. A socio- logical analysis of the press may aypeer clearly self-defined, but clear cut definitions are not aveilable and shall be somewhat improvised. By "A social analysis* is meant a comprehensive examination of complex social facts to distinguish the (1) constituent parts, (2) the relation of such ?arts to each other, and (3) the relation of such arts to the whole; resulting in systematic description of social inter- relationships according to formal and material classifica- tion; to be distinguished from the research techniques 1 known as analysis of social data and from factor analysis. The "Pressn includes (1) the newspapers and neriod- icals collectively of a city or country; with qualifying words newspapers are periodicals of a particular kind or class; as the religious press, the Democratic press; (2) the comment or notice in newspapers and periodicals given to an event or a person especially in form of criticism, also, the conscious of editorial opinion on a given topics; 2 a good or bad press. A sim~le definition of the 3ess in the Thorndyke Junior! Dictionary states "the mess is the business of print- 3 ing newspapers and magazines, the people who write for them." I Fairchild, Fenry Pratt, editor, Dictionar of Socio- logl, (New York: Philosoohical Library, T-7- 944 , p. 276- 2~horndike, E. L. , Thorndike Centur Junior Dictionary, (Chicago: Scott, Foremsnd Company, +p. 193 655. In connection with the press, the definition of *?tnewsn should be presented also to give insight of the function of the press. According to the Dictionary - of Sociolo~;p, the following definition is given for news which indicetes more clearly its sociologicel significance. Report of an event regarded by reporters and editors as having sigtificent potential mass interest to justify its publication iri a medium of mass cir- culation. Since readers and listeners cannot make their ckiticism felt in detail, reportorial and editorial traditions plcy an appreciable role in defining news ~olicies. News values include (1) timeliness, (2) proximity, (3) prominence, (4) human interest, (5) unu- suelness, (6) conflict, (7) sustense and mystical elements. The rules of news selection depends uyon the character of the news medium in their roles as advertising media, as business institutions, as ~ublic utilities protected from special governmental controls, in a democratic countries by provisions of %he organic law as e ~loyers or adults end child labor, religious contr01.~ 2 Reference is made to the newspaper as a social institution. It is not an uncommon phase but the following definition of in~t~itution clarifies this ?osition: Institution--an enduring, comnlex, intergrated, or~rnized behsvior pattern through uThich social control is-exerted and by means of which-the fundamental social desires or needs are met. (2) An organization of a public, or semi-public character involving a directive body, and usually a building or physical establish- ment of some sort, designed to serve some socially recognized end authorized end. 5 43~a irchild, Henry Pratt, Editor, Dictionar Sociology, (New York: Philosophical Libr&).,5. 204. * Ibid., p. 207. Ibid p. 151. -. 9 Social Institution--the sum total of the patterns, relations, process and meteriel instruments built up around any major social interest. -4ny particular institution may include traditions, mores, laws, functionaries, conventions along with such physical instrumen s as building, machines, communications, devices. f We see the two definitions are similar in many re- spects. The press comes under these qualifications, expec- ially in that they meet needs of the society they serve. Last, but by no means least, is the term to be defined over which there is considerable controversy, namely, the tsrm "Negro. Whether or not the term "Negrow should still be used to refer to the ten ner cent of Americans distinguished by darker color is a controversy especially noticeable in the press. Race is sometimes used and include colored or coloured, Afro-Americen, Af~american, African race, Black Americans, Brotm Americans, Sepias or plain Black ere regarded as synonyxus all of which ere intended to include all Americans of kfricen descent. The reason for this change is thrt some feel the word nNegrotl signifies nothing beyond the connotatidn of enslavement and thet it is an invention of the white man to "degrade the race." 7 "People of color," was the term used for two centuries, and even whites so designated them in the very early documents of the country. The Dutch, Spanish and English settlers Ottley, Roi, New !Yorld A Cominp, (~oston: Houghton - - R:ifflin Co., 19441, pa 276. leaned toward ??blackw, and hence the term Negro which mesns black, "In 1886 Jupiter Mammon, a sleve on Long Island was the first Negro 3oet to address himself to Negroes, but this term did not have reel currency until the year before the Civil War. Absence of color made one white, obviou~ly.~ Sometimes ttAfricann was used by Negroes but this term was soon discarded when schemes were advenced to colonize Negroes in Africa. Tod8yts fine distinctions of color and terms are not yet in vogue. This study is not intended to take a stand on this question of terminology but when distinction of race is re- quired, the term ?Negron and its synonyms will be used in var io tion, To bring all the terms together, a sohiological analysis of the Negro Press in Los Angeles means an analysis of the Press of Los Angeles' colored citizens viewing the press as a social institution, In the sociological analysis of the press, it is es- sential to regard the press a vital institution to the com- munity, The various purposes of the nress will pe consider- ed first, Then the influence of the Tress attempts to show to what extent the press penetrates the community, Chapter on the origin of the nress, the origin of the gress in Los ;snp;eles, the origin of the Negro mess, and the individual Negro presses in Los Angeles show a similarity of struggle and development with non-Negro papers. Contents of the press have been measured to show the soace given news sec- tionsoand special topics in the press as well as their feature sections, This relative sampling is secured from measuring ten co~ies of each of the four leading papers of the Negro for the neriod of five months in 1945. Exam~les of each type of news and feature articles will be presented. In the chapter on tbe sociolo~ical analysis of editorials and o~in- ionated articles, only brief introductions are nivsn the various topics. Original editorials will be presented to speak for themselves. As far as control of the masses is concerned, there is direction through suggestion. The press imnlies that all other group members are of such ooinion on a subject or ! action. By singling out the Negro group, the individual I is invited to share the sufferings, grievance, and preten- I i sions of the millions of race members far outside the narrow local community. Feelings of strength and solid~rity are created. The press more than any other institution has created the Negro group as e social and psychological reality to the individual Neero. Self-analysis and criticism is frequently given the group by the press. One of its purposes is primarily that of a paper interested in race ~dvnncement, This purpose of the paper is more significant for it has the tremendous task of breaking down insinuations of Negro inferiority which creens I into schools, newspapers, magazines, and radios, It presents through creating race consciousness, an eppe@l to black n~tion- alism. It aids in counteracting propaganda, creetinp, con- sciousness of kind as well as promoting feelings of worth. Recently in Los Angeles, as in other sectionsaf the country, race consciousness has included not only conscious- ness of the colored people in the city but also in the rest of the nztion and throughout the entire world, a world in xhich the colored races are in the mcjority. News of success in various enterprises and activities of advsncements of race members give race pride as well as assign status to the grou?. From the journalistic standpoint opportunity for ad- vancement is given to brilliant to excel in fields otherwise closed to them. Because of this outlet for journal- ism students, more race members are seekiag guidance in this ! L field. Many outstanding books are written by Persons that first got started in printers ink. The Negro press nives youth awareness that there is an opportunity for their train- ing and skill in newspaper fields. They recognize the need for trained and an increased staff. Group interaction is afforded through the Negro press. It makes an example of the reaction of this race by presenting grou? awareness as frequently cited in the ~oetry and litera- ture. -4s the Dress of the group increased in importance in other sections of the country, imnetus was given for more similar develoyment and establishment of papers in Los Angeles. By creating race consciousness, the groun is drawn together in more unified activity and thinking that effects the entire group's welfare instead of just the individual. In this manner of trying together, solutions to the problems of segregation and ~rejudice can be achieved. The informative value of the press should not be overlooked although purnoses previously mentioned do nossess some informative elements. Vithout these organs of infor- mation, and were it not for the united action of individuals wl?ich atlke it possible to marshall tliou-..hts of black Americsns so often trempled upon they would hrve limited protection.* 9 Today, the papers are more carriers of news than pre- viously, although they still voice the nrotest of the group tind lead the van in fi~hting for civil rights. They serve to paint e more com~lete picture of racial nrogress. They spotlight dark places and in so doing --*have marked many a '~ernett, Claude, "Some Aspects of Negro Newsnagers, Editorial, Chicago -9 Press Nar. 15, 1945. mile post in the Negro's onward march toward full economic, social, and nolitical justice, Especially noticeable as pointed out by l!~. Claude Barnetts, in an editorial ere the contributions -for the church, labor, and bu~iness. 10 Information on labor is im~ortent-- "The greater Dro- or ti on of Negro workers ere laborers." Faced by barriers erected by organized labor, banned from many unions on basis of color, the Negro faces the insuperable task of trying to earn a living in a world where unemployment is rife and all but the most meagre ~nd menial opportunities closed to him. The Negro press chcm~ions his cause and generally resents his views in latest issues involving dispute between labor and capital. In business "In particular fieldg, we have ventured into commerce. In insurance for exem-ole, there are scme thirty accredited comnanies owned, controlled, off iced, and steffed by this racial group. These comnanies emply 9,000 ?eople, have insurance force amounting to $5,000,000, COO and assets equellinp, twenty million dollars, There are 24,701 retail businesses owned cnd onerated by this group scattered throughout the north and ~outh whose sales for the year aggrege ted $101,146,043. ?* Publicity of existance and progress of these business lo Loc* cit. -- enterprises help bring sunwort and aid to encourage roce members to succeed. For the Church, the Kegro Dress is essential. "Separate organizations and churches are the rule in America. Fktowledge regarding the far flung activities of the Negro church touching as it does every section of the country and reaching even to Africe, can be obtained only through these special news~apers. Kith the church, the newsFaper constitutes the r~lly- ing mint in the Negrof s life. They look toward that day when this great black minority is accepted by the rest of their fellow countrymen on a basis of equal citizenship. Then they may no longer feel the need for narticular information nor the need for special ,>leading. Until then, the Negrofs bulwark, his protection, his ins~irstion to s better life is the newspaper. In the 1945 edition of Editor and Publisher, the credo - of the b?egro press is given as c declaration of independence for the Negro Press: I shall be a Crusader I shall be an Advocate I shall be a Herald I sl~all be a IiTirror and a Record I shall Crusade for ell things thbt are right and just and I will with equal fervor, expose and condemn all things thet are unjust. I shall crusade but I will not ~ermit my fervor nor the rightness of my cause to provoke abandonment of the cardinals of Journalism, accuracy, fairness, and objectivity. I shall be an Xdvocate of the full aractice of principles im~licit in "Life, " liberty, and justice for all." I shall Xdvocate for those humene ond civil rights on behalf of those to whom they are denied, and I shall turn the pitiless light of nublicity upon all men who would deny thet I will not forget the greatest >~ood for those small segments who are dis- adv~ntaged by denials of them. I shell be a Rerald, a bearer of goodness, whenever I may, but all news whether it be good or bod if its heralding is in the nublic interest, I shell be a Herald these tidings, pood, and bad in the faith the people are free only if the truth is known by them. I shall Hereld these things thst others would surpress out of bias or for any end all other reasons. I shsll be ablIirror and a Record. A mirror of our existance as it is and a Record of our striving to better that lot. I cannot deny or overlook my peogle's vices and short comings. Neither will I permit their virtue and good attributes to be hidden or denied. I shall have integrity and I will not be bought, I sh~ll be holden to LO man or clsss, because I am the voice of all my people. I will knowingly print nothing with malice nor permit the exploitation of my columns by self- seekers and narrow special interest. I shall mold public opinion in the interest of 011 things constructive. I shall seem impatient 3t times, I will be bused and misunders ' ood, but I shhll try elways to right and ignore the abuse, knowing that the weges of advocates, and prophets ever havt been in the beginnine, abused and misunderstood. I shall be a Crusader, an Advocate, a Nirror and a Record, a Herald, and a Spotlight, and I shall not falter. So Help me God. This Credo written by the Journal and Guide editnr, P. Bernard Young, Jr, has been generally endorsed by Negro newspapers everywhere as a forceful for the riqht declar- ation of the Negro I)ressfs ~ims. Cli~~ing showing steted Furnoses on Newspaper policy: "Negro Press Creed: The Negro press believes that America crn best lead the world away from racial and national antagonisms when it accords to every man regardless of race, color, or creed, his humen and legal rights. Hating no man, fearing no men, the Negro nress strives to help every man, in the firm belief thnfl~ll are hurt so long as kriyone is held back. l1 In the policies sighted from Los lingeles paper similarity of purpose is anparent. To aid in th- group's advancement; to shed the light of knowledge; to be OF informative vclue; and to be a bulwsrk of the group are some of the things mentioned as a coxurnon purDose in the prper l s -.3olicies. IL Editor and Publisher, 1945 International Year - Book, Volme 78, lTumber 5, January 1944. Pittsburg Courier, Psge 3, D:crch 1945, any copy. PURPOSE OF TEE PJJGRO PRESS Like other Dapers the primary function of the Negro newspcper is to serve as n medium of communication. Its purpose is more like thc~t of the old newsmper having def- inite ideals and opinions it wishes to convey to the p~blic. It has cert~in aims thf t it wants to accomplish, and certain causes it wishes to champion. Because it is dynemic in its epproach to problems i~volving race reletions, the press of brotm Americcns is a potent influence of the grouP. To meet group needs is the chief ceuse of this institution. Not only does it attemnt to meet needs as ex~ressed by the grouy, but elso it is the lesder in ~ointing out possible social nroblems that arise out of groun ~ondit~ions. Similarity of DurFose of the modern metropolitan d~~ily newsPaDer and the Negro Tress are not as nrevslent as their differences. During recent 6-ecedes the metropol- itan deily newspapers heve undergone rapid changes.' Like other privately owned business and industriel enterprises, it has been influenced and transformed by monopolistic ten- dencies. These chenges make the duzl r1 le of the newspaper more evident. It is both a private profit enternrise and I Bird, George and Frederic R'ierwin, The Newspaper and - Society, (New York: Prentice Hall Inc., 19m, p. 87. a meens of comunication on which the public relies for its soci~l intelligence. Perhrps ninty ner cent of the controversy which mere rcention of the site of the 7ress en- genders among social theorists result from this cheracteris- tic dualism. Newsnepers tht t are opercted as big business have profit motives. The Negro gress on the other hnnd has increased econonicelly but is far from the big 5usiness sttige as compared with other metropolitan mpers in the same area. The dualism of the paper is a~parent. Frequently the private enter3rise qart is more dominent over the public sey- viceO2 This is evident in the role of the napers when contro- versicl subjects arise thrt might offend cert~in constituents. Selling the paper becomes of utmost importence for continua- tion. It must seek to secure mass circuletion. Atodern metronolitan papers are the most important means of distri- buting news and opinions to large nuhlics. The cost of news gathering agencies used by the paFers are so expensive that the price p~id by the public covers only a smell portion of the total ~roduction cost. At once the potential differences become evident. The YTegro press on the other hand, although concerned over circu- lation, contains in its primary interest, the racial aspects i= Bird and Frederic, The Newspaper and Society, (~ew - - York: Prentice Kall Inc., 1942&, p. 78. of the news. It merely suppliments the news presented in metropolitan dailies because most of its readers subscribe to both papers. ?men the metropolitan papers are too one- sided on an issue, the other side, if it effects the group, is resented in the nress of the minority group. The modern daily Tapers that hove circuletion as one of their prhe concerns are more degendent u3on advertisers, less dependent uqon its readers, and less concerned with their vielf~re. Expansicn of size and reduction of cost are possible becnuse of the growth of newspaper advertisings. From two-thirds to four-fifths of their revenue comes from adver- 3 tisements. Teople are thought of in terms of mass circu- lation. The newsraper is not fulfilling its mission if it is merely a prof itable business enterprise, nroduc ing 2nd selling cheaply a necessary commodity. Crusades are becoming rare in these "big businessn papers but the need for them has not been qroportionately reduced. The papers are moreqyiet and inoffensively. Their content is directed against a comnon enemy that everyone is supposed to dislike such as crime, distruction, and war. These common enemies thpt the masges are opposed to are found in the groug culture patterns and are accepted values of the community. This effects the com- munity minority if patterns of ~rejudice and segregation Ibid., p. 80. exist, for Dapers maintain such attitudes bec~use it is what is expected. The two ma in functions of a cood rnewsnaper that t- test to its volues are: (1) it must furnish the days' news in as com~lete and accurete form as possible, and (2) it must guide oublic oninion after nresenting imnarti~lly both sides of every issue. This should be done by nointing ou+ to the reader what measures seem to oromise the greatest Food for the greater number. Rased on that observation, a very few papers could compare favorably with these aims. Ikny would suyort the statement thet there ere not more than a half-dozen distinctly liberal newspapers of nrestige and im9ortance in the United .4 States today. Impersonalness is characteristic of modern newslsapers, Group interests are overlooked unless there is a financial value involved. Fews th~t will sell is most im~ortsnt, Principles not oleasing to everyone are frequently discarded. The cpnnons of journalism th~t &ould be a measure for a liberal press include responsibility, freedom of the press, independ- ence, sincerity, truthfulness, accuracy, impartiality, fair 5 play, and decency as t,he goal to be achieved. 4 iqilbig;, I:?illiams, Public Opinion, (New vork: l.:cGraw- Hill Book Co, Inc., 1939), p. 407, 5 hilott, Frank L., Bunericen Journalism, (New York: Macmillan Co,, 1940), p, 323. The Negro press like other Tapers seeks to give news to the public with similar aims. Because of this mass treat- ment of news in daily metropolitan Dapers, local co-munities publish community papers for locel interest, and local mer- chants. id examnle of a community paper is the Southwest Shoppin. - News in this city. Similarly, the Neero 9ress caters to the colored ?opulation in the city. Different occunation- 81 groups have their own houae-organs such as trede paners and union publications, Religious and fraternal organizations heve their own papers end publications for their constituents. A person may subscribe to many different papers, If he is colored it can be certain thet he does came in contact with at least one of the race papers. Against a background of big business Dapers in a metropolitan area th~t brings daily news accounts to the entire powlation within reach of all, the quest ion--why the colored paDer may arise. The need for a mper thrt would give a personal touch to community news is leading in re- sponce to the big business traits of city mass papers. A paper thet would be closer to the man in the street in any area is needed. But because the Negro Dress existed long before the big business type paper, other yrposes should be noticed. The minority press is interested in selling news- papers to large numbers of people. It is not selling just as a newspaper, but as a principle, something of which the papers are a nart. Having a brief sketch of some of the mrposes of some of the newspapers in generel, the unique purpose of the Negro press is to be considered. As we have seenthe metropolitan napers generally are interested in news thet v~ould sell to the masses, this does not give exmession to the minorities. 'ifhen the minor- ity groups are represented or mentioned in most metro naners, it is seldom the best or creditable informztion that is given. The rcce pager must counteract the metro paner's insinuation of inferiority by nromoting and restoring race pride and consciousness of potential abilities. The inter- pretation of items in the metro papers is fundmental to the editorinl policies of certein news tynes. Becruse these news- mpers do not care to offend any of its constituents, conser- vetive views are generelly taken in regard to controversial subjects. Es~ecially is this true a? the Race question, "ost Fepers prefer not to mention it at all rather than take sides. Usually the consideration of the subscribers and advertisers views are considered before the ~rinciple involved. For this resson, the original purpose of the Negro press, it must serve as 9 spokesman for democracy insisting thet democrztic treat- ment be estended to all, Eecause there is a need for a spokesman of the minority group to look out for its well being, the Negro Dress is an ardent spokesman for democracy. Democracy not just in theory but in actual ~rcctice for all citizens regardhss of roce creed, or color. This newspaper does more than relate what is going on in the country, it crusades and campnigns racial equality and fair treatment in opportunity. Segregation is apparent in all segraents of life for persons of African de- cent. These segregation nr~ctices are undemocratic, fostering hotred and prejudice. They are the common foe of the colored minorities and of the grest kmericsn ideal. As a sccial nolicy segregation has been defined as "the setting apart of ~eople in public or semi-public ser- vices such as trensportation, librsry, ~arks, schools accord- ing to law and local customs or various parts of the country." ' Some of these segregation patterns do not aply to Los Angeles on the whole, but the experiences of one >art of the race, in southern st,etes es~ecially, is symbolic to all persons of the race. Papers printed in Los Angeles are circulated in rnany arez.s where sharp lines of segregation are obvious. This segregation fosters prejudice for neither group know what the other group is really like, 7 Prejudice is defined as a judgment as to the charecter or the ideeds of a fellow human being made without due attention to rational premisis of such judgnent. The Negro press La Farge, John, The Race Westion and the We ro, (New York : Logmsn s Greenand~omph3~~17e 7 Ibid., p. 172. crusades against segrepation 2nd prejudice committed to the race. This protest organ for democrs;cy brings forth many citter criticisms age inst the ceusasion race members in iherica th~t give only lip service to democratic ideals. Especially, are these criticisms voiced during wartime when over 655,000 young colored men are serving in the armed forces and dying for democratic richts denied a large per- centape of them. It is the constznt purpose of the nress to serve as the spokesman for democracy believing thz:t real democracy is worth their fight. Protest is sounded because grouns want to be similar ~nd are forceably held to be dif- ferent. The news in the colored papers is gener~lly selected and edited to xove the theory thet they are similar end thet they should be treated as ordinary human beings of 2mer ics~n cit izenshi~. Justice of race with equal nrivileges in all aspects is sought. An insistance of more than word service is heard as the press sites special incedences of injustice. Ageinst tkis, it r~ises effective wotest. "%ether or not thih force- ful protest function of the Negro press, and its role as sqoke- sman for denocrecy, is beneficial in the long run is questioned by many people of both. races. Many believe that "equitable race relations will eriive and prejudices will disappear by a process of natural evolution as the Negro in the rnited States adv~nces in culture, educetion, end sense of responsi- bility. They believe it is wrong to attempt to hasten the yocess by campaigning directly against race prejudice. To this fallacy, it is ~o'inted out by LaFarge that events have "not justified this optimism, they have witnessed rather the rise of new elements which propagate race hatred end favor ex_oloitation and new abuses and new denpersow Fur- thermore the very process of contributing to this evolution or general benef icient uplift of 8 disadvantsge minority is grievously handicapped by the existance and persistance of the attitudes which it is supposed to correct. If nothing is done to open and keep open the doors of opportunity, those ~ho trust merzly to wevolution to solve the question of race 10 find a great deal ofthe fruit of their work dissipated." Nearly all remedies and methods of overcoming this racial prejudice should be used so that the democratic pxin- ciples will be allowed to pive equal opgortunity for all to advance unhindered by artificial barriers. To this end the Negro's press has first devoted itself, especially is this true of the publications in Los Angeles. Concerning the protest function of the gress, Lois .' La Forge, John, The Race (New Yyk: Logman's ~reeiE?nCo. , Ibid , P. 172. lo Ibid Po 178. 11 DLartin states: Like the lab02 gress and the press of other ninority grouns the Negro nress was born out of serious inequality in our Society. The time may come when this function may be fulfilled. Then it may cease to exist. Until then, those who believe thet we ccn achieve in America the kind of world for which we pre wagin? this global war would do well to let the minority press roFrow Closely connected v~itkl the function as e spokesman of democrccy for all, the Vegro nress is an expression of the minority group. In metro-,-lolitan areas big business newspapers seldom have room for news of ninorities unless they are sellin,? itsms as comedy or crime. l2 To chamnion the cE:use for democracy and race reletions would involve offense to sone possible constituent and customer of the society. It is generdly the custcm of the metrou:2litan presses not to -?rint news of the minority, or if they do so, to ?rint only news of crime or ridicule, making the colored citizen aqpear either villianous or humorous. This tvpe of news is not intended to promote eood will or eive ststus to members of the rece. Only does it degrade and inply infer- iority uyon this ten per cent of the entire gopulation. This discriminstion tendency has not been unnoeiced by the rsce. In mF,ny cities organizations hsve been suc- cessful in getting the nromise of newspaper head th~lt LaFarge, John, The Xace 'uestion end the Nepro, (New Y,rk: Longman's Green & Co. ,,=p~?g, 12 The Case Against the Negro Press, The Negro Digest, -- - Pebruary, 1943, p. 46. his newspapers would not use the term "Negro," to describe items, es~ecielly crime stories, shce the terms white or Irish, or Catholic are not used to denote members of those groups. Such organizations exist in most major metropolitan areas elso, though some are not as effective as others. In Los hgeles there is a noticeable difference in treatments of crimes committed by minority groups, and by individuels. From the annual re9ort from the National Kegro Publish- ers Associction convention, an interesting ~ngle is ?resented on this situ~tion. A committee was organized for the Durpose of metesting the type of news available in the white press on the Negro. These items gave a person not familiar with a veriety of colored persons a negbtive side of the race nicture. This committee sro9osed was com3osed of university students for the purpose of taking a survey to determine what type of news was ,qiven out by which papers. Then seeing what could be done about securing from them a change of ern3hasis; soon this project was abandoned in order to a-oproach the ~roblem on the more positive side. To secure nositive news bene- ficial to the newspaper ~nd to rsce r~lations beccme the 13 new aim of the committee. News items showing accomplishments and more favorable publicity in both >apers v:ould helj? race relations. Counter- acting adverse opinion gives the function of the nress as an -- Report secured from files of Los iinfieles Sentinel, 1943. Renort of N. N. P. A. exnression of the minority more sicnificance. Open letters are often cited in the Negro press ; letters which are addrepsea to hich city officials as a com3l~int voiced by the grouo. This is an expression of the naper acting as the vochl organ of the race reflecting attitudes most frequently to be heard. As a minority press the Negro's press differs from others in this category. It is characterized as being strongly o?inionated, thus differenciatinu it from the foreign language presses th~t are sunrorted by immiqront groups. The reason riven for this observation must frequently is thtdt immigrents are bent usually on assimiletion. As good Drospects are held out to them, they feel little desire to ?rotest. ?;ith the seniz paper the situation is vastly different. The pnper is nrinted in Fnglish, the subscribers read both papers end generclly cc3n know whet is ~oing on without the aid of c rece paper thet has nothing more to offer. Protest and interpretation of these events as they effect his welfare ere more essential and the purpose of this Fress. sssimiletion of the group with the present day customs is not possible in most fields of activities in s~ite of the fuct that Negroes are the largest group of early Americans. fr;any testbooks overlook the fsct that there were Negroes free and fighting in the first ,American Revolution. They fought for freedom and democracy--something not extended pet to ell races. The press is continuing this struggle for the same ideal. Bs an expression of the minority, the press is con- stantly csll4ng attention to desirable traits seeking to inform the majority the t their idea of racial suqeriority is false. This purpose of expressing a minority opinion to a majority is yet limited. As circuletion of these gapers increcse among the majority groun this function will be Eore im~ortont. - As a spokesman for democracy, an expression of a min- ority group, the Negro nress also creates rece consciousness. Frequently stereotypes of the Negro are used showing the typical Black American as a naturally inferior being. This steriotype of group forces all race members into a narrow category regardless of any other factors, causing conscious- ness of kind. Contents of the Negro press aid in creating more favoreble aspects of race ccnsciousness. "It is the constant urging toward grezter learning through the columns of the Negro nress the exsm~les of accomnlishments which they hold up, which hrve inenired Negro youth to go forward." 14 kctu~lly how much space is devoted to accom~lishments in re- lation to other tyne news sives the lmnression thct there is room for improvement . Claude Bornette, "Some Aspects of Negro Nenrspapers, t1 Editorial in Chicago - 3ee. PJarch 15, 1945. EIany publications of snecial interer t groups are designed to create race consciousness of a desirable tvne. Church publications are especially desi~ned to create con- sciousness of race conditions on the part of church members, This is the oldest type of neero ~ublication. Yost of these church 7ublicetions are designed to br inp church information to the neo:le, telling them what is going on among verious members of th~t church denomination. The Christian Recorder - is an outstanding example, which has branch offices in all major ereas. llany educft ional org~lnizations and social institutions, as well as do fr~jternal organizations, oublish neriodi~~ls. These nublicetions are intended for members of special interest grouns. Civic organizations, such as the Urban League and the National Associstion for the Advancement of Colored PC-oyle, have official organs thot are circulated to members and interested persons extensively throughout the netion. A11 these and similar publications make the group ,ware of racial progress, In the press, frequently the best events of the groun are featured affording group pride as its members advpnce. This race coneciousness creates a control ovsr the press, CHAPTER ORIGIN OF TEE PRESS ??hether or not the printed word is still the most important Egency for the spreed of nropaganda remains to be seen. In Los kngeles the Dress started out for Durposes of influencin~ end irforming the people as a protest function. Very sm~ll was the poouktion in eerly Los Angeles, It was slotv in devd oping into en urban area from 8 cattle and rzlnch country. East inhabitants were n~tives of the area. b~parently, there were no newspapers or 3resses in any part of Czlifsrnia while the stcte was under Spanish and Mexican control. The eerliest records dste back to &ueust 16, 1846, v:hen the Czlifornian was >ublished by Pemple and Colton in LIonterey, Xhen thirty-six days from the ds te Conmodore Xote took possession of the territory in the neme of the Tcfnited States of America, this Daper was founded. Great crowds migrated to California in 1848 with the discovery of gold. This brought impetus to the journalism field and by 1850 like other mining towns the idea of a newspaner had taken form. Theodore Foster presented a netition for a newsnaper to the city council of Los Angelee, the first suggestion of a newspaper in -lSouthern C~lifornia , 1850. Ori~insl choice for the newsFaper site was the northerly corner of the jail. Actually the office of the Dress was on~osite the Bell block which stood on the South-east corner of Aliso and Los hngeles streets, May 17, 1851 dates the first paqer-- The La - Estrella de Los Angeles,or the Los kngreles Star. Flowever, Yos -- - - Foster dropped out of the Gress concern before the date of actual public~tion, This paDer consisted of two pages in Znglish and two Dages in Spanish--mitten by A. Lewis snd Xanuel Clement Roj~ respectively, This shows some cooperation between the two language grougs, Circulction did not exceed 250 cooies while the subscriptions were ten dollars a yefir in ~dvsnce. Yithin two yezrs the publjcetion was comgletely out of the original hands. The Spanish art wes sold and in 1855 ccme out as the El Clzmor ~Wblico. General P. Banning - brouysht the Dress for the "r'ilmington Journal in June 1870. The second drily--The Daily Star poper, passes throuch - - several political chrnges. The sheriff sttsched the paper for debts in 1879 forcing the storage of printing material 2nd files. These were later destroyed by fire. It is re- vealed--*How mmy papers were nublished for at lesst a brief time during these early years, it is impossible to ascertcin with any exactitude, 1 Some pepers receiving sneGial attention in the history of Los Angelesv journalism include the Southern California, .L Historicel Society in Southern Californis F,istory, -- Los iingeles Tourncls, t?, J,, Norton, p. 23, a weekly publication with one page in Spanish. This lssted only three years, from 1854 to 1857. Clamor, the first Spanish paper, alreedy mentioned, ceased in 1859 because of lsck of support. Southern Vineyard, a four page publication, carried gener~l news and begen in 1880, using the press and material of the Southern Celifornian, Later the Christian Church, a monthly, devoted to religious subjects, wes qrinted in Fn~lish and S~anish at the El Cl~mor off ice, It tilso failed - for lack of supnort. Kext ceme Semi-'i'eekly Southern P.Te~7s in -9 Jnnusry of 1860. This thrived to become the Semi-Yeeklg Yews - when it wrs enlerged. On Jsnunry 12, it ch~nged to the Tri- - Yt'eekly News. By 1869, it had been enlcrged three times. This was succeeded by the Los An~eles News, the first daily in Los - Angeles. Twice it wes suspended in 1878. higo - del Fueblo, stzrs a Spanish weekly l~sting a ye2r. It also was suspended for lack of support. La Cronica, snother - Spanish weekly, wzs established llay 4, 1872. It became a se1:i-weei.1~ in 1873, twice it was enlarged, then it wr.s sold changing its name to -- Las Dos Republicas, Sued Californische ?~st was stsrted in 1841 by Coby Conrsd. The Germanic~ - Daily was published in 1914, V~hen the only other Germ:'n pager was discontinued. 0,'Y.T. Luck, superintendent of schools was head of the orgtin of the public schools in the county. After two years he was removed and the paper was discontinued. The Tveninp Republican started in 1876 end it became a d~ily in 1878. The Daily and Veekly Journel was the - first evening psper, later it became a mornins naper, but it is not conncected with the Daily Journsl of today. Xngeles Deily Cornmerical established in 1879 was designed primsrily for the entire Pacific Coast. These are but few of the outstanding papers tht existed between 1850 nnd 1888, but are no longer in existance. The :';ilmington Journal wes the first paper in the - aree published outside the city. It ceased when the weolth of ';/ilmington demolished. These is a aDer in existance by that ncrne today. The Los Angeles Express, the oldest daily paper now - published, began on hlarch 1871, 2.n associstion of practical printers (~epublic~n) was the ~rimary group th-t started the pcper. James Ayers was the chief figure. During the ~eriod 1876 to 1882 it assumed a democratic view in ~olitics, for it then became indegendent. In 1900 Eerle bought the vxpress. In December 4, 1881 the Deily Times wes started. The Deily and Week131 Serald was founded on October 3, 1873 and sold in - 1874 to the stock company members which were largely Gr~ngers. The Durpose of this nublicetion was to be an off icisl organ for the Grangers. In 1876 it s.as sold to Joseph D. Lynch who had held half ~artnership in the Sxpress and vrrote the editorial psge in the Rer~ld. The evening: edit ion of the Herald . was the Sxnress under the editorship of lper who bought one- half interest in the Rersld. Lynch and Ayer made the Eereld the most leading Democr~tic journcl in Southern California, if not the entire state. In 1894 the naper was sold to a Democratic Syndic~~te. A grou? of men who were in the Petrol- eum InSustries bought the erg,-n from the Syndic~te in 1900 chtn~ing the 7olicy to a Republicen press. since 1880 thedse has been scrrcely a yeor in which severcl perigdicrls hbve not been courageously st~rted. IRcny of them pass into oblivion after a short life. During this ~eriod nost of the present deily pepers were st~rted. The Los iingeles Times, estsblished as an indeqendent - Re~ublicen public~tion in 1881, was edited by Genesal Harrison Gray Otis. Ile was o~posed to L~bor Unions. Then the - Los ilngeles Record was started in 1894 as an evening naper, indegendent of advertisements and part of the Scrigs ;\,:cHain ch~in of papers. Labor unions felt thrt one Japes was not encugh to sunport its ourpose. So, in 1903, Labor stcrted itz own nublication, Typogrzphicsl Unions. This had the sunport of labor in general that made financial nledges and gromised a definite circule tion to Yilliarn Rendolph Kearst to establish a morning nevrspap er in the city supporting their interest. The labor y~olicy of the wper was definitely started in the first issues 3ut within a few months, however, this radical support of labor ceased. The field of journalism h~s been relatively sm8ll in Southern Cclifornis. T$Teerlv till journals have been clsss -mblicetions, published in tke nece~sarily narronT interest of some specizl orgenizstion. Los Angeles has b~en a city of n~~lt~w end "isms," each established an orgsn of dissimi- lation of their news. Itany of these publications tver.3 strrtsd out beinr itten ten as the entire work of rl single editor end grovlln from there or ceesed. Pew of these qub- lications hcve echieved real national recognition. In 1916 a 1i.t v;as made of the many different ty~e nublic~tions in the sree, it shows: 2 Spanish 7 Swedish 1 Jaganese 2 French 1 So. -7lavonis 1 Italian 1 C-erman 2 Yiddish 1 Negro 2 ORIGIR OF TEE I\ISC*HC PRESS Zven in the initial stages of the press of black Americans, it has been a force. Though largely unseen until recently, it was born over a hundred years ago as an organ for protect. Very few peoole are cognizant of the lengthy continuous history of the Negro qress. Yistorial Society of Southern California, Iristory , --- of the Los Angeles Journals, I?cCorkle, Tulia Yorton, 1939, PO 26. Freedom's J~urnal was the first race 3eriodical established in 1827 in New York, of which Samuel Cornish and John B. Russv.urym were the main leaders. Before this date, there was published some materiel of educeted Kecpoes. In 17'10 Phillis '.:iheatly issued her poems. This was the first colored publ.ication. After her death three editions of these poems were sold. Her work&ere poetics1 and did not voice the nrotest of her people. As more Negros were freed, for takinp gart in the Americ~n !?evolutionary 'rar, more nTen,roes were securing education and managing 10 secure some economic status. Organizations for political discussion and efforts were organized. These were the functions of the Dress. Public petitions in ~rotest of disciiminatory activities were sicned by colored. In Philadel~hia the first convention of free Negros was held with James Forten as chairman. In 1813 Forten made an c2~eol to the Senate of Pennsylv~nic amtinst slavery, claimed ecuelity with the whites, 2nd s2oke of ''Inalienable rightstt of the 'clacks. Jemes Forten was a preztlg esteemed an verated s~iliieker of Philadelnhia who nossessed e e.ood education, a prosperous business, owned 8 country residence, end kept a carrie~e. Cornish apy~rently lived in New York 2nd in an article in the New York news- nsper he tldought to show th+t the blpcks were not any worse but better t1icc.n the lower-class whites since many of them had educetion, refinement, cnd weulth. " 3 :$;%at evils there were, were the result not of emancipotion, but of slavery. Another person connected with the paper is Russ~mrum, who was educeted wpsr excellen~e,~ the first Negro graduate of Bowdoin in 1828. Freedom Journal continued for a while but not for long. There were not enough Negros and aboli- tionists to sup?ort it. The name was changed to Rights for - All, - but in 1830 it died. Devid 'felker, author of the famous was a contributor to the Journal. Stephen Smith, a ~uccessful lumber merchant snd agent of the Underground Railroad, also contributed to the Journeil. Three articles on the first page were: (1) A con- tinuous story Kemoirs of Caotain Paul Coffee; (2) An essay also a serisl on ~eo~le of color; (3) 4 bit of news about a cure for drunkenness. hediate ern?nci?ation is not men- tioned here. ':'he keynote motto of the naper was "Right- eousness Exhalteth a Nation. Conflict wes the environment of the first Negro Press. This conflict situstion has been carried through the entire history of the Negro press. Such was the fight for Liberation. Appeel, not a periodic61 but a ?am~hlet by Devid '3&lker, stirred up the public more than any other public~tion. Eis experiences in the South aroused his determination. 3 Ibid y 36. wAs true as God reigns, I will be avenged for the sorrow which my 2eople have suffered. This is not the ?lace for me--No, no! --Go, I must. His gsmqhletts title was nXppeeln. Its four articles, to- gether with a ~renmble, enpealed to the colored Citizens of the World, but in e articular and very expressly to those of the United Btates of ,berice. l!uch excitement was caused by this publicfition, for as fsr South as Louisiana %en were im~isoned for being in nossession of' the pam>hlet. The mayor of Sevennah de- manded that the ?Layor of Boston punish the euthor snd the latter replied expressing his disapprove1 of the work. The Virginia Legislature rlmoet pas: ed a measure prohibiting not only "Seditious literaturen but also a measure ~rohibiting 5 education of free Negors. Other 3ublications existed and n few books were written. There were twenty-four ?eriodicals of colored knericens before the Civil !'Jar, meny of ~hich enjoyed but brief existence. Some of the title sre ei~nificent from the point of view of EOC ihl problems--Freedom's Journal, Fights *~etweilder, F. G., The Nearo Press in the United States, 7 - (Chisago: University of Chlcago Bress, 192=, p. 37. Ibid ., p. 36. for All, Icirror of Liberty, the Educator, the Clarion, the -- - Genius - of Freedom, the Alienated American, the Ram's TTorn -9 and the Colored iimerican, The objects of the colored American ere-- The moral social, end ~olitical, elevation and imnrovement of the free colored people; and the ?eaceful emanci>ation of the enslsved. t?6 Of the early papers, Jemes Yeldon Johnson testifies: is astounding on glancinq backward tio see how well written and edited were the majority of these periodic~ls. They stated and nleaded their cause with a logic end eloquence which seldom fell below the highest level of the journalism of the period, And yet, it is not, after ~~1.1, astounding--There was the great cause, the auspicious time; and, by some curiously propitious means there were, too, the men able to measure up to the cause and the time. There were among the editors of these papers, espe ially in New York, men of ability and men of learning." 8 Kost of these papers were gublished in New York city and state, others were from Pittsburg, Cleveland, Cincinnati, and San Francisco. "It was the only snti-slavery agritation th~7t made the press ~ossible to the Negro of this period." Another nublicstion of this eerly neriod is the Forth -- Star edited by Frederick Douglas~. Over 3,000 subscribers - received copies of this paper, which later changed its name to the Frederick Douglassts Paper, to distinguish it from the other papers with "Start7 in their names. LIotives for Ibid., p. 38. ... "btydal, Gunnal, An American, (New York: Harper & Brother Publisher, 1944r g. 915. The Negro Press in the U.S. 8 Detweilder, F. G., - -- (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1922r p. 120. establishing the *North -- Starn are piven by Douglass in L fe and Times of Frederic Douglass--written by himself. i- - It stetes he was discouraged in the attemnt by his anti- slavery acquaintances and from admission of his ovvn lack of trr?ining for the enterprise. He received both encournge- ment and funds from his friends in England. *I told the^ thct perha~s the greatest hindrsnce to the adoption of the abolittion principles by the peonle of the United States was the low estimate.. . placed unon the Negro as a man, thst becsuse of his assumed natural inferiority, ?eo-rile reconciled theaselves to his enslevement and oppression , as being inevitable if not desirsble. The grcnd thing to be done therefore, w?s to change this estimation by disapproving his inferiority and demonstr~ting his cap~city for a more exalted civilization than slavery and prejudice has essigned him. In my judgment a tolerant well conducted press in hands of nersons oP the desoised race, would, by calling out and making them acqusinted with their own latent nower, b~r enkindling their hooes of e future, and developing their =oral force, Drove a most powerful means of remolhng prejudice and auraken sn interest in them. D.relve volumes of his paper were destroyed when his house was burned down. Obstacles were to be met in the antagonism of citizens of 9ochester. The New York Herald, -- expressed a prevailant idea that Frederic Douglas~ should be exiled to Canada and th:t his press should be thrown into the lake. This attitude prevailed for a while, but soon it was overcome. The fund shortage wzs the greatest obstscle with which he had to cope. "The non-voting abolitionists lo IVashington, Booker T. , Frederick Douglsss, (phila- delphia, 1907), p. 126. among whom are mentioned Smith, Chief Justice Chase, Horace !.:arm, Joshua Giddin~s, Charles Sumner, '?!.?I. Stewart, all supported Douglass until he became a voting ab~litionist.~ 11 They then gave uo their prectice of holdinp festivals c~nd fnirs to raise money. Ee kept his lllinti-slsvery banner steodily flying. l2 Tiowever, until the emancipation of the slaves and the union of the stiites was assured. It wes ?Vs. Tulie Griffiths Crofts of whom he says-- ''She ceme to my relief when my paper had nearly absorved all my mepns, and was heavily in debt, and when I had mortgaged my house..... to meet current expenseson 13 The Christian Recorder is the first 2eriodicel persisted from this period. It is atill in existance. Its nurpose w8s not nropagcnda, but news end discussion in the group that subscribed to it. 'A'hen economic edv~nceaent and educrtional adv~ncement cpme to the group enabling a larger circulction, the denominational pc per--Christian Recorder, was in the lsad nrogressing. 9?o years after~i~erds when Richard Allen founded the LQZE Church in 1816, a nublishing depertaent r~ss set up. $lost of the members were in sl~ve restricted states. Little was published besides a hymnal. Ne .ro Press in the United St~tes, l1IIetweilder, F. C.,. p _ - (Chicago: University of Chicago ~ress, 192Z), Their New York conference voted for the gaper to become a monthly. Because of insufficient fupds it became a quarterly. This quarterly lived, for somehow, Black Americans wanted to read pppers even bafore they could afford them. Later the publication brought conference news to church members. In 1848 it became a weekly, "he Christisn FIer~ld. "he wesent nome - The Christian Recorder was not adopted until 1852. "This paper was looked upon by the slave-holders of the south and - pro-slavery peonle of the North as P very dangerous document or sheet end watched it xith a critical eye. * l4 ~ater it could not be circulated in the slave holding ststes. Through the aid of the Christian Commission it did veluable service to the freedmen. In the hospitcls, they were vlaced in the hands of soldiers, specking cheer end comfort. - Colored American was the first ~aper started in the South (1865). %his did not last long because of the unfcvor- able financial situc.tion. Augusta, Georgia is the lace where this p: ?er was first published. The Ango-African is the next recorded Negro press in the South. It wrs the "Vehicle for the diffusion of religious, qolitic~ 1, a nd generel intelligence .....to keep before the minds of our race the duties and re- sponsibilities of freedom; and to cell attention to the wants l4 !iashington, Booker T., Frederic Lougloss, (?hila- delphiz, 19071, p. 438. and grievances of colored people. ,,I5 The - New National - Era was started in 'Na~hington after the wsr by Frede:;ic Douglass end Richard Greener, the latter being the first colored entrant to Harvard. ?nly a short durstion of existence was enjoyed by the publication, but nLi misbdventure through it was which cost me from nine to ten thousc4nd dollzrs, over it. I h8ve no ter:rs to shed. The c~ournPl vrss veiucble while it lssted, and the experiment wes full of instruction to me, which has to some extxnt been heeded for I hcve kep veil out of newsgeper undert~kings since. " 16 In San Frpncisco the Elevetor was an excention to the rule in regard to the length of existance. Eg 1690 it was still in existance. Of these eerly public~tions Penn states, *Fron the year 1866 on, Afr~-~mericen newspapers were being founded in almost every state, some of which died an ecrly death, while others survived many years.,... These papers were started by some of the ablest men. They labored st ti time when the Afro-Americ~,n, just out of slavery, did not engage to cny extent in literary efforts, end conse- quently a support of their jcurnals w?s obtained by the herd- est efforts only. w 17 Pamphlets literally flooded the South after the Civil ??Jar sho~ving the ffort of t he French Revolution. For many l5 Detweilder, F, G., Nepro Press in the United States, (Chicago: University of Chicaso Press, 19"2),p. 43. 16 Ibid., p. 52. 17 Ibid., p. 67. years before and after 1880 until our newsDaper becerne established vehicles of race news, hopes, and ss?ir8tions, and thinkers of the race found en outlet for their nent-up Utlca in these pamphlets. "1 had F collection of some ten- t,houscnd or more of these nemnhlets when I disnosed of my aroperty in 1907. Unfortunately the entire lot was des- troyed, snd I have elways deenly regretted the loss inas- much as it hed been my intenticn to present the Fulk of them to my favorite college." 18 The Christian Recorder detes back to 1852 . It wr s the leoder in the field of colored religious publicetions. &,orne of the other religious publicttions were the 5ouCh 'Testern -. Chrkstian Advocete (ilethodist ~niscopel) ; the Christizn Index (Colored ILethodist E~iscopel); the Star of -- Zion (Africcn i.iethodist Egiscops1 Zion) ; and :.fro-American - - Presbyterian, the iimeric~n Re~tist , and the Georgia Baptist; in the early eighties, the '.Yestern Stsr (Ba~tist) ; The 3~~tist - V~~nguard, the - X:C Church Peview. There are about four !,:illion church members representing, these various denominations and supporting their ?ublicutions. Rqpid became the growth of dark Americans? press as growth in urban developments beceme evident end economic or- ganizstion became ~ossible. In I879 the Yi'ashington Bee the -* l8 Otley, ILoi, New Yorld A?Conine, (Roston: Eouphton - - f,:ifflin Co., 19441, p. 46. oldest knom secular Faper now surviving, came jnto exist- ence. In 1883 came the Clevelend Gazette; in 1864, the Philadelnhia Tribune; in 1885, both the Savannah Times, and the Richmond Pl~net. mhe Freedman of Indianapolis and the Kew York AQe were est~blished in 1867. Worn the lives of editors of these vagers, the ch~rscter of the publication is eintimated. Typical of the editors of this group were individuels with college educfition, even one w~s ~dmitted to the Suyreme Court of the District of Columbia. Editors were ferrless in nersonzlity, religious in nature, and many traveled extensively. ?!lost of them hed to depend unon another job for their sup?ort. L daily v:rs attem9ted in 1882, the Cciro Gazette, which rEin daily for six months. In 1887 the Columbus fIes- - senger (~eorgia) began, first as a weelrly, second as a semi- weekly, then as a dhily. i'aother atstem?t to establish a daily m~s the Daily Bereld of Beltimore. The Crisis scy of - this publicetion the% m/?e have had many atternnts to stert doily papers for the Negro leaders, but none lasted longer than a few months, and ~ost of them have died in weeks. We feared this seme re,sult for the Sersld. Rut a colored daily paper that has passed its second birthday, th-t misses no i~sues, hss stronp editorials, and ~ubliehed news, is en accorn~lishment which deserves unstinted >raise. Our hats are off to William T. lindrews of Baltimore." 19 In the autumn, Favorite Ffapazine (1920), e character- ization of the Fress in the eighties is piven: "Like all eood things Negro Journalism was a gradual growth, a systematic development, from very smell be- ginninqs. The old journelism had few readers and advertisers. Ppy d~y was elv~ays c desthless agony to the editor. Pe typicclly was a mon of one idea, the Afro-American journclist ; who cle~ved close to the lines of rzce riehts and could not be swerved from thir yosition by bribes or intimidation. Ee sugported the Qe~ublickn Darty becruse he desnised the Democratic ?arty and those of his schooll~.ho ere living todhy are of tte same mind as they were then. The old ~ournalism was 5 fiahting machine which fenred no men or combination of men. It refused to print snything thzit would damage the good name or morals of the rece, rnd kept all scandal and Der- sonelit ies, however ~gnse tion the news mi~ht be, in the background. It was in 1910 thzt the Crisis anpeured on the new field of journalism sho~ving the newer race ~ropaganda. There were reasons for this nore a~gresive attitude th~t created tension. Lews were ?~esed in Southern States for the restric- tion of suffrspe, - 1890. A new generation has been born since the Sivil I!+'ar, Literacy WF~ increasiny. In 1880 illiteracy / was seventy per cent, in 1890 it was fifty-one Ter cent while in 1900 illiteracy dropped to 44.5 per cent; in 1910 it was 30.4 per cent. Zconomic comnetence helned create this situation also the amount of g;in in we~lth accumuleted A- Detweilder, F. G,, The Negro Press in United States, (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1944 )TpT 20 Ibid., p. 39. by the colored ceme to more th~n a billion dollers in 1919. In 1692 the highest lynching record was recorded. There were riots in Springfield in 1908 ~nd in 1910 there was the birth of the N~tional .issociction for the -Idvancement of Colored "eo>le. 21 In 1910 the Chicago Defender bepen its "beadline nolicyw being founded in 1905. L~ter, in 1914, Booker T. '?sshington died, "Pe v~as one of the gre~ter influences tl;r;t might have 22 mede for milder utterencebn ?'he Gervey novernent, friend- liners on the ?srt of the Communist, and other reBicel prouns ?mergedd dur in8 the twenties. The continued mioro t ion and the problems tkrt ~ccompenied tbis restlessness is noticed in the newer Yress of Black .aericcns. The shift of many li'epro votes from the Republican to the Democratic mrty ass a dram- atic move in nolitics. The first 'Torld Wer epin increesed the unrest, sus- picim and dissetisfaction. Peo~le in r-inority pouns bec~me restless and felt the need to org~nize. mhe inconsistency between the vczr eims and the domestic qolicy became glsring. There was aapslling discrimination in the armed forces. Dis- crimination of the war industrial workers eided to create restlessness among the r;eo>le which the papers are but a record. 21 Ibid., p. 40. These are but few of the causes of the more militont press thzt regards democracy as more than a word. These combint-tions of events cause more racisl con- sciousness and desire for self-eesertion. Some of the effect of the nepers in these days of '':orld ''far I was insist~nt on traininp of Yeprc officers, ?roner provision for the needs of the troops and ebsence of diecrimin~tion. The novernment then bec-me disturbed and c~lled a conference of Neqro Leaders including thirty-one nev-sgaper men. Their recornmenda tions were embodied in a Rill of Particulars. 23 (1) A messege frm the President in denunci~tion of mob violence. (2) 'The erirollment of colored Red Cross nurses for service in camps and csntonments of the Army. (3) Betterment of the general conditions in the cemps and positive steps to be taken to reduce race friction. (4) The exlension of opportunity to young colored men for specicl trcining in technic51 mechanictll and military science in various schools and colleges in the country. (5) An increase in the number of colored Chapl~ins for Army services. (6) The continuance of the trcining cslnps for colored officers snd the increase on their number and en- l~rgement of their scoDe. (7) The estehlishment of o woman's branch under the council of Nptional Defense, with a colored field agent. (8) Th~t steps be taken to recpll Colonel Charles young to active service in the United States Army. eu Detaeilder, ". G., The Mepro Press in the rnited States, (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1922), ?. 136. (9) The ap~ointment of the first colored regularly com- missioned as corresnondent to re7ort militrry oper~tions in the "{estern Fron of Frsnce. (10) The granting of a loan of $5,000,00~ for the rclief of the 9enublic of Liberis. These items are especially significant tod~y for there exist the same protest and discriminatory pr~ctices in the -Army lalong the similar lines. Xspecially is this true in reference to the armed forces segregation and training of colored young men in certein colleges. During this period, Attorney Generel A. Iditchell Fnlmer after investigating the reported rsdicalism amone the colored newspapers, solemnly told the nation thet the utter- ance of the Negro editors were not "the ignor~nt venorings of untrained minds, but the sober declaration of intelligent mcn who were defiantly assertive of the Negro equalities. , 24 Xany of the papers in existence during this first Torld -7ar ere no longer in existence. Their ?ur?oses are still the sy,me, for insistence of democr~tic treatment of those deprived. The letest trend beginning to take form is an international interest in all colored people surpressed thgoughout the v!orld. Some of the leading newspapers thst have existed for meny yesrs and thrt are still eoing-- the Afro-American, - Ealtimore, &?orfolk, Journal - and Guide, r?iladel~hia, the Tribune, Chicago, The Chicego Defender, and Fansas City, Call, Cleveland, Cell and 7ost Oklahoma City, Black Dispatch, - - - -* and the California Eagle, from Southern Californi~ . ~?ec ial attention is msde to the Houston Informer and the 2Ltl~ntic Daily Yorld. The second World Var agc~in increased unrest. Sus- vicion and dissatisf'~Cti0n @ve opportunity for the press to create unity. 25 l?Mow the color question is involved in the world conflagr~tion. There is probably not a sincle i~~ue of anyone of the big weeklies which does cot noint out the failure of the Sritish to give India indenendence, or any conte in editorials reflections to the effect th:t the defeat of Singepore and elsewhere was due to the British heving maltreated and lost confidence of the natives. China, moreoever, cannot be exnected to have much trust in ,bericz v:kich discriminctes ~gainst all colored peo~le. There is plenty of nsycholoqical compenszte on which the Kegro press cen not offer and the on~ortunity is well ex~loited. There is little doubt thc t the ' Negro nress is making headway carried along unon the tide of the prote~t.~ Drmatic is the history of the California Ta~le, dating bcck to 1879. It is older than any other widely circulated ?aper in the entire city of Los hgeles, The yenr 1945 marks the sixty-sixth gesr of successful contin- uous vublicbtion. The Owl was the name of the first edition -- 24 Ibid a~ P* 915. 25 Kyrdpl, Gunnal, An American Delima, (New York: Harper and Brothers ~ublisEr-1, p. 915. but soon the name was changed to the Eagle, then to the California Esele. John J. Fehore, first Editor snd founder of the aper errived in Los imgeles 'in 1879. Iie often stated lauphinply th~t when he got off the train at the old Southern Pacific Stetion, he had in his pocket one thin dime. Yith this dime he also had the detersination to start a Neero newsnaper in the Golden ';:est. ut thrt time, the Negro gopulstion was less than 20,000, I!!ost of these peonle were from his own conununity in Texas. Thus enabling him to recognize their ~roblems. They still remembered their slave days and so did Mr. Kehore. Literacy wss not very high in those eerly d~~ys. Few could read or even v.trite their om names. Ee could help these people, Neimor decided, best by publishing a weekly news- never, written in a simple language tellinf of the thlnos in which the common man wes interested. Ye wished to voice their hopes and fears, and their asnirations. Ee wanted to rsise these hopes, these aspirations; to calm those fesrs; to make the home of the Negros in Los hgeles a little brighter, and their lives a little haqnier. Thus began the Owl, a little four page weekly paper. Mr. ??eimore was et - first editor, ~uhlisher, minter, and everything else th~t is connected with a newspaper and office. The - Owl was welcomed et once, and became a ?opular medium of education as well as distributor of news. Neimore I recognized the more literary minded among his subscribers and cont:ibutors, and with them organized a newspaper com- pany. It was this company thet changed the name of the fledging Owl in the newspqer world, and it beceme the Eagle. - The Zagle continued to spread its wings and to expand with the needs and desires of its readers. Ferchants began to reclize th~:t it was : G'OO~ medium through which they could I tell their 3ublic of the zoods they had to offer. From a I little four-page miper, it soon grew to six ?ages, then to I eight pages, The ~olicy of the Eagle ?aTas th* t of trying to be help- I ful to the Negro qeople as they strove to reach a hiqher I goal. It wanted to be of inspir~tion to esch one determined I to work for the betterment of the race as well as for all I rntinkind. It continued to grow; and in 1912 when a new editor took over it was, already knovm tb.rouchout the West. It has since become nationally and internationally known. I It circulates on the battle front wherever Kegro men Ere fighting for the things the California Eagle "The California Eagle maintains the policy that her. Nehore established for itn its goal is the education, the betterment, the ins~irntion of the fiTegro rvce and mankind as a whole, It wishes to point to all peo2le the goal of the New Vorld we hcve glimpsed in creation. It wishes to make certain the Negro shall have a large part in tbrt new world part in the responsibility of keeping it in existance, as well as a share of the jobs it 3romises to all. Towards the atteinment of thht goal, the Celifornia Eagle pled~es all its qower end 811 its energies. It will wrk always with thet goal in view with other newsnapers and other sgencies who have zlso seen the lipht and are marching onward on the road to progress. '' The California Ehgle watches the community grow. This paper has been the >ivot around 7.vhich pzrticularly ~ll other Negro businesses heve grown. It is with a finger of pride that we point out the communities conerstones Johnson Funerel Company, t,he Los iingeles Funerq51 Eome, the Golden St8 tes Insurance Company, Liberty Building, a string of ,drug stores zlong the main stem of Centrzl Avenue, and not in the lesst the Victory ?Z~rkets. These markets were established under the leader- ship of e young Negro minister and >:roduct of Los ,Ugeles who hitched his kite to the theory that fcith without work was nil. He sailed out on the deep sea of adventure in the business world out of v,rhich sprang a strinp of markets ot*med, conducted, and controlled by the minority Troup. Vnder the dynamic leadershi? of the little preacher, Clayton Russel, there has been established a bogs' home on the East side where there is a great need. A girlst home in the immediete future is in the meking. Zven now a pro- :osed bank is in the offing. The Celifornia Bople attrflcted into Los ,ingeles some of the best educzted persons among the ministry. Under their le~dership our churches are stepping out in the field of civic and social walks. They are lift- ing these st~ndcrds in everyday life. Colu~bus discovered the new World, no one crn erase thrt from his memory. California Faple did not discover the ITegro pooul~tion in C~lifornia, but helned to mcke it. The Cclifornia Zaale ccme eariy, 3ltinted its feet high on the hilltop ever holding to the new land of ~rosperity. It still stands, looking to the day when the Negro neo~le ail1 not leave the South and come to California to run awry from nersecutim, but wten herice will offer an ~ll-out denocrstic trertment of 211 .Lmericens. The California Eagle shall continue to fight for the , rights of the peonle, all the people persecuted or denied their rights, until Victory is won. Voth in Trogress and civic aff~irs the Celifornia Ta~le - has nlayed a very im-oortant vart in community develo-oment. In 2n article by Nr. 'Yheaton on the tvIIistory of the California Xaqle," in honor of the sixty-fifth ennivers~ry of thrt gub- 1 icrl t ion. "This anniversary, the 65th year since its founding, ~aust br infr memories to many Los Angelenos who fought so vcliantly to mrke th~t city a truly democratic nlece of inhs bita tion. The E~gle, now the California Eagle, under the coursgeous msnagement of its founder and publisher, J. J. Keimore, pl~yed a ?rominent pert in ne~rly every civic moment. Kven in its esrlier st~ges of journslism, the Calif orcia Sagle wss influentic1 in sheping of events. There ore few of the present ilnpelenos W~O hive the person81 recollection setting the doughty PTehore apart from the herd. "ihenever the clarion call of bettle rang out, like the w7eving nlume of Kavarre, you would elways find J. J. Neirnore ::nd the Eggle in the vcnpu~,rd of the frsy, There were times when he rnd others had to fight certein minority <?rouns in order thr t the hydra he~d of rtcicl segregation could not yet a further foothold. n 26 "One of these incidents comes t,o mind as we recrll the time when some of the new arrivkls of certein minority brought with tLem certein idologies common to their former " 27 place of residence. Some sincere, but misguided folk, thought th~t there should be separate schools, They were encouraged and abetted by that element thqt believed people of racial differences should not be educated in the same schools. The argument of the preponents were thet sepsrate schools would give emnloment to teachers of th~t ~articulm groug. Certeinlg it is the wish that they had kept file of 26 -.. .iesting, History -- of the California Eagle, 65th Ariniversary -Edition, Celifornia Eagle, 1945., p. 3. 27 Ibid., p. 3. the Eagle of thrt ers. They created an epoch in the history of Los ~ingeles. They were vitrolic, loczicsl and convincing to a gre& degree. They aroused tke peoqle from their h~athy and sweut awry the com7lacency in ~Fich they had been basking like tidtl wcves lashed u? by 2 hurricane. Conmunity leaders rushed to the assistence of J. J. lTiemcre snd the "Senar~te Schoolsw ides wes killed so effectively th. t it wcs never more reised. P?eimore challenged the z~roponent to bring forth one candidate who could ?ass the test necesscry for a te5cherta certific~te. One who h~,d the trpining to nive to minority youth the same training obtained under the system of non-segreg~tion--there were none. TVe remember thct EFr. EIs;\well told Yeimore that he would sacritice qis shirt to hhve his d*zughter treined for the test. Re did and one of those d~ughters wes the first Negro yirl to obt~in a teaching certificzte and it was not in a segregation school. "One-hundred per cent Aneric~n, one-hundred ner cent Clean, one-hundred ner cent free of racizl Bejudice* are the vords in the w~vy b~nd across the name of the title qlate of the Criterion. It is dedicated to sound government, free enterprise, socis1 nrogress and enlightenment. This Faper owned and menaged by Negros is sold for the general mice of a dime. Until recently, it has been only a nickel. This paper is a we-kly appearing every L2onday vith a new cony. On June 19, 1940 the publication ceme out as an emancipat,ion tabloid. Until Xpy in 1944 this Daper was cir- cultted without charge to its reeders. This six oege tebloid was com3iled and distributed by one man. It tms a one-man press. Now there rre over sixteen prges with an increased editorial staff. Bgecial care in selecting advertisements may be not iced as well as the c?lm appearmce of the mper in general. The editor notes thct sensational headlines are not one of the 2olicies. This is a special ~oint to ~nention. Irost of the advertisements are not of East aide merchants but from clothing and furniture stores locsted throughout the city. The source of news in the Criterion is most comlete for seven different news 9pencies are utilized. IJany of these eeencies are exclusive services of the Criterion and no other paper in the srea cEn obtain shiilar services. Besides these services which will be discussed under the chapter on sources, there are also specizl feature writers thzt rive all-out efforts to please the public. The Calvin ITews Service, Overseas News Agency, Feystone Fews Service, Xc tional I\?.UCP newsrelesses, City News Service, the Elmo Feeture, Lincoln features, and ~ccasionally the Associated Negro Press Service are a few regularly utilized. Kany of these services are rnc king it possible to print some news items not released until later during the week to some of the city's lezding daily newspepers. NR tional ;Vashington, and Foreign features, es?ecially, are up to date and they are frequently scopes. Because their newsDaper is 2ut out iv:ondays, they may ~lso release news in adv~nce of weekly ?uhlications a~pearing on Thursdays. nFrsnkly,w the owner and editor reve~led, ''1 entered Journrlism bemuse of the business as a paying concern.* 28 But it is also revealed that the paper has a definite policy. The Criterion will not mint news th-t is hermful to individ- uals of rscee. It has no politics1 affiliations or control- ling elements. Neither does it attem~t to get rid of or to drive out by competition the other Negro papers. Ee nention- ed thct a vuriety of papers is desirable. The Criterion is interrzciel in its news and seeks especially to be informstive. Comics in the Critarion sre regulsr features. The downtown office of the Criterion makes it seem like a growing enterprise. Special mention should be [ziven to the circulation de3zrtment. Its methods of nromotion are rc ther unique. On -4~ril 30th, for exom~le, 28 Scott, A*, Editor Interview by miter at C~iterion Office, 124 West Sixth Street, Nay, 1945. appeared a picture of a loczl theatre with about seventy children in the Carriers organization of the Criterion. The occasion was e theatre ?arty given by the paper for "the kids wtio are engwged in getting the newsoaper to your door. 29 TRG NEIGTIBGWCOD NEiVS - - "The only semi-weekly Negro Deper on the Ifest-coe stw is the wording on the n-me ?late of the Neiyhborhood PTet?rs. - Over sixteen yeers of existance, the Peiphborhood Pews has - survived. In 1929 this 7ublication wes e sho??ing quide for sm~ller stores in the Sese side neiyhborhood. Mr. mine, hevinq seen the Dovmtoim shop pin^ Guide, realized vhot the adventages were both for the ~dvertising merchrnt 3nd the con- suming ~ublic. These Yagers of citywide ehonping guides were not distributed on the Sast side or other colored dis- tricts extensively. Neiehborhood merchants could not adver- tise in them. Yrwinvs idee. was to solicit advertisements from locel merch~nts 2nd to distribute the sho~ping news to the community free of cherge. It wes mostly as advertising medium for the small stores. At that time the Neighborhood News was a one-mand tabloid. The collection of material, - writing, arranging and all mechanics for preparing the cony for press was done by one man. Fven the distribution was done mostly by Erwin. Practic~lly every Thursday it reined, 29 New Article in the Criterion, he revealed. Thzt was the day he delivered napers from door to door in the co~munity. Later, in 1933, it was requested by the merchtints that the gaper be increased to standard size because of the convenience of plzcing advertisements. It was still mainly an advertising medium with a few neges of news and still a ll~ive awayw publication. As circulation increased, it beyan to charge five cents E copy and more persons were added to the staff. Row, the sttiff consists of over seven persons plus the distributors and it can be purchased for ten cents re- leclsed twice a week. Nearly every rage except the front nage still contqins advertisements. Still the main ~olicy of the nublication is to serve as an advertising medium and to nrorfiote community business through community awareness is its aim. Pcnsas is the original loc~tion from which the first editor received his journalism ex~erience by working on a news3aFer in Cof feeville. !-?is intent ion was news service. He saw the possibilities of building up a paper that could help the community. He was "A man with s visi~n.~ One of the ideas used in ~romotine the publication was a radio Frogram. I'Iusic end advertisements were the main parts of this program. hi~~i~ was suwqlied bv his son's swing band. Advertisements of the business establishments thet advertised in his DaDer were mentioned over his qrogrm. There wss 8 very interesting contest held by them th~t not only drew attention to the advertisements, but also drew attention to the radio Drogrum. Five-dollar ~>rizes were yiven to listeners sendine in the most com~lete list of ud- vertisements mentioned on the progrem for that day. Over twenty nlaces of business were mentioned. The first list in won the grand prize. The list had to contain names and addresses of ~dvertisernents 8s mentioned in the Drogram. Responses reve::led thpt there were listeners all over the area. During the existence of the Neighborhood - News other names were used such as the Kousewive's News, the -- Test Side -izdvertisements. Mow Eqwin Junior has taken over editorial- ship while Erwin senior has recently started ~ublication of the Emmanual Herald, a religious Gublic~tion. These early Gapers csme in different colors--pink, green, and others all the same issue. The gaper has grovm from a six-page tabloid to a fourteen-page nublication and more news is found. According to the name nlate appesr- ing on every copy there is a controlled and paid circulation of 20,000 persons weekly. From a sociological point of view, the publicetion arouse out of a felt need on the ~srt of local merchants who had no meens of mass advertisements and it continues to survive still meeting a need. TH3 LOS aTGYLES RFCOF?D -- Still in its infzncy, the - Los Angeles Record is grow- ing as a nublication. In J~nuary, 1945, Tt'rs. Cumber bece-?e editor of the - Los ,mgeles Record, recently bought from C. Ervlin. Frior to this date the publication wss owned jointly by C. Erwin and J. ?'orris. As Erwin chsnged his interest, J. Pilcrris boupht the rest of the naper. Pe is owner rnd mrnager of a large night club on thz east side, and he does not have much time for the publication, leaving it to the editor. This editor is youthful with an adequete college education and very much interested in journflism. The ~rinary Durpose of the Daper is to give youth self- coi~fidence, nEquzlity and equal rightsn is the motto. Through the material in the ?aper they wish to give vouth of color self-confidence by showinp them sam~les of achievement and success of members of the race. At the present time the paper is a throwaway and free to the public. This is accomplished throu~h a resular dis- tributor, Many copies of the paper 2re sent to the Watts area as well as other Negro areas but the largest concentra- tion of readers is on the east side. There are seven staff members on this paper comnosed of four pages. Now, like most papers in the becinninp, their main concern is building up a dependable circuletion. Beczuse of the mzny other newsoapers, securinp suff'icient advertisements is a p~oblem. The Ted Yates and Negro Press Eureeu furnish news and feetures. Articles submitted by youth of the community for their interest pive uniqueness to the ~ublication intended to give youth self-confidence. Sepia Eollywood, a magazine of sixteen pages made its first aqekrence IJay, 1945. This news ~ublication is done entirely in sepia coloring, both qrinting and qictures. lrrs. Lillian Cumber, owner and editor, reveals thnt the foundation of the gublication beg~n in 1539 when she was nineteen years old, ~~orking on the C~lifornia kagle. There she becene aware of the comruon man, the ordinsry person who doesn't pet into orint. She then stzrted on her first venture--the Tattler xi-iich was in the bepinning a mimeographed qaper. A hundred copies of this naper were qrinted every two weeks. In 1940 the qaper was nrinted by a colored nrinter, but discrmtinued es the ~rinter closed business. ?"any neo~le ex~ected that the Tattler was a gossip page, but thpt was not its purpose. The name was soon changed frr th~t reason. The paper concentreted on musicians and entertriners. The year 1945 brought the new and present change. Prrticulariy did the editor n:- t ice thct youth ?ref erred looking through magazines to reading nev!snapers. Because so many public~tions stert and stop before suhscrintions run out, the editor has declared th~t three months period rk.ould p~~e before lon~ term subscriptions were sold. This will insure persons from an overnight enternrise. The sales will hrve to sunport the ~ubliceti~n to determine its exist- The purpose of this youthful editor's start in^ the mapzine brings t o mind the nicture returning GI's. Her husband also inter8ested in journolism, is at presant in a Navel hospitnl having been injured while fighting in the South Pacific viith the Navy. 'i?hen he keturns, she wishes that he may have a task to v-'nich to return. Yhile in the nosgitzl, he is t~king journalism and intends to continue his studies uqon release fron the service. 7"e~hzps the clee,rest picture of the nurpose of the publicstion snd its editor is revealed in a note to ''Our Readers. wSe~ia ILollp~ood is a n~tional nublicrtion ~vhich is dedicated to the Yeeros and their contri- butions to the world. I--owever, its scope v?ill not be limiteu--YE2 C_;TITJO"_XGRI:GI~TE end exnect to expand. T'ie often find th;t the nersons responsible for the success o ' some Negro venture is a non-Negro. Therefore, from time to time, we will nublish articles about these ~eo~le and their contributions blso* The overall -7icture or this publication is dedicated to the Negro outh. ''Frequently it has come to our attention that the youth feels thr t rlfte- the war, there will be nothing Fro him to do; thet the bottom will drop out of everyrhing. Ye feel contrary to this belief, a new dey and a new era will follow the war. The nation has suffered the depression cf one war ~nd has suffered, but has profited by its experience. Already, ?ostwar nl~~nning is being developed so thrt the doors of o~nortunity v!ill stand ajar to those nre- mred to enter." A section of this niaqszine has been dedicrted to vouth activities. hht theg think, what they feel, and ho71i they react. Their thouchts and ideas are ?rinted verbatim. For the refreshme~t of mind of the reading public, theg lean toward entertainment end light<er fields. They feattire s~orts, music, theatrical highliphts, progressive enterprises for the ~ublic to see. PRESS "Does t,he Negro Press speak for most Negors in its oninion? This equestion was asked by the Negro Digest's ?oil of vihich 11iallace Lee is the director. Eis results show thct ei~hty-six per cent of the peo~le ~ive an affirm- ative answer, while ten 3er cent give a negative reply and four per cent ere undecided. These figures divided ir:to regions sYLow th~~t in the "lest there is the highest agree- ment on the cuestion, "Does the Negro Dress speak for most Kegros in its opini~n?~ The North and South were second and third, re~pect~ively, in agreeme1:t. not certain extensive this poll is, but, it does show that the press of black Anericzns is a siqnificent influence. vast na jority of Black -aeric~ feels that its newsnapers with an esthcted circul:,tion of two million perFons are s~eekiny for the r~nk and file of the Negro neon]-e in demndinq eq~elit~y.~? This auestion was piven only to colored persons. This action is different fron most ofthe other polls con- ducted by the Fegro Digest. 'The biggest volume of sunnort to tk!e gositive side agreed that the ~onuk tion of colored ,'mericens is fer nore militent 2nd divorced from Dressure of the South where "Jim Croww and segregetion are the 1av:s lttThe Case Against the Regro Press: Negro Digest, February, 1943, D. 44. TABLE I PERCENTAGES OF ANmS TO "DOES TEE NEGRO PRESS SPEAK FOR IlOST NEGROES?" TAKEN FRO18 THE NEGRO DIGEST POLL. Answer to question per cent no 10 undec ided 4 PERCEEJTAGES OF ANSWZIS ON "DOES THE: hTEGRO PRESS SPEAK FOR F8:OST IJEGROES?" DIVIDED INTO REGIONS * Region Yes No Undecided North South west * Figures obtained from Negro Digest, February, 1943, p. 44, of the land. A sectional tabulation of the poll is b~sed on a typicnl cross-section of the po>uktion. Vhile some of those nolled expressed agreement that the Negro press does PO too far occasionally, there were a surprising number wl--o felt that on many occasirns the news- qaners are not sharp enough in their ~riticisrn.~ .I number declared that the Negro pepers fecred censorship by their ~overnment if they took a stronger stsnd on such issues as seeregetion in the Army, They felt that as the results the papers were tcneing down their editorials as a result. Fewspapers are not edited or published in a social vaccui, They are molded by the environment in which they zre grinted, Den though a paper may be supported by big business, it is still de~endent on public acceptance. >!any p~pers are based on the theory thzt you can fool most of the ~eonle most of the time. Opposition newspapers flourish vhen public opinions do not find value in the nevsoaper. In order to comnrehend the increesed influence of the nress, considerbtion must be given to the role of public opinion. From the journalistic standpoint, "the newsnaper is public opinion, and vise versa." It is also added thet ?; Cese Against the Wegro Pressw, Negrc Digest, February, 1943, p. 54. Bird, George and Frederic E. Tierwin, The f?evrs~a er and Society, - New York: Prentice Fall, Inc, , m~2& public oninion is void until the newsnaper comes dong to give it ex~ression by nointing out the way on issues about which there can be public oninion. Freedom of the press is a phase over which there is a greet deal of controversy. East people agree that it is essential to a free people, The right to print news and to criticize individuals in nublic life, newspapers voice as their obligation. This privilege may be abused denendent unon others and reliabil-ity of the staff of the press. It voices for the people, criticism, but today few nspers take sides on controversies because of the varying sublics they serve. The ~olicy of a Daper can change for ~ood or ill de- pendent unon public opinion. *Sometimes this force of' ~ublic oninion works in behalf of ~rejudice, suspicion, and supwes- sion, *onetimes it works for the behalf of enlightenment and justice, But it does work." 4 Ideas are of geetest imnortance to mankind. Tb.ese ideas are crystalized by words and words are preserved and communicated by print. Recognition of the newspaper as being more than a commercial influence is felt. Like other commodities, the newspaper is manuf~ctured, bought, and sold, but its traffic is more than any other merchandise. Its traffic is words. Words thrt form idecs. Ideas are behind 41~avity, Nancy Rarr , The liodern fJev:spaper , (New York: - Halt end Co., 19391, p. 19. every material improvement in humn conditions. "heir in- f luences csnnot be measured. modern historians have plsced the nr imary res~onsibility for the Sganish-American Yer on the shmlders of a sinple newsoaper owner. Althouph such a statement of the influence of the press may not be entirely correct, it is true th~t without the sun~ort of the ?ress no modern war could be won. For without su~nort of the people it cannot be carried on. bTewspapers fer outrank all other sources of inrcrmal education in the modern city. They exert tremendous influence because they bring news from everywhere and every glace with- in reach of every literate person. The newspaper decries reco~nition as one of the key stones of niodern culture, The influence of tke urben press is considered sunreme in urban comunities, in the surrounding rural, and also in the semi- rusl areas. In the rural co-munities, the influence of the metropclitcn yFers is g~ ining through wider circulation. In- directly it is growing through puiding or determining the nature of non-local news th~t is wublished in rurel newsqaners. Severe1 studies desling with the influence of contents of the paper have been made. The Villey Studv of the Connect- icut weekly Dress attempted to find out to what extent the Case Against the Eiegro PressYw FTegro Digest, Febru~ry, 1943, 9. 47. mess could be counted on for socisl im_nrovement. The I?. ??/. Riis Study comnared the content of a group of American and foreign rnetro~olitan doilies to show the varying interest in different classes of news. Bront nages of a group of mid- western newspcners were ~nalysed in the Collins Study. In the Lipqman Y. Xerz research project, it was revealed that the New York Times nroduced some dcmaging evidence vrhich, too -- the whole seemed to be ecuslly true of other .Qneric?n news- wpers. These comments on the influence of the nress pert~in to any paper of sizeable circulation. In the minority group, the Regro group es?ecially, these influences and factors are present. Their Fapers are more denendent on ~ublic support for existsnce. Cften the presses of the Negros in America are imnatient and lcud in their insistence on en immediate fundamental change in the stctus of the rsce. It is a most ~otent weapon of protest and propagcnda. Since the advent of !':orld War I1 the dual citizenship that ;mericaTs colored peonle are forced to live becomes obvious. The Yapers do not hesitete to qoint out this inconsistency. The Federal Government became acutely amre of the 6 Kegro press in the early art of 1942. A special committee 'cttley, 201, "Few Yborld ATComing, (~oston: Youphton - h:ifflin Co., 1944), p. 267. was anpointed to look into the matter. Archibald P:acLeish as director of Office of Facts and Figures celled an informal conference of the Eepro editors and attemnted to nersuade them to lay off the vrough-r&ci~l stuffn--for the duration of the wer 2t least. No tangihle evidence was offered the Negroes would be accorded the privileees as well as nrotection of citizenship. They refused to stop in their rnilitent cru- sading efforts. Shortly thereafter, perhsns r coincidence, tke Negro nress ceme under the scrutiny of the De~~rtment of Justlice. Two ?s?ers were known to receive visits from agents of the Federel Bureau of Investi~ation. They are the S~lifornia Xaple and the fittsburp Courier. Objected the Courier t?Insteed of trying to frighten the Kegro edit,ori~ls into silence, we suegest th~t the Federal Burecu of Investigation invest ip te those forces and institutiocs within herich thet are fostering and svread- ing fuscism and disunity by tre~tinc Negroes as second-class citizens. It objected to the insinuation of receiving aid from the Germtns or Japanese re~lyinp-- ?or anybody to think thet Eeero citizens need nroding from abroad to cestigate or ccndemn the undemocretic nractices to which their ~eople are subjected, is to reveal an a2paling ipnorsnce of the Ibid ., p. 270. intellipence and temyerament of the colored people." 8 Situations, such as these, imlly the influence of the press of Black Auericans. This shows determination of the group for democracy and the paper's effect on the people. Yihether or not the press's influence is all good or not, is r,ot as significant as the social nroblems presented Another committee was aroused by the nress of the cclored citizens--The Council for Democracy--formed in 1940 toncombct the forces of hate ~t home and frcm abroed." 9 It has particularly been concerned over the incention of discrimin6tion ageinst the Negro. The third of its series of namnhlets-- "Democrecg - in Actiont1 was devoted to the Bepro and his defense by Herbert J. Seliegmen. This committee is made ug of distinruished citizens th~t '*attest to its sin- cerity." Raymond Gram Swing, honorary cheirmen, an outsteinding and most widely listened to radio commentator, is the head. Others, 31. '*nest Angell, Svans Clark, Lymon Eryson, all are outstanding national fi~ures of the day. This council celled '7arren Rrov;n in and ticcepted his own evclucltion on the press as regresentstive of the colored citizens. "The results sre by those backed so distinguished a group, Brovm's opinion on the Case Against the Xegro Press," Repro Digest, Februsry, 1942, p. 49. press end of Negroes in generzl were accepted as authori- tstivemW Thus, what he says will be read and ?robably accepted by millions of white ihericens who never see a Negro nevisyper. The opinions of 19, Brown were printed in the Saturday Review - of Literature and reviewed in the Reader's Digest causing e grezt amount of reaction. The Negro's Digest collected several o~inions from 'nro' ,?nd 'cont sGurces on the cese apinst the Megro T'ress, which was followed by the poll. 'tDoes the Negro Press snec,k for nost Kegroes in its 10 opinionsvv According to Yarren Erov,m, the rFce divides into two sections. The Negroes and the sensation mongering P?e~ro leaders. He believes that the ?.Tegro ~eople ere not whet his ~gitator leaders say he is and want him to be. Thet he is not swept off belance by circumstance but he feelts *becaue it is fortun~te fcr iunerica it is fortunate for the IYe~ro.~ In regard to progress, he st~tes "Desoite his sometimes snail- pace progress,the We~ro knows that in America, for the long vull, he csntt lose." Brown believes the Wegro Fress has been insnired under co~~~unist auspices since her ice entered the \%r. ?' They foster segregation by being race conscious first and imericsn second. They >leg un news thrt nortr~ys the Regro at his worst. Idhen they nublish news of the arhite community it is generally an account of the white man ~t his v!orst. They seek oonortunity to breed ill between races presenting distorted >ictures of her ice. '+Of course there kre some exce?tions in the Nego newspzpers thrt are cited with noBeworthy skill and hi!yh ethical standzrds for effective >rotest by its own rebders a-ainst venomous hate- zieking politicies. " 11 -. Virginia Darney in the Atlhntic , onthlg strted opinion mostly apsinst the Mepro Press referring to tt~em as *a srn~ll group of Regro cgittitors tind enoth~r small group of white rabble-rousters are nu shin^ this country closer and closer to rn interraci~l ex~losion which may make the race r iot of the first !Vorld ?Iar ~nd its aftermath seem mild in com~8risnn. 12 The ?apers ere derrlandinq an overnight revolution in race relstions and are stirring un interracitil hate. Fe continues, ltFew vshite peonle see colored weeklys tRrl ick are qublished in nost lzrge cities, but the length to vlklich sone of them 13 are going are both astounding and alarming." It ~ust be confessed th~t certain white newsnaners ere ju~t as bad. Re- tween them they manage to apgravate the situation in?lessur.bly. Other comglaints offered against the Negroes press by this l1 Ibid . , D. 51. 12 Ibid *s B* 51. 13 Ibid., p. lqiter is that nothing of decency is reflected of the white race, The news calms are entirely on the Negro woes and grievances, real and imaginary. It would not be fair, he admits, to insinuate that the whole colored press is incen- diary in its present attitude, All papers harp constantly on racial grievances, but that hes been going on for years. Many papers are reasonably restrained in their language and careful not to indulge :'in vilification or abuse, But others, he believes, are so extreme that riots probably would break out if they were widely read by whites. The white newspaners which emphasize Kegro crime and practically never have a good word to say for the black man's constructive achievements have no sight to object, One can readily see how those two grouns of publications are under- mining race relations, Eo decent white American, Darney states, ex~ects any colored American to remain unprotesting in wartime or any other time when Negroes are lynched, beaten, or aersecuted. Certainly the maintenance unon the whites to nrovi.de abso- lutely equal facilities for the two races is something which is not now being done. But it is a foregoing conclusion that if an attempt is made forceably to abolish segregation tbrough- out the South, violence and bloodshed will result. 14 l4 Ibid., pp.51-52. Both discussions on the controversy side of the press problem seern to bring out objection to the degree of srotezt in the Negro Press. They object to the immediate insistsnce on democretic treatment in an American demccracy. Some of the com2laints may be vtluable but let us turn to the other side of the 3~oblern 2nd see v7?!at the re~lies pre to these v~ritere such es Erovlrn end Darney. 15 :^;alter S'r'hite s: ated "There is just enouch truth in some of the cherges mzde ??&inst the Fe~~ro Press by ;:Jzrren Ero'j~in in the Saturday Review of Literature and the 2eader1s - Digest.to make his article dangerous to tk~e noint of being menacing, Because no pood service to the BTe~ro's cFuse cm be rendered by attemting to match generalizations a- geinst generalization, or extreme against extreme, it is hoped thzt Brovm's assertions will be treated by the Kegro ?ress and by the lje~roes themselves with cold slnslysis rather thtin hert, First in inyort.-nce, he states, is qztting at the reason for the chbrge made by Warren Brov~n. '7hite then mentions that neither the Seturday re vie^' of Lit3rature, one of the most - res~ectable literary journzls, nor the Reader's Digest, the largest circulzted magazine in America would have printed the - - l5 .* Ibid 9 Po 52. slrticla "had i.i!r. Brown submitted his articla as an individual. It is probable thet both magezines would h~ve rejected it. 16 Instead it was vouched for by the Council for Democracy." He claims thet the Kegrots papers cerrg only dis- 3arhging news kbout white neo:,le. nTb!y criticism of the Yepro qress is just the opposite--that too much sosce is ?iven un- criticrlly to v:hite geople who leter turn out to be ohoney, or who heve some sort of nolitic~l axe to rind, ~articularly around election time. But on the whole, fair space has been devoted in the last six months, for exsm'!)le to sneeches, books, and acts by distin-uished wnite Americsns. Anti-3rown and Eilbo southerners blame tention on the Negro Press. It is liek a wcase of a man besting his wife unmercifully until eventually she r~usters cnurage esough to nrotest and then is accused by a byst~nder of herself being the cause of trouble. 17 True it is admitted thrt occssion~lly the pa?ers do 2rint stories without checking t:?ern for facts csref'u:.lg enough before arint ing them. Too much em-phasis in pro~~ortion may be pleced on crime and sex crime. In connection with Brown's division on the I\?cgro, ;ihite mentions-- "According to Brown the mass of FTegroes do not join in the demands of the colored newsDaDers, orceni- zations, church lesders, and labor leaders thet the beeting Ibid , Po 53. of Negro soldiers, denial of jobs in war industries, lunch- ing, disfranchisement and second-class citizenship stetus be ended.?' ?his obvious answer is a2parent and ststed in the poll of the &egro Digest thbt enswers "yesn to "Does the Xegro Zress s~eak for most Ii:e~roes in its opinions?" Condensed from the >Cichigan Chroniccl comes Louis E. I>i;artints article on the pro side of this discussion as nre- sented in the Neero Digest. 18 "Ever since :Vestbrook Pegler attacked the Regro press a year ago, numerous oouthern white leaders, who are alarmed about the Negro efforts to fulfill citizenship in 8 democracy which he is being asked to defend with his life, have taken ~ot-shots zt the Pegro Dress and so-called radicsl Nearo Editors. Also, is there the voice of T'ncle Tom courting the affections of his white master. * .iLmost every concession - - eqroes have obteined in ~overnrnent, industry, and labor in the last few years have been due to tremendous nressure. The P'epro newspaper v7orks hand in hand with leqitimate and re- s~onsible leeders of the Regro masses. Insecure blzck millions have beco::re articulate through the newspaper and ere denandine en adjustment to their legitimate grievances now. The Negro leaders who wield influence today will wield it only so long as they champion the democratic aspirations of the masses. The newsppper that fails to cham9ion these aspirations will also serish. The millions are determined to be heard come hcll or hi-h v:ate~. Where is the true democratic person ~ho would deny them t?is opportunity? The editors are not infelliable, or ~erfect. Fe makes mistakes and fiTore often than not admits them ~ubliclp. Rut professional intelli2ence nersist, wherever the less the con- demnation of the Kegro press by Brown end by those he echoes is unf~ir and unwarrsnted. The executive order of the president outlawing dis- crirnin~tion in war industries and the creation of the presi- dent's FEPC are of sufficient imnortance alone to confirm conclusively this fnct. The abolution of segregated army officers trtiininp schools, the equalization of teacher's pay in the soukhland, imcreased representotion in ~overnraent and all other orecticsl and progressive step toward full citizen- ship for the Negroes have been done to oressure from the Kegrots press and the colored leaders whom Erown would lable "sensation mongers. " E,;rs. Roosevelt seid, "1 think r~erhans the gre~test sefeguard, even greater than moderation on the nart of the Negro Dress or on the psrt of the leaders of the colored people will be the evident intention of the white peoyle as a v:hole to carry out the promises made in 8umner Yell's speech. The burden of ection should not fell on our color- ed citizens, for thct is probably dsngerous, but I think we must give constantly increasing nroof th3t we white ~eople meen wh:t we spy. The Negro must be 2ble to count on rising economic status because then he uill hcve fair nlay and equal on~ortunity in industry, in the ~rofessions, in fact in sny cause thct is mcrching on, I think we can count on an ~t~t~itude of moderation from him. 19 Cther magazines th~t influence nublic oninion such as Common Ground elso carried protest of Prownts Articles in defense of the press of Black Americans. '20 "1 am deeply distressed and distjurbed over Yarren Erownts article on the Negro press which you qublished simultrneously with the Saturday Review of Literature. I think it ?resents a pretty sensational nicture of understand- ing appraiscl. One could, I think, with equel justice have nublished an indictment of the whole nress by seizing on the sensstional part of it like the news of Eearstts ?apers gen- erally, isolating scare headlines or scandal sheet slsnting and by im?lication have tarred the press of the whole country." 19 Ibid., p. 53. ZV An Open Letter to the Reader's Digest, Common Ground, Januery 1943, np. 107-8. It is more serious with the cclored Tapers bezause other people do know of other tl,.-hite Gapers, but they know little or nothing of other Megre qresses. These accusetions rbout the Negro nress of being narrow is true in the sense that like any snecialized qublic~tion, lugs its own field first. Tcke others, like the 'Tall Street Journal, trade papers and others for ex~lmnle 01' snecial interest oapers. "he reection to the article would lead one to believe thpt Regroes think of being Negro first as a tent~mount to dis- loyalty. This brings to mind the f'ect thht the Saturday lieview - of Literature pve no plsce to Richard ';right or Zora Kead Furston for inst~nce, where else could Negroes get nublic attention? The very existance of the Negro press testifies to the fact thst the Negro lacks acceptance as an American. The above argument is nresented in an oqen letter to the Sender's Digest. As the ~revious articles cited, there ere many th:t come to the defense of the Negro press !?!hen needed. Both oro and con sides of the nroblem ~oint out the vast difference, influence, and possibilities of the l!?egro press as u soci~~l force. It is a ~otent f~ctor in the lives of deqrived neople. SOURCE CF ?,%T3llIi'iL I!!? T"4 PRESS h'iaterisl for the Negro gress in Los mgeles is "ound orirrinating from four main sources. (1) News apencies and news services th~t are both national and internstionel in origin end distribution. - his category also includes special correspondents of En Lgency or of the locel oubli- cztions. LIost loccl papers do not heve their own corres- ~ondents. (2) Government and other rele~ses are both foreign and domestic including all material coming into the newsnaper off ice from out of town org~nizations. National orgcniza- tions and institution releases are ex~m?les. (3) Locsl writers, both editorial ~nd feature writers, ere inczuded in the news st~ff. (4) Public contrivutions are of 711 tynes: letters to the editor, ,oetry, essays, and specisl guest writers. This aaterial found in the vress gives the reader a vide renge of news and views of events. Some Daners may hrve an agency thrt stresses one type of news more than other pr pers, spencies, or services. Some Daners ere 1 Lrnost entirely denendent u7,0n news agencies for their c oay. The source of rn article cEn gener~lly be deterained by the by-line contcining the writer's name end egency. .'-ithln parenthesis at the beginning of a story, the place of a story is siven as well as the source agency. "his is not - alxays the case. k.owever, when a Daper buys zn ~gency* s articles the rnate~irl becomes theirs to use as the editor desires. The Rssoclated ! eyro 'ress is the first successful news ge thering organization developed in 1919. Claude B~rnett, wko s9ent a year in trevelina and makinp surveys for the purpose of ap~ointinp renresentatives of the Chicago Defender, w~s the founder of the o~~ganization. :'is tour brouyht him to most of' the editoriel of'fices in the country. Eis study znade plsiri the foct th~t the chief weakness of newslnapers eta that time wes their glaring lack of denendable facilities for securing news. The imnrovernent in news presentation since thrt time has been mrked. AJP as the ~ionecr news distributing orgsnizaticn is na tionelly known. ?!:embership in this c ooper:.t ive orc.,aniza- tion rives frenchises for certain territories to one naper exclusively. The AND is based on a reci?rocsl nlan. Esch of the seventy-eight members gapers is supposed to cover its individual territory. Re?orts of this news developinc in its vicinity is sent to the entire aembership. Fews in character, general interst, and nationel in scope is sought by the agency. The news is then relayed to Brrnett, Claude, rvAssocieted llepro Pressn, ?elease orr ;i. V. F. 1945. to the heedquarters of the ,Issociated Yegro T'ress in Chicapo. From this ~oint, after F nrocess of selecting, ev~luating, sl~orteninp, and emqlifyin~: articles according to tbe judg- ~ent of experienced workers, it is forwcrded to member vners. TJcrious classific~tion of tke news is xade as it is assembled suckL as straight nens, features, s~orts, theetrical, and others. Articles of opinion are sic,.ned by authorities in v~rious fields or by recocnized end outs ton din^ F-embers cf the proun. The large mrt of the materisl is relayed to the news9rgers in tvro bi-weekly releases. >'lost of the material for the releases is qathered by the staff of A.N.P. i'~ net- work of corres~ondents s~rends out from Chiceqo into tFe center of every strategic area where exnerience has taupht th~t news of vitcl im~ort~~nce if a9t to bre~:k. Kegro orpni- zations make use of their fscilities ~nd frequently release their nevs first to the -1.PT.P. Informstion pours into Chicego by mail, or if the 1 he before releese deys on Fridays and ::ondays are too brief, by wire and tele?hone. Too greet r trlbute cannot be naid to the diligence and remarkable snirit of cooperation shown by a group of carefully selected corres~ondents. lkny volunteer vaiters hold credentiels off5cially establishing them on a re~)ortorisl basis snd desi~nating tbem as news-gatherers. Among this group is fcund zealous vorkers who are h-bued with the true spirit of newspeper men end :?;omen. iccuracy is the first requisite the MCP hT>oses on the staff thot gathe;.s informat ion. A constru.ct.ive view- point is next. Zmsn interest, raciel interest, and imnor- tance to readers scettered over a wide area are other criteries. Eens6tionalisn and scrndal, unless unusu~l or freighted with excentional interest, are ?voided. From coast to cotist, and from tbe aulf to CF-noda, one will find newsnppers which comnose membershin in the Associated Neqro Press. It is dedicated-- *To the task of resenting information affecting the progress and achievements of, as well as the disadvanteges, faced by the ?roupeW They h~ve been im~ort~nt factors in the educaticn ofthe colored yeople as well as the development of racial wide, race conscicusness, and whatever spirit of cohesiveness the group possesses. In the Los Angeles area the - Los kngeles Senticel is the member paper of the AXP, but other papers are sometimes able to saure articles from this agency. 19. Xarry Levitte of the Los kngeles Sentinel is a thestrical editor and sends his stories of Los .hgeles end ~ollyv~~ood to papers all over the country. These special corres~ondents are journalists who are emnloyed by some organization to cover speic a1 areas and assi~nments. Conference corres~ondents, "ihite TTouse cor- resnondent,~, Foreign corresnondents, end city corresqondents are the raa in different tyves. Usually sneciel corresnondents 2re ~iven bu-lines, The public is afforded a wider range of ccntfict by these corres9ondents then might otherwise never be obtained. 12ost cf the Los hgeles newspepers of this group do not have ssecirl correspondents but must rely uoon the news servicest agents. As an illustration, there aopears en article wPoye praises Conduct of Cur Troops in (~ditorial bTote), Recently Roi Ottley, s?ecial corres~ondent for tte Zittsburgh Courier, gave our readers an exclusive news on the death of Tiussolini and how Stho~ia was avenged. This week Ottley's ictervien with Pope Fius XI1 is another Courier exclusive. Follow his brillient articles each week in this paper. By, Roi Ottley, S~ecizl Correspondent, Rome--Pope 3ue 231 in his first private sudience grsnted an :'mericen Negro corres- qordent, by imnlic~tion brou~ht the v6st moral weight of Roman Catholic Church to the defense of the American soldier in It~ly.~ 2 Another corresnondent, ?rtink E. 9olden (???PA), as a Var Corresnondent, sends news by ceble from New Delhi, India. The i-_hTP Pacific Correspondent recently returned to the T'nited 'pittsburg; Courier, P:ey 1945, n. 1. States. Re informed Black :mericans what the colored armed forces were doing ~nd thinking. From London comes such erticles as "Africans Capture I?itlerts "ideo~t.~ This cen- cored article comes from George Padmore, a Courier, Iondon Corres~ondent. Prom T;~nLla ?.I. wes released the article by Courier's !'l~r Corres->or dent Filly Row, on how Time seaman Found Fortune, Teme in Tlenila. " Via bomber-nouch comes an erticle--*No natter 7',?lat, the lliill to live Yules our Soldiers under fire,* written by T. Stanford (C!Vc) with the 9th :,my in the field. t~other such exem3le comes from Ollie Herrington (CTYC) with the gdvence -4irbase in Italy. The Nationrl Negro ?ublishers Associ~tion has a correspondent pool with correspondents in the Sou-th Pacific and North Africa. Among the local paper, the California Esgle had a special ;Vsr corres~ondent, their cynamic maneping editor, John I.'-inlock. This very youny: journalist was an active -crouth lesder heading the Junior council of the YUCP. In Fovember, 1943, he volunteered for the Army. :*,%.en in the I ehrly q~rt of his services he wzs a corresnondent for Yank - and other service yblictitions - ss as correspondent for ~ a pool of Aaericsn metropolitan and weekly 7aDers. Ee vol- unteered for the Infentry and was killed in Germany defending physically the thinps he believed in, wrote for, and f oupht for-- "Real Democracy for -ill." The first !Vhite corresnondent for ''r'hite Rouse Press Conferences and Congressional Press Gellaries was Earry ::~,'~l?ine, The T?TX oreanization was inst runentsl in securing this nosition. The Overseas Agency has war corresnoridents tCet {:ive s7ecial news, to the Criterion of nevls in the ermed forces as well as any other fcreign events thzt ~ould be of interest to G group concerned with fair play for people everywhere. According to one of the latest conies of the >?ego Year Book, there are over eighteen Eegro News services and egencies, Xost news services serve only one qublication in rn area which receives exclusive rights to its resources. Se- ccuse news services send more new than could be used by a single paqer, it may turn over the unused material to others. The Negro Press Bureau supg3ied several Dapers with feature material similar to the Celvin Xews Service. The Occidental agency supplies society news of local interest to prpers. The Celvin's Mewspa~er Service is sent out weekly from New vork: It works on the exchange basis. Celvin's News features are sent to newspapecs free of charge. In return for the features, the receiving Daper prints advertiss ments secured by the agency free of charge. Prpers Fversge from five to seven writers for fe~ture articles. LTrequentlp one Terson may be feature editor of two features. Sometimes the Sport writers mzy also be the the~tricel writers. Feeture writers are qersons tht?cnovv something of their field. For example a sports editor is frequently an ex-athlete who knows the athletic department and personalities from grevious experience. News services, as mentioned before, can supply pa?= s with features ~rticles ready for copy. Services of this type reduce the need for larger staffs. They enable a one- man Duper to appear well balanced in vcriety. In Los kngeles there ere very few outstnnding journal- ists or individuals thct did not at one time or mother uork with the Crlifornia Eagle. Esoecially is this true of several editors. Steff members are excllenged frequently. Feature writers may write articles for severi-1 naners find receive a by-line in etJch Paper thpt the material of the writer eppeara. T%ny st~ff members have other jobs for the seleries from a weekly -?ublication alone sre frecluently in- :-uf f ic ient. Recently an organizztion h~s been formed by the editor, P.;r. Leon Yashington, Jr., of the Los Anceles Sentinel for steff - writers and editors throughout the city. Its purpose is to secure more uniformity among tFe Dapers and to r~ise the st~ndord of journalism in their ~ublicztiohs. Here it is necess- ary to mention the org~nization because it is made up of Lhe neople tht-t write ~nd run the Negro Dresses in Los Anpeles. During the war the government sent almost daily re- leases to ell ncpers qiving a list of 3romotions, honors, v-ounded and killed in the armed forces for different grouns and different areas, Official releases of colored nersonnel in the armed forces was ssnt to the colored newspapers. 2ublic Relttions divisions frequently sent news direct to the news?zper, especielly if the news concerned a race member from California. Selection from this material is left up to the editor, but frequently much of this news is not used for sp8ce is limited in proportion to the volume of news and a& vertisements to be printed, Institutions send their news and nublicity to qopers - ith regularity. Reekly columns of such institutions have become a reguler feature of cert~in ncpers. For exemple, certain papers crlirry a YWCA or XZCA column listing t he various activities of th;t organization. ' his meterial is generally sent in by re>orters, or by a nublic relations chairman of thst organization. The Victory Market has a regular column sent in by the ~ublicity chairman of the organization givirg household hints and nevrs of the market. Both the local and nstional KAzCA: have nublicity denart2ents th~t send repular releases of their org~nizations. Resides releases from ' civic organizations there are social clubs th~t flood the society editor with material they would like published. P7enro colleges rely upon the Negro nress for their ~ublicity cnd for the dissemination of ell information that they do exist to the nublic. This function is generrlly carried out by a yublic reletions department of thet univer- sity. Smrts events esrecielly Ere welcomed by gapers. Campaigns among the colored citizens are very denend- ent uyon the gress for their success. Cam7eigns such as those of the Urban League, the NAACP membership drive, and others received full sunport of the press. One of the more recent drives carried on the press in the Ne~ro College Fund. Churches are denendent unon the press for ~ublicity of their activities and for keeping their members informed of community activities for their benefit. Church rele~ses are sent in, or more frequently, the ?astor may bring in the material himself to see th-t it is not overlooked. Besides sources already mentioned, frequently articles are sent into the newspapers by interested individuals. Gen- erally, snace is provided on the editorial pages for letters to the editor of wFrom interested readersm ~nd similar columns. colurans, These letters thzt zre printed ere sometimes in the form of com~l~ents or egreements with some ~revious articles epgearing in the pzper. Articles of com~leint are also published. Outst~~nding community leaders are frequently asked to write articles &bout differint situ3tions thc t require the voice of a 3erson of community nrestige to comment. Cu~gestions for coi!munity and rgce ~dvhncernent mmetknes are found among other type letters and comments. Poetry corners and columns are found in a few of the Fapers with material sent in by the public. Also, jck es are printed. Essays for speciol occasions sre sent in and sometimes printed giving the writer due credit for the material. Another type of letter thct should be mentioned is the letter written by the editor to a poliiicizn or a city official in favor or complaint of certtiin political action thzt has been t~ken. Iiere the paper assumes to represent the rerders in the coimunity in regsrd to certain exnressed attitudes of the civic leaders. CHAPTER VI ANALYSIS OF LOS ANGELES NEGRO PRESS In Los Angeles at the present.time over ten different nublications of Negroes can be accounted for. Strange as it may seem, many of these papers ere not dunlcications of ezch other, but each has unique features. The purpose, in general, may be similar, but the methods and stress of different type news makes for the uniqueness of the publi- cstion. Take for example, the California Eagle. This paper is mostly concerned with locel news dealing mainly with local problems thet effect the community. Fair play and democratic treatment to Angelinos are its main concern. Although the Los Angeles Sentinel is very interested in - local affairs, its interests are broaders stressing nroblems of Negroes in general on a national scale. This view is supported by the many national efficient news agencies end services that furnish news of national importace to only one paper, in a given location. The Los kngeles Sentinel - has exclusive rights in many cases. The - Los Angeles Tribune is a publication of different appecls from either of the two papers previously mentioned. At times its appeal is intellectual. Most of the articles are clippings from out-of-town newspapers th~t RGpear earlier in the week. The - Los Angeles Tribune appears more conservative in policy than the other dynamic Dapers. News of Watts area of Los Angeles can be found in the Spot-Light publication although it does carry news of general interst. The Criterion cstresses news of foreign countries and their problems of democr~cy and minority group. The Ker~ld Emmanuel is a religious publicetion th~t was started recently. The Sepia Hollywood magazine ceters to youth and their intw- ests. The Teller stresses entertainers and theatrical per- sonalities. The - Los Angeles Record, a recent publication is dedicbted to youth and the common man. The Neighborhood News is interested in local activities and advertisements. - The Los Angeles Beam is of general interest ~lthough it is most recent. Now, an interracial public~tion is yet different frm - any other paper in Los Angeles. It is dedicated to social problems and interrvcial understanding. Research is carried on by the paper into currect sociel problems to determine their extent, effect, end ?ossible solutions. Twice a month this interracial paper appears promoting interr~cial and intercultural knowledge. The Pittsburg Courier has a Los hgeles office for its ?acific Coast edition. There are twenty-two different eaitions published throughout the United States. The West Coast edition of the paper is frequently filled with news of people in Los Angeles as well as news of netional importance. The same statements can almost be said of the Chicapo Defender that also has a branch office in this city. These two are but few of the papers that come into the city with news of what the Negroes ere doing. Looking at the Los Angeles papers the 3hysical quelities differentiate ones from others. The Tribune resembles the Daily News paper, but this tabloid does not have the front page on sepia paper as does the Daily News. The Teller is a tabloid on pink paper with pictures mostly on the front pa@. Now, the interrscial paper, resembles the New Y,rk Paper PM. - - The other colored papers are of average size (22 x 16). Sensationel headlines ere designed to sell the news- paper, s just ~s are they the main selling points of the daily metropolitan papers. On this topic, Fleming obserzves: "It is not by accident, it should be pointed out that the Negro papers which traditional-, consistently feature big, black headlines across rage One and show other marks of sensationalism are in the cities where Bearst papers also are published with their striking headlines making appeal also to the Negro papers which have lost circulation bemuse Heasrt papers, end others could do a better job of carrying features giving 'number tips' to the policy players and bringing the daily reports of the stockmarket for the better purposes." 1 lMyrdal, Gunnsl, An American Delima, (New York: Herper and Brothers ,Publishers, 1944), vol. 1, p. 917. The purpose of this technique is that they wish to attract the largest number of readers possible. This device is not just used in Los Angeles exclusively. Frequently there may appear two headlines, one in red streamer lettering and the other in bold black print. bubj9ct matter for these headlines is not rlv~ays crimes as has frequently been the case in the ~ast. Racial conflict and achievement are feotures. Of forty newspepers chosen at rendom, it was revealed thrt twenty-f ive of these headlines deal with rpcial conflict, discrimination and injustices done because of rece, seven told of rfce members schievements, four were dealing with crime, two of these were murders, one an 0PA violntion, and the last of a 'Tenant Freed by Jury in ITurder Case. The four reraaining headlines told of overseas black merkets, Frcinklin D. RooseveltTs death, election results, cnd a divorce case of R colored novie stgr. Unlike the daily papers, the pictures in the Negro press are mostly posed fece pictures. Usuelly the ~icture is made from a cut owned by the individual ~ortreyed. Out- stsnding citizens of the con~unity and social leaders are features. Group pictures are frequently secured by the staff photogragher. Few candid oictures of ne!t1s items as they occur are printed. ?ictures of women in society are feetured more than are 2ictures of men. Contents of the press are divided into news items, feature articles, advertisements, and editoriels. The news ~tories are agein divided into crime stories, military news, and local stories. Religion, Society, Sports, and Amuse- inents are the divisions of the feature erticles. Tditorials and columns cerrying opinions on social problems are discussed after the advertisements. Ten cogies of each of the four leading Negro community newsmpers have been examined snd measured in det2il to detep- nine the spsce given to the above mentioned categories. The California Sagle, the Criterion, the - Los Angeles Sentinel, and the Los Tribune, are the four papers used in this - section of the study. - Now, the interracial paper, will be brou~ht in for the next discu~sion on socisl problems in editoritils. In TableIII the general averege space given to the verious type of articles eppeering in the weekly newspaper is presented. The figures are secured from measuring ten co?ies of each pFper over a representative period durinc the yenr 1945. The average for eoch publicetion is comquted and recorded. The figures represent average inches per copy of paper . obhined from mecsuring and averr ging the co~ies studied. Various type news items th~t ere difficult to classify but are of generEl news interest are brought into this section. MAIN DIVISIONS AE'D MEASURmT BY INCKES OF TE-3E VtiRIOUS rnT1CZ;ES GIVEN IN LOS ANGELES LEADING NEGRO NEWSPAPEXiS d Kews_naper Crime News Military Feeture Editorial Calif. Tagle 24 99 99 811 218 Criterion 8 78 100 586 242 L. A. Record 7 43 33 L. A. Sentinel 14 107 98 632 288 L. A. Tribune 21 91 96 149 170 Neighborhood Nevtrs 50 Teller 18 2 11 112 30 Figures represent average inches per copy of paper obtzined from measuring and averaging the copies studied. Since the Negro press does not function as n source of news, the section is limited. These items (Table Iv) give informetion to the race not found in any other printed medium. Business articles contain news of Negroes in business and various enterwises. News thet concern interracial affeirs, and community orgpn- izationts ~ctivities ere listed as well as material of pure& loc~ll volue. In copies studied, a relative smll amount of snace is given to crime st#ories, see Table V. IZost crime stories are found on the front >age where the mass of people will become interested enough to buy a paper. I1ihite pepers fre- ~uently plsy up stories of crimes committed by Negroes 6- geinst white ~eople, but however, the reverse is found in the Negro press thrt plays up some of the crimes committed by white people against the black people. In fact, these daily papers thet build up the crimind and comical side of the black American have created a stere* type of the Negro thet is difficult for the Negro press to overcome. It is true that the papers of Americans of African descent have pleyed up the crime element as have the daily prpers. It should be remembered th~t the other news carried is intended to counteract the bad with good. Eake no misttike &bout it, crime news makes interesting reeding; material for millions of people, and it Bncreases SPnCE IN TERPdS OF INCHES DEVOTED TO DIFFEF.ENT NEWS ITEKS IhT Lo A. NEGRO P4EltfSPMEF-S News Items Calif. Cri-- L. A. L. A. Eagle ter ion Sent inel Tribune Business Community local news Community org~nizations Editorial news Interracial news Out of town news Recognition Others Total 99 78 107 91 TABLE V DIVISIONS OF CRIME NUMBER OF INCHXS DXVOTm TO EACH DIVISION Crime divisions California Criterion L. A. L. A. Eagle Sentinal Tribune Homicide Robbery Burglary Theft (AU~O-larceny) 4 Political 7 Sex crime 2 Minor accidents 1 Others 1 Totals 24 9 14 21 Figures in inches show averege measurement per news- paper copy derived from measuring ten issues of each of the papers listed. circulation. Military news is of great importance to the group with over 662,000 Negroes in the srmed forces. Readers are gre~tly concerned with newe of all types of military ~ctiv- ities of these segregated forces. Nowhere else can adequate information be obtzined --n these matters except through the Negro Press. For one reedinp just the white metropolitan papers, it would be impossible to know thct there rre Neeroes in every br~nch of the Armed Forces, divisions that Pre dying daily, winnin~ medals, and securing promotions. Through specicl correspondents the Negro press learns and relates to their public what the members are doing in various brcnches of the Armed Services, Frequently whfte news services that come uDon news concerning this rninority group relay it to the newspapers. They know thst their daily papers do not handle this news. ?*tar Depnrtment in- form~ tion snd special public relations divisions connected with colored divisions also suglg mrterial to the nation's ten per cent ponulation. Besides news from bettle fronts the press carries news of training cemps and ~ctivities on bases. Segregation and undemocratic ~ctivities of the South have ceused much trouble and conflict among Negro Americens stationed in this area not accustomed to "Jim Croww customs. Segregetion within the camps would go unatoned if it were not for the protesting end demanding voice of the Negro press insisting on decent trestment. On the following table, Table VI, military news is divided into the four cetegories suggested in an article comparing military news in the Soutkern and Northern newspapers. Because the press of this group is not desi~nated as s strict csrrier of news, feuture items add greatly as a selling point. The veriety of features ere inclined to intw- est all types of publics. Society stories attrect the upper group and cnyone likely to be in print for social events and activities. Sports have s?ecial appeel to men and youth while religious items draw the older people and the church public. The Amusements section thht features news items of the theatrical and entertainment world do not overlook the heevy music~l and dremstic efforts put out by group members. News of colored movie stars ~nd musicians, both swing and classicsl, are discussed in s2ecial columns, Xuch of this information in the columns is received from news services hocated in parts of the country where the enter- tainment news is likely to be made, The - Los Angeles Sentinel sup~lies many pnpers throughout the country with news of Hollyvtood by its feature writer, Xarry Levette, Besides the feetures mentioned ebove thvt are found in all the papers, certain papers heve other type features, The Criterion carries a veriety of feature articles, Yost noted of these are the '!;ioments Section with hints for gardening SPACE IN INCHES DEVOTED TC NILITARY NEWS IN THE NEGRO PRESS Bm4GE PXR COPY Stories - Eagle Criterion Sent inel Tribune Tr~ining, Promotion, Social, Notes, Defense, of Yar, Etc. 58 Battle Activities, Deaths in Service, 'gar News about the Negroes Tctal reflecting favorably on Armed Forces, Honors etc. 16 Protest Discri- mination ageinst Negroes in Armed Forces -- - Totals 99 100 98 96 household hints, sewing, cooking, and beauty cere. Book reviews enpear in some papers if it is s book th:?t affects racial attitudes. Crossword puzzles, and jokes as well as an occasional short story may appear as features articles in the Fress. Table VII shows the division of feature articles in the Los hgeles Negro Newspapers. In Los Angeles the entertainment feature section is very pronounced. This mey be due to the proxbity of Uolly- wood the main the~trical center. Featured in the entertain- ment section is news of colored Hollywood actors, ectresses, comedians, night club entertainers, outst~ndin~ orchestra ~erssnc.lities, (both mqdern end clessiczl) dencers, concert pianists, singers, as well as church musical groups. Inter- rscial items ore frequently cited. k greet de~l ofthe entw- taiment features are of movies in the mzking mostly of entw- teinment value. The following table, Table VIII, shows the main divisions of the alnusement section. Columns on theatricals appear consistently. A11 the rrticles are not just entertainment, some h~ve a note of protest as they recount discrimination and segregstion in the entertainment field. Stories of fair treatments and lnnrovements are not overlooked. SPORTS Even in the sports items we find social problems TklE3LE VII SPACE IN INCmS OF MAIN SXCTION OF FEATURE DIVISION IN Lo A* NEGRO NE3YSPAPEFS Feature Nqme of newsTaper Eagle Criterion Sent fnel Tribune Re1 igion 122 25 52 17 Amusements 403 498 389 45 Society 131 48 111 36 Sports Totels 811 586 632 149 Figures show average inches per copy of newsFaper. TABLE VIII SPACE IN INCHES SEOIVING DIVISIONS OF AUDSmm ITBfiS IN THE NEGRO NEV\I'SI)APEIiS IN LOS ANGELES It ems Mane of news~aper Eagle Criterion Sent inel Tribune L Night club & stage Classical 40 30 48 3 out-of-town 40 123 45 12 Enter ta inmen t column 165 Others Totals 403 498 389 45 Figures show inches per copy. involved. Constant complaint of segregation in vsrious ethletic. fields is cited in the Negro press in Los kngeles as well as in colored papers throughout the nation. B variety of sports activities are given space but bcxing seems to be given the most space in the sqorts section, Even in the conservative metropolitan dailies, Negroes are given a prominent place in athletic events in which they excel. Out of town athletic news of soorts activities be- tween Negro colleges can alvays be found in the Negro Press but, hardly anywhere else, Since the war athletic activities have been curteiled to some degree, but still s~orts furnish interest and enter- tainment to the readers as well as to the participants. Sports activities of the colored servicemen are sent in from overseas and recorded only in the Neerots Tresses. The following table, Table IX, shows the division of athletic activities as they appear most frequently, Little difference will be noted in the content of the society pages of the deily metro~olitan papers and the Negro 9resses. Gossip columns are similar to the other smaZl communitiest papers. Because it is a community paver the locsl leaders are ~iven considerable space in their social ectivities. social news columns are secured by a news service especially when items are from out of town. Some news articles TABLE: IX SPACE IN INCHES ON DIVISION OF IWS ON SPORTS IN IbTEGRO PRESS Items &Tames of newspapers Eagle Criterion Sent inel Tribune Boxing 70 4 20 21 Baseball 6 3 16 7 Rs c ing Track Sports column 34 1 17 5 Others 29 4 14 7 Totals 155 15 80 51 Figures show average space Der copy in articles. are mainly secured from a society editor thet makes it her job to "get around" to all the events and record vhat is going on among the "elite. Clubs and orgsnizations have their own reporters thet send in society news to the society editor. They keep the office informed with the events importcnt to their particular group, To some, the society gage may appear ridiculous. This is becsuse there are whites thet hcve assumed this attitude partly beceuse they are seldom aware of the exist- ence of a Negro upper class. Ts~eci~lly, one so attentive to the social "niceties," Social club meetings, teas, receytions, dinners, birthday parties, anniversaries, weddings, fraternity and sorbrity activities, and new visitors are presented. These events com2ose the large variety of items in the society pages. Gossip columns of the younger set give a personal touch to the press, found only in the Negro press. The Negro church is well represented in the Necro sress. Considerable space is given the church and religious ectivities. Especially is this true of more of the older papers than in the younger Yapers new inthe field, Kews articles contain news of church events and activities of inter- est to the entire community, Wen on the editorial nage is there found the religious note. Every one of the four news- papers have some feature colunn thct has religious content. Both the Sentinel and the Eagle have a minister thet writes a column for their editorial page on social problems as viewed from the point of a pastor. T~ble X shows the space aiven to religious news in the four leading papers. It should be noted thy4 there are many church advertisements of services and events listed in the advertisements section. PICTURES Pictures and certoons as well as comic strips are ~lso found in the Los Angeles Negro Press. These are not She stereotype pictures &owing the most deprived and under- privileged members, but those of the middle and unper clas3es. Pictures are very conservstive as compared to the other papers found in the same area. Generally, posed f~ce nictures ere made from cuts owned by the person ~ictured. Cartoons are found throughout the papers. Especielly cen they be found on the editoriel pages. C~rtoons on politr ical matters or racial situetions ere the most frequent. Most certoons are from syndicates end news services yreviously mentioned. Comic strips are becoming more and more a qart of the press. E:osQ of them are of colored characters. The Neighbor- hood Mews has a regular comic section thot is part of a white -- national comic syndicate. Jokes are frequently used to fill TABLE X ~-SURa:aTT OF SPACE IN Ih'CHES GIVXPI TO RELIGIOUS ITfil,IS Name of paper Space Inches per copy California Eagle 122 Criterion 25 Los Angeles Sentinel Los hgeles Tribune 17 Figures show averpge space per copy. up space. In the metropolitan d~ily pzpers the advertisements produce a great portion of the income, more than th~t received from the circulation. Critics have written many articles Lmplying that news and freedom of the press are suppressed by dominance of the advertisers' interest. On the other hand, there are those who contend that advertising is one of the most beneficial social forces. President Coolidge is re- corded to heve steted that advertisinp is the most potent influence in adapting and changing the habits and modes of life. It affects what we eat, whtit we wear, and the work and >lay of the whole nation. This is an indication of pos- sible influences of advertisements in the newspapers. With the Dress of the Negro, the cidvertisements ere not as influential. Advertisements in the press hsve caused much adverse criticism to the entire paper. Yhese "Angle shapedm and objectionable advertisements were typicel of the esrlier gapers. Recent developments have brought pres- sure and organizations thzt ere campaigning ag~inst the use of this type ad. The National Negro Publishers Associstion, in particular, has cempaigned ageinst objectionable adver- tisements in special committees an& cam~s i~ns. Questionaires were sent to thirty leading Negro news- 7epers ssking an opinion of the suggested plen to refuse to permit insertion in member papers of "Ln sh~jped ads and othm form of undesirable copy. This would be in the interest of ~rotection impartially of all advertisers and reeders. Al- this type advertisement has not disappeored entirely from the Los Angeles napers, tl-ey are slowly disn3penring as new edvertising contracts are secured to teke their ?lace. These ads ?rovide revenue to the paper needed mainly for thier continuance. Products that cannot be used in 0th- pzpers desi~ned to elimine te Negroid 9hysicel chlrpcterist ios Ere these objectionable ads. They imnly inferiority of their nhysical traits. They ere insulting to the rece. The need for advertisements is recognized by the Nztional Negro Publisher's Associ~tion ~nd Interstete News Agency. It desires to secure standsrd ads by insertinp a page of advertisements in the Annual Market Data Book. This will cell attention to the vast Negro msrket of which the advertisers could trke advcntage. Space in other tr~de publications are utilized in ho~es of attracting more ad- vertisers. Then, they would be zble to eliminate sex, luck, and other distastful ads from their Dages. Special illustreted pamphlets were put out by members of the National Negro Publisher' s Association Dap ers designed to promote the Negro press in different areas. A samnle of such publication follows this page, It is put out by the - Los Angeles Sentinel, the NhrPA member of Southern C~lifornia. Although the Neero oaper seeks ads from the N~tional Nanufocturing Companies, the ~!TTPA does not hesitcte in celling attention to disegreeable discriminatory prectices of thzit organization. w.....The Liggett and hieyers Tobacco Company recently qut out a gublication known as tTobaccolend.' Throughout the long and tedious tesk of making a Chesterfield cigarette, they only found it possible to show a Negro twice. These two times ere ssd indictments to the ability of the Negro. They are shown in two unimportsnt poses. I happen to know the part that Eegroes play in making of Camels and feel that the book is not only unfair to the Negro who has given his $"tail, sweat, and in many cases, his blood, to build the business. They have worked for years, at meagre s~laries and hours thct Ere sl- n:ost unbelievable. You must agree that the only reason for having Negro newsympers is to fight for the rights of Negroes. There may be those who spy that we get advertizing from the Company and c~nnot afford to bring its ire down upon us. I will never Der- mit myself to believe that I am a member of a profession, th~t will sell its ideals, nrincigles, and even its soul for e price. You must remember thet big business respects a fighter. I have reason to believe that should we let them know in no uncert~in terms that vqe don't like it, that they will not only attempt to rectify it, but be more considerate of our columns. ' You should remember that these ere the people .who control the Peglers and the others....... n This section of the Newsletter indicates not only the fact that the protest function of the Negro nress is necessary in all phases of the Negro newsyaper, but also attitudes toward advertisers. "The reader interest shown by Negroes in the news and editorial columns of their own newsnapers extends to the advertising matter as well. Negroes regard advertising in their ovm newspepers as a direct invi- tetion to them to bug the merch~ndise advertised. It mrkes them feel their ~atronage is desired and apme- c iated, and eccordingly, they respond with whole- hearted enthusiasm. By ern->loyinq the proper appe~ls end illustrstions in advertisements directed to Negroes, advertisers mcy easily eurn a strong consumer response. Negroes have a certrin amount of race ?ride which asserts itself in rebellion ep6 inst advertiseaents which nake comedy at their expense. Copy should be written in a netural vein, no attzm~~t ~kouid be made to "tslk down* to them and extreme caution should be exercised to use of Colored slang. Negroes are quick to res7ond to advertising ~%i.ch captures their fancy, and a trial cam)?aign in any of the leading Race nev?s?apers will readily prove this. 8 The following table, Table KI, contains a list of advertisements found in the weekly press. Figures show the averEige inches for each type ad per week. It was noticed that there is a great desl of consistency for the same ads Newsletter to Leon lYashington, Vice President of Far Western region of the NITPA. Mr. Yashington is mblisher of the - Los hReles Sentinel. Alexander ~ernes, Eastern Vice-president wrote the communique. i: The Negro Market, (Chicago: YJ. D. Ziff Cob, - 1942)s P. 37. TABLE XI SPJ-CE IN INCmS ON DITJISIOMS CP AD~XTIS~~,?~TTS IN NEGRO hiriSPAPEaS IhT LOS l'3GELES Advertised items Eagle Criterion Sent inel Tribune Clothing: Jewelry, hats, shoes, etc. 224 Dry Goods: furniture paints, paanos 50 Eating: drug stores, marketis, food ~roducts 50 Entertainment: theatres, cafes, night clubs, musicals 80 Funeral services 60 Good luck, sex, tobacco, etc 6 Hair growers, oils, products, etc. Health: dentists, optome- trists, X-ray, hezlth centers 34 Liquors : .:ine, beer 4 Patent medicines 23 Professional services: lawyers, etc. 12 Religious ~ct ivities 250 Services: used cars, re- pairs , bail bonds, benks 80 Classified & reel estate 640 Totals 1573 670 2572 1068 Figures show inches average space per copy. to appear in the Daper. For that reason only six issues of each of the four leading papers studied were measured. Several of the issues were the same dotes f cr all four pub- licat ions. Table XI shows thbt space of advertisements in esch zaper. Recently in lortune Xaga zine (February 1943) an analysis of the Negro press revealed thzt 7rogress is the chief interest of this tyce public~tion. Two-thirds of the front page stories they study deal with Negro-white reletions, one-third is strictly Negro news. The reverse is true of the Los Angeles pspers. Attitudes vary ranging from near a-opeasement to prodf that the whites are not better than any other groups. The stories in group I include stories designed to appeal to the upper income and educational group. Group I1 is cherecteristic of the press and aqpepls to the masses especially the lower income levels while Group 111 is of general interest. Table MI skews an analysis of the front gcge stories taken from Fortune maeazine. AN ANALYSIS OF FRONT PAGE STORIES TAKE3 FROM FORTUNE LX2XNE l?EBRUARY, 1943 Stories Location of papers South Outside of: EO uth -- - Stories Social, church clubs Educe t ion Negro betterment Charity Labor Tots1 Group I Crime Death, birth, illness Disaster Sports Total Group I1 Fore i~p Nature1 l~iscellaneous Total Group I11 Total all groups 33.5 30.79 cmmm VII SOC IRL PI?OBLEI\iS IrRES?.?,NTED II\T PXWS Im:S tWD EDITORIALS All items deeling with social problems th~t could not be classified in previous sections are considered in this part. The Negro Dress is noted for its highly opinion- ated articles and editorials. For this reason it is not surprising thr t a large percentage of the news material is dealing with socitil problems. Rather than give the nuniber of inches devoted to each social problem toqic, the most imqortsnt social ?rob- lems are listed and rated according to their frequency. A11 editorial and opinionated articles found in the 9apers during the period studied were sorted into ten catepories dependent on their contsnts. These include housing, labor, the F~ir Employment Practices Committee, protest of segregation on locel parts of the country, comments on current political problems, conments of feeture material such as editorials of s?orts, religion, theatrical and the like, the last sections of editorials, besides general ones are on the San Francisco Conference and international matters. Sent in articles such as letters to the editor and qoetry sent in by the public will be mentioned. Since contents of editorials are constantly chang- ing as are views expressed in them, samnles of editorials may be presented to give some idea of the editorial and opinionated articles found in the Negro press of Los Angelea The other division of articles conmenting on social ~roblems are dealing with political activities. The War oolicy--genere1 comments on the war end its problems, Negro rolitical leaders in Congree, civic leaders of the group are but few of the main topics discussed in this section of ~olitical events on editorial pages of the Negro nress in Los Angeles. These to~ics vary from week to week dependent unon other conditions. Table XI11 shows the fre- quency of opinionated articles dealing with social problems. bihthin the past year the FEPC bill has gained more comment from the press than any other legislative enactxent dealing with the social problems of race equality in economk: channels. The Feir Employment Practice Committee Act wns de- siqned to counteract discriminetion in emoloyment because of race, creed, color, national origin, or ancestry. This dis- crimination was held to prevent full use of manqower and as a burden of interstate commerce. This act as a n~tional TABLE XI11 FREQUENCY OF OPINIONATED ARTICLES DEALING WITH SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN TEN ISSUES OF mCH 2.QB (FROE RWRCH TO AUGUST 1945) Subject of articles Name of Newspaoer Eagle Criterion Sentinel Tribune Average Fair T3mployment Practice Committee 4 Foreign Policy & comment Housing 8 Political comments 1 Protest of dis- crhinh t ion out-of-tovm Public contri- but ions Zace relations 1oc~'l protest San Francisco Figures show frequency ratinp of items from results of measuring ten copies of eech paper shown. policy is subject to control of the Federal Government. It holds that the right to work without discrimination is a constitutional crivilege and that it should not be abridged by any state. Discrimination is forbidden a~ainst anyone with respect to the higher tenure or terms and conditions of his employment. Under this ~ros~ective ect, labor unions are forbidden to refuse membership. Also, emqloyers and labor unions are forbidden to discriminate against any nerscn because he has filed a charge, testified, or assisted in any proceedine or beceuse he has opposed a discriminatory employment practice. Members of the FEPC are anpointed by the >resident with the edvice and consent of the Senate for e definite period. Provisions for the committee location of the offices is established in the act. The scope of the act is that it is to apply to any emnloyer or labor union with more than five persons who are engaged in interstate commerce, or in preforming work under a contract or sub-contract with a United States agency. The FWC is regarded to function like the N~tional L~bor Rel~tions Board, It mag issue com~laints, issue orders, hold hearings, and petition a United States court of Appeal to enforce its orders. Certain investigory powers are th~t the FEPC may administer acts and compel by snbpoenas the attendance of witnesses or the production of evidence. Feder~l District Courts are to enforce subpoenas. Rules and regul~tions are to be made by the committee. All govern- ment contracts obligate the contractor not to discriminate in ennloyment. The penalties of the oct are nunisheble by a fail term and a heevy fine. The FEPC is regarded as the main ste:, to Trogress of the colored race during the war. The press has crusaded for the FEPC and published its activities. Securing a permanent FEPC in vzrious stetes is now the main concern of the press. The state in New York passed an FEPC .bill, but in California, in spite of the request of the crusading press, was not suc- cessful the first time. Eope for e stste FXPC that will help force the Bill of Rights is the hope and fight of the Los Angeles Negro Press. PUBLIC CONTRIBUTIONS Letters to the editor are of various types. Some comment on the paper is favorcble or unfavor~ble. Many discuss current problems or comment on material in the editorials. C;,uestion box columns are not uncommon. Poetry columns and space are infrequently provided for interested talented readers. RACE RELATIONS Protest and comments on segregation glay an imgortant part in the function of the Negro Press. Activities of National Negro orgrnizations such as the NALCP and the Urbm League, in particular, qive editorial information of their functions as they effect the lives of the reader. There are attitudes frund on race relations as well as sug- gestions of solutions to the problem of race conflicts. Through these articles, the seriousness of the rsce problem in the Pacific Coast is evidenced. By ?ointing out inequal- ities due to rece experience by a few within the area, many local moblems are brouqht out in the bright light of the public eye. Not always is the protest sounded for the Negro alone, but for ell minorities thet eppear to be discriminated a- gpinst. Ztrong articles on treatment to the Jap~nese heria n in relocetion centers and in the city are cited as well. Articles on the h4exicen Youth treatment agein voice a ?lea for democracy and protest against unfair treatment of the minorities th~t are as much part of the city as any other group. Interracial organizations and their activities are frequently commented on in editorials. Fspecially should attention be c~lled to the articles in Now dealing with - minorities and race reletions. HOUSING For years the housing problem has been potent in Los Bngeles and vicinity. Editorials de~linc with the dire need of housing for sll groups have been one of the most vital topics in editorials. Discriminrtion in housing acts of the city, state, end federal housing legislative measures heve not been overlooked by the watchful sounding board of the minority group. Discrimination in the form of restrictive covenants is at present the main nhase of the housing ~roblern aneinst which the Negro press is Dro- testing, objecting, and fighting, Not only does the press express the resentment of these undem~cratic covenants that hold most of the city of Los Angeles for caucasiens only, but it is active in organ- izations thc t ere fighting them. The covenants force minor- ity groups reg~rdless of background, intelligence, or income to live in already overcrowded areas. They must Day more for rent end property then othcr non-Negro groups for the same business deal. Fublishing the list of nersons thcot s i~n restrictive convenents often reveal that those interested in interrecia1 activities on the surface are doing everything possible to keep the group from improving their conditions. By tracing the editorial material of the Negro press, the entire housing problems of the group are evident. Even paper forms for whites to sign in restricted areas have been revealed and exposed in the Negro press. Negro organizations of property owners ban together with the nress in order to retain their property in arezs thet were restricted but hove long since changed comnlexion. Closely related to the FEPC is the problem of hbor and em~loyment. Negro pepers chempion the cause of labor and did so even before the FEL"C. Regular columns devoted to the views of labor and unions have appeared for years. Activities of unions and verious other types of ernnloyses organizations are voiced in the press. Industrial and pro- fessional persons are frequently discussed byt comments on labor are the most frequent. PROTEST OF OUT OF TOWN DISCRmIMATION Whet goes on in other sections of the United States th~t affect citizens because of their race is of greet Fm- port~nce to all citizens of color. Victories and improve- ment in race relations, race discriminations, segregation makes consciousness of kind within the group. Of special interest to the reader is the news of Negroes in Southern States where segregetion and race hatred is most obvious. !Yithout knowledge of gross discrimination in small Southern towns obtain from the colored newspapers, many northerners would be completely ignorant of conditions thrt effect all people of color. Circulation in the south of western and ncr thern papers gives these smaller groups in the South knowledge that their problems are not unknown to the public. Through this knowledge of problems, orgenizations such as the NAACP and newspaper organizations can investigate problems and situa- tions demanding solutions and treatment. The press informs the persons responsible tbt their actions are subject to the question of public o~inion of all who care to read these papers thet are increasing in strength, By exposure of un- democratic treatment, faulty groups rnsy realize thet they are dealing with Americans guaranteed rights under the con- stitution. Outside groups cast a critical eye at them. Equal pay for Negro teachers in the South and equal educational opportunities are main topics of editorials. In many stetes this equalization is becoming a reality as bills are passed to give equal pay to all teachers. Progress of the poll tax is brought up frequently. Most of this news is released from news agencies that have reporters located in places where there is likely to be the most news. In this group articles on government, politicians and governmental events are considered. Two main divisions of these paltical coments are noticeable. Nearly each one of the papers hzs ~t least one editorisl column thrt inter- prets or discusses current political activities constitutirg one of the divisions. Zhe other division is of miscellsneous articles dealing with current problems. Harry Lrcilpine, "{sshington correspondent, has a column, rtUncovering '':oshing- ton," thrt FppeErs regulerly in the - Los kageles Sentinel. It pives first hand informction from the Notion's C~pitol as it ~ffect s the group. "Between - the ~lnes" is s Sentinel Editorial Column, als 'WashTs Washw and ''John Karshellfl are reguler columns on the editorial ptige that discuss a vgriety of current problexs weekly. ??As I see it, mNh~tTs going on in Washingtonn and ". J. Wheaton Saysw are the columns th~t appeFr in the Crlifornia Eagle. Also, the columnmOn the Sidewalk* written by the editor is a dynzmic editorisl column eppearine on the front page of the Californie Eagle. "From other Columnsn is com7osed of clippings of editori~ls appeering in editoriel materiel throuphout the country, nViev~pointsn and wCornmuniquew are all fe~tures of the Los Angeles Tribune. "Round up bf the ;'f~>r," and - nPolitical Corrmentsw end n\Vashington Farades, *The Day is Coming," end wL~rLd of the Noble Freev1 are the regular editori~l columns in the Criterion civing local politicel colnments on current affairs. E&N FRANCISCO CONFERENCE Special mention should be piven the articles and material in the Negro press on the San Frencisco conference. Sgeciol delegates end press correspondents representing leading race puklicetions were pressnt and took active part in interpreting events of the world conference as they affected minority groucs. Awareness of world citizenship end fellowship with non-caucasion groups was evident as the minority group and colored people formed orgenizsticns together for mutuel benefit. Especinll:~ active in the conference was the Los - Pngeles Sent inel. Their publisher, Leon Til~ shingCon Jr. , a very progressive active leader, took part in the conference and secured many interviews with delegates and inf orne tion not revealed in the large dzily Tapers. Events of the con- ference emong these representatives of colored people of the world may effect the future of the nations and the her- mony of the rrces of the v+-orld. !'JET ccrrespondents oversees and foreiph service ne17s agencies releesed to the Kegro press news and comments on the treatment of other nations to the colored grouFs as they too fight for inde~endence. Regular columns appesr in the papers such as the Sentinel's "The Negro in Latin ,Imeric~i." Indians frols India are frequently staff writers riving their views on their country's problems. '"ether this great interest in international policies and affairs will exist long after the wcr emergency remains to be seen. From the preceeding papes, a brief ~icture of the contents of editorial subject matter has been presented. It is not possible to aake gener~l stotements regcrding the poeition of a paper on any particular issue's contents on political comments, segregation and rRce relrtions. Social problems vary from time to the dependent upon other influ- ences. To say they Rre opposed to all undemocratic treatment and seek equality to opportunity for 811 is an evident observetion. Problems of housing and labor are most constent. The most ccandete research has been done by the papers on these problems. Views expressed in editorials and opinionated items are of calue in giving views interpretation of the task thet confronts the minority public. Solutions of social problems are attempted as well as sharp group criticism. This criticism vrould be accepted only by the group coming from its race oaper. They They feel that this press has their best interest at heart in the long run. Cl?.l;ifTER VIII SU%T.ARY AND CONCLVSIONS In an analysis of the Negro Press of Los Angeles the need for an organ thot expresses the problems of the group is shown. There is still a great deb1 of room for hprovement. This fact is realized most readily by the newspaper editors and publishers. Progress is evident in the content of the pa?ers as well as in the broadening view- point shovm in the editorials. Consciousness of world citizenship and freedom expressed by the Atlentic Chsrter as human nedessities, add strength to the cause of the press. As long as the need for the press exists, it will c~ntinue and increase with demands. The purFoses of the Negro press are similar to those of the other newspzpers with specie1 added feetures. hlinority groups thrt live in aggregate segregated cordunities throughout the nation have their om group papers designed espcially for its members. The Negro press differs from other minority papers in th~t it is printed in English understandable to all. The Negro qress is En im~ortunt supplement to the d~ily Fress for the ten ner cent of Americ~ns distinguished by color. Because of tmfevornble pictures and news stories carried in most non-negro newspapers of the Negro, the Afro-Americzn newspepers must try to combat stereotypes created to make the race seem either criminal or silly. Although stories of crime appear in the Negro press, other types of news are given to balance the recial group picture into a better perspective. Explaining the group to itself is a function of the Negro press. It aids in creeting race consciousness by presenting problems common to all members of the Negro rece and colored minorities. Frequent- ly when these groups in power overlook minorities less for- tunote, they abridge the lesser rights. These rights are strted in the constitution but were never comnletely dis- tributed. It is the function of the press to motest and to make effective its objection vy shining the public eye on these badly shaded places. In no other publication is recognition given Negroes to such an extent except in their oven newspapers. The grouptsprogress in all fields is fully recognized only in the Negro publications. These purposes show definite need for the Negro press thet was sterted over a hundred years alo. History of the Negro Press in Los Angeles is similar to the history of the other daily newspapers as well as those of other papers of the Negroes through.out the country. A felt need, a mess, an editor willing to undertake the venture, ability to keep the paper going, and a public to support the paper are the -main requirements. At first the Negro's publication of Los Angeles had many beginnings before they a~pe~~red in t heir present forms . Overnight, newspaper enterprises were just as frequent in by-gone years as they are now. Lack of support and finance were the main reasons for failure of the newspaper. Like other business enterprises the daily newspaper business gew to become big business, operating as a business concern r~ther than as a wpeople's voice, * Manufecturing and industrial advertisements now bring in revenue enabling more support. This income is larger than the small income from the sell- ing price of the newspaper to the public. Selling the com- modity becomes the potent factor as policies and stends are modified in comparison to the older newspapers. The cam- nsigning press is not non-existent. When controversial sub- jects arise which may be distasteful to split too many of the readers. Common enemies are attacked in the press, rather than views, such as the wEr enemies, crime, disease, and pestilence. Thousands of dollars are required daily to finance national news serviae sgenc ies, Kinor ity papers can- not now hope to compete with these papers. This is not their purpose. Most Negroes subscribe to daily Dapers and get a rpce paper merely as a supplementary pzper. Growth of the Negro press in other ?laces helps the circulation of the Negro press in Los Angeles, Very few places in the United States with a sizeable colored population are without a colored press. %hen a group migrates to another section, they look for a race press to in*orm them of community activities. Increase in t he po~ulation and in- come, increeses circulation of' the Los Angeles Dress. Los Angeles is a place where many Negroes zre eble to secure higher wage-psying jobs. The influx of defense workers in- creases the physical and financiel growth of the press. Newspapers in Los hgeles of the colored group are similar in operztion to the older white papers. One-man newspaGers are the common origin of most papers. Newspaper service agencies frcilitnte steff oneration on the press Greeter importence is given newspapers su~plied materially by national news services secured first hand informst ion from ell over the country, The editors select news from these sources thpt they think to be the most useful to their readers. Two outstanding news services thzt heve done much to raise the st~ndards or qualities of the newspapers are the Associated Negro Press, ~nd the National Kegro '"ublishers Associetion. These agencies ore in some ways simtlar in function, bath seeking to become a representative orgeniza- tion of the Negro Yress throughout the nation. Newspaper publishers combine to promote mutual benefit and growth. This organization was sucoessful in securing, with the W, a Negro Corresqondent in the lghite House. Sharp criticism of the Tapers in the organization are voiced as they seek to improve their papers. The ANP works with this orgenizetion when the need arises. Its function is mostly news gathering rather than editorial and reform. Several foreign correspond- ents are part of these newspeper services. These staffs en- able the se~ia press all over the n~tion to secure inform~tion of Negroes in the Armed Forces. They sunqly news of foreign countriest socinl problems and politicel problems as they affect minority groups. Government releases to papers of official news concerning the rece are received by all papers. Sbetimes other news services send material of interest to the colored population that they have come across in their activities. Over eighteen newspaper agencies and services exist supply- ing variety of items such as feoture stories, cartoosn, comics jokes, and news as well. Many newspapers still do mdtof their own work. :'mile on sme, as many as ten services may be used at different times by that publication. Publicity agents, club reporters and public relation depart- ments of civic org~nizetions help supply the Negro Tress with their informstion. The more variety of effective news presented in the press gives more influence to that press. It increases its public interest. Conflicting communities attitudes and racial conflict in an area promote unity within their grouD as they rely upon their press for guidence. Nearly every Negro family has access to some Negro publication e~ch week, but the direct influence of the press is not measurable. This is expecially true since there are so msny other in- fluencing factors thpt enter into the situation. Increase in economic meens brings an increase in the buying Dower of the group enabling more members to purchase the race ~ubli- cntions. As circulation increases the influence of the press is extended. It is then better able to supnly services and improvements to their public because their financibl status im3roves. Sensationalism of the Negro press in Los Angeles is not as apparent as it has been in the past. Stories of crime are decrezsinp a~pe~ring generally on the front page where they will cstch the eye of the excitement loving public. Sensational headlines are present in dsily metropolitan papers such as the Rearst papers sttracting masses from all groups. It is not unusual to see sensational headlines in the minority papers. A greet deel of variety is afforded the Negro group with rt least ten different Negro publications in existence. dl these are printed within the city. The papers vsry for some lack headlines, some appear more conservztive, some are tabloid, Keasurements show th~t a very small proportion of space is devoted to crime or sensrtionalism. Kost of the space is devoted to features such as religion, society, sports, end amusements (thestrical and musicel), Since the Negro nress is intended to be a supplement to deily Tapers of streight news, it is not as prominent as features and editor- ial material. iidvertisements vary in content with individual gapers objectionable advertisements on sex, quacks, medicine, and luck are disappearing as stsnd~rds ~roducing companies are taking advantage of the tremendous Negro Market afforded them by ?lacing ads in these newspspers. Organizations such as the National Negro L9rblisherts ASSOC~R~~O~ and the Inter- state Agency strive to eliminate the ads th~t are so objection- able to the race. Publicity to the Nepro market helps to accom~lish their aim. Increase in news and ~icture content in the last few months show marked im~rovement of the Negro press in Los Angeles. Throughout the press, many racial problems are evident in the contents of the nress. Even in contents of feature stories the struggle of the derker minor- ity is voiced. Articles of editorisl nature dealing with social problems reveal that columns and comments on current political problems, as well as events, are most prominent. Other out- standing problems are on the San Fr~ncisco Conference, foreign affairs, housing, labor, FEPC, race relations, discrimimtion in other places, and solutions to these ~roblems. The press shows an acute awareness of sociel problems and constructive thought is given their possible solutions. An analysis of the Negro press in Los bgeles shows that s definite need for the people is being met. It helps counteract fallscious stereotypes of the su~posed Negro inferiority as presented in most other papers. Impor- tcnce of an organ to express the needs of a minority group, thats promote rcce consciousness by showing the development and advsncement of that group is revealed. It gives criti- cismas well as praise, The Negro newspaper is ever force- ful and vocal in its demands for racial equality and democ- racy extended to the group. This is especially characteristic of the Afro-American press in Los Ungeles. Rerdly three months go by without the appearance of a new publicetion, which is soon to disappear again. ?Yith the aid of news services, editors are able to produce a first class paper with a minimum staff while getting started. As dsily papers grew to become big business enterprises, the Negro press experienced relatively little growth. When the general press bec~me big business, there was great comuetition between the deily papers snd the radio as a news agency, There was a decline in the ?ow-r of the Dress as a potent community influence. The origin of the Negro Dress in Los hgeles does not differ from similar organs elsewhere. The Durpose of the press has been the reason for its origin. 3ven now, the same pur?ose affords its develo~ment and growth. The grave needs are found in the denands of the community and in meeting and solving these socicl ~roblems. As news ~gencies increcse in efficiency, more news resources are af- forded the paper's public. &hen the paper grows, the peoole will be able to secure better pictures of current events ef- fecting the race. This news elevating from centers throughout the world make the local gapers more informetive. Agencies thbt heve as their business securing newspaper advertisements strive to improve standards in all Negro qepers. Imgrove- ments are noticeable. More resources of newspa?ersl contents meke it nossible for editors and staff to concentrate on ef- ficiency in operation, management, and research. Cooperation among the papers of darker citizens is a recent development. It remains to be seen whether or not the present press organ- ization ashall become a potent factor in the development of the newspaper in the city as well as to the community. Features such as religion, society, snorts, and amuse- ments will assume greeter importance as sociel equality is is sought. bocial ?roblems in feature sections reveal activities such as those in race reletions, interraciel churches, and rel!gious functions. Rise of activities smong the different economic levels within the group will make a change in the society picture. In sports, national leagues vill realize their former fc;llacious beliefs of white race superiority. Vith the insistence of civic organizations, they will come to eccept comL>etent Negroes on their terms. 'Y!ith organized unions and liberal movie actors, Negroes are given opportunity to make films creditable to the group. Pictures thet are objectionable to fair thinkers are fre- quently censored before they have been corn-leted or released for public shov!ing. Soci~l yosress is clear in the press. Liberg1 thinkers continue to be recorded in the Negro yress. It acts as r thermometer recording the intensity of social problems presented. Political affeirs, housin~, labor, se- gregation, and international affairs are but few of the social problems dominant in the editorial columns of the Negro press. An analysis of the press has revealed some of these problems on securing material, make-up, and content of the Negro Dress in Los Angeles. The Negro qress has lasted many years and from all indications it will mntinue and expand even more in the f'uture till the group needs are met. A. BOOKS ~lb ig, 'riilliam, Public Opinion. Mew York: McGraw-Hill Company, Inc. , 1939. Barnes, Harry E., Social Institutions. New York: ?rentice Rall, Inc., 1942. Becker, John, The Negro in American Life. Mew Pork: Tulian - Messener, Inc., 19445- The Newspaper. New Pork: Henry TTolt & CO., 1913. Binney, G., - Bird, George L., end Frederic 9. Merv~in, - The Kewsga~er - and Society. New Pork: Rentice Fall, Inc., 1942. Blumenfield, - The Tress in lly Time. London: Richard Cowan Ltd., Kaiden Lane ~Fpnd, 1933. Bogardus, Rnory, Immigration and - %ace Attitudes. New York: D. C. Heath and Go., 1928. Erocker, Herbert, The Changing American Newsnaper. New vork: Columbia ~nivext~ Press, 1942. Brucker, John, - The Changing: American Newspaper. New York: Columbia University Press, 1942. Cooper, Kent, Barriers Down. New York: Fauria and Rinehart, Inc., 1942. The Press. London, Jane Lane, The Bodley Cumrnings, A. J., - Heed, 1936. Dale, Edgar, --- How to Read a Newspaper. Chicago: Scott, Foreman end Co., 1942; Detweilder, F. G., The Negro Press -- in the United States. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1922. Drewery, John E., Concerning - the Fourth Estate. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1942. Downs, Karl E., Eeet the Negro. Pasadena: California Login Press, 1943. Ducher, Dean, The Ne ro in l.'odern Industrial Society. New York: Lan~the~, 1930. Rnbree, Edwin, American Negroes--A Rendbook, New York: John Dey Company, 1942. , Brown Americans. New York: Vikinp ')ress, 1943. Eppse, Merl Re, The Ne ro too in American Kisto , Nash- - A 7, ville, Tennessee. bs tlonal?ublishing 643. Floherty, John I,. , Your Daily P~per. Philadelphia: J, B. Lippincott Co., 1938, Eowe, G,uincy, The News and How to Underst~nd It. New York: - Simon and Schuster, 1940, Ickes, E~rold I,., Freedom of the Press Today. New York: -- Vanguard Press, 1937. Jefferson, R. LeRoy, The Old and the New Negro. Boston: Eeador Publisher Co., 1937. Jenness, Mary, Twelve Negro Americans. New York: Friend- shin Press, 1926. La Farge, John, The Race Guestion - and the Negro, New York: Longman's ~rz &., 1943. Lander, Stuart O., Earnessing - the Power -- of the Press, New Orleans: E. S, U2lon 3rinting Cob, 1943. Logan, Rayford, What the Negro Wants, North Carolina: -- Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina Press, 1944, Lotz, Philip He, (~ditor), Risina Above Color. New Trork: Associated Press, Fleming Re Revelle Co., 1943, MacDougall, Curtis, Newsroom Problem & PBlicies. New York: MacKillan Co., 1941. hlcMurtie, D., A History of California Newsgapers. New York: Plandome ~Fess, 1927, Mavity, Nancy Barr, The Hodern Newspaper. New Pork: - Henry Holt & Co., 1930. Merriman Lee, h!.S., Between Deadlines. Chicago: Berry H. . S~nborn 8G Co., 1941. Mott , Frank L. , her ican Journalism, New York: Ida cmillan Company, 1941. Bhmtz, Earl E., Urban Sociology. New Pork: Macmillan Co., 1938. Blurray, Florence (~ditor), The Negro Handbook. New York: - Current Reference -Publicat ions, 1944. Myrdal, Gunnal, & American Dilema. New Pork: Herper and Brothers ~%blishers, 1944, Nearing, Scott, Black America. New Pork: Vanguard Press, Odum, Howard, -- Race and Rumor -- of Race. University of North Carolina Press, 1943. Ottley, Roi, Mew World & "Coming, Boston: Houghton ldifflin Co. , 19447 - Parks, R. E,, T& Immigrant Press -- and It's Control. 1930. Sheldes, George, Lords -- of the Press. New York: Julian ldessner Inc. , 1938. Soltes, Y., The Yiddish Press. New ~ork: Dissertation for Degree of Doctors of Philosophy, eolumbia University, 1 Steiner, Richard D., The Negrost Show. Mew York: Herper and Brothers, 194r Villard, Oswald G., Some Newspapers and Newspapermen. - New Pork: Alfred A. Knok, 1923. Van Deusen, John, The Black Man in White America. New York: - -- Associated, Inc., 1944. Walker, Anne Xendrick, Tuskeegee --- and The Black Belt. Richmond, Virginitl : Drat z Press, Inc . , 1944- Washington, Booker T., The Negro in Business. Chicego: - Rertel Jenkin and Co. , 1907. Work, Monroe (~ditor) , The Negro -- Year Book. 1944-45. Wrinn, Mary J. J., Elements of J urnalism. New York: Harper and Brothers, Fub~~sh. Anderson, hl. g., "Immigrent and the Negro Pres~,~ Common Ground, 3:107-8, 1943. Brown, Ialarran, "A Negro Looks at the Negro Press, Saturday Review - Of Literature, 25:5-6, December 1942. Brown, Warren, "A Negro Looks at th~ Negro Readers Digest, 42:32-4, January, 1943. Bryant. Ira B., Jr., "News Items about Negroes in PIhite - urban and ~ural -~ews~a~ers, ~ournal-g Regro Educe t ion, >Val. 4, 1:o. 2, April, 1935. Davis, A. I,., "The Ne ro Press in t4iartime Sociology and Social Resehruary, m43. - Lee, Wallace,"Does the Negro Press Speak for Most Megroe~?~ Negro Digest, February, 1943. Kobre, Si.dney, "The Sociologiczl Approech to Newspaper Research ," Journalism Guarterly, Vol. 21, February, 1944. Dok, V. V.,What About the Negro Press; Saturday Review - of Literature, 26:4-5, March 6, 1943. I Ottley, 901, "Negro LPress TodeySn Common Ground, 3:11, 1943. Sanction, T., "Negro Pressm New Re ublic, 108: 557-60, April 26, 1943 (Correctio~Ohune 28, 1943). Winship and vAll Part Do Rosy Headlines Sell Newspapers?" Journalism G,uarterly, No. 2: 205-10, 1943. Young, C. C.,wStudy of Re~ders Attitudes toward the Negro Press, Journalism 'Quarterly, 21:148-52, June 1944. C. PaTS OF SERIES IdcCorkle, Julia N., history of Los hgeles Journelism, Historical Societx of Southern Celifornia, - 2olume 10. SPECIAL NO!l%S Proceedings of National Negro Publishers Associations. Material from Associated Negro Press Orgenizations. FILE FRO: '_ NE?!S?APER OFFICES Papers Studied: Bronzville Record California Eagle Christian Informer Criterion Emmanual Herald First Word Los Angeles Record Los Angeles Sentinel Los Angeles Tribune Neighborhood News Mow Sepia Rollywood Spotlight Teller Chicago Defender Pittsburg Courier Los ibgeles Daily News Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Herald Examiner

Abstract (if available)

Abstract It is the purpose of this study to present an analysis of the Negro Press in Los Angeles. It attempts to show from a sociological view the component elements and the chief purpose of the press. The press is analysed by showing its chief purpose and functions, the factors that compose the press, and the contents of the various newspapers. Objectivity is sought throughout. Rating one paper superior to another similar paper will not be attempted. It is true that some may have reached a more developed stage journalistically because of their experience while others are new in the field. By limiting the study to the press of Los Angeles, a more thorough picture may be presented. Only papers published in Los Angeles by Negros that can be purchased by the public are presented. They are the ones that would circulate sufficiently to be of sociological importance. The study is limited to publications that have appeared within the last four years, 1942 to 1945 inclusively. Within the last few years same books have been written with chapters on the Negro press, and several magazine articles have appeared. To my knowledge only three books dealing with the Negro Press exclusively have been published, of which only one is in print, namely, Detweilder's The Negro Press, 1922. Original research is therefore imperative in many ways and complete information is not always possible.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Prince, Virginia Ann (author)

Core Title A sociological analysis of the Negro press in Los Angeles

School Department of Sociology

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Sociology

Publication Date 06/01/1946

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag advertisements,California Eagle,cartoons,correspondents,Crime,crime articles,Criterion,Discrimination,editorials,fair employment practices,Housing,Labor,Los Angeles newspapers,Los Angeles Record,military news,minority groups,Nation Negro news gathering agencies,Negro Digest,negro newspapers,Negro publications,Neighborhood News,OAI-PMH Harvest,pictures,political comments,Race relations,San Francisco Conference,Sepia Hollywood,social problems,Sports

Place Name California (states), economic regions: Los Angeles (geographic subject), USA (countries)

Format masters theses (aat), vi, 147, [1] leaves (aacr2)

Language English

Contributor Digitized by the University of Southern California (provenance)

Advisor Neumeyer, Martin H. (committee chair), Thompson, Merritt M. (committee member), Vincent, Meloris J. (committee member)

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-m21

Unique identifier UC1110243

Identifier etd-Prince-194606 (filename),usctheses-m40 (legacy collection record id),usctheses-c127-1564 (legacy record id),usctheses-m21 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-Prince-194606.pdf

Dmrecord 1564

Document Type Thesis

Format masters theses (aat),vi, 147, [1] leaves (aacr2)

Rights Prince, Virginia Ann

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions (213) 743-1672; https://www.usc.edu/isd/libraries/locations/grand/

Repository Name Libraries, University of Southern California

Repository Location Los Angeles, California

Repository Email cisadmin@lib.usc.edu