The Black Press
A Crisis in Image, Voice, and Culture
A Legacy, A Crisis, A Call
By Adrian Council
Founded by John Russworm and Rev. Samuel Cornish in 1827, with the mandate “We wish to plead our own cause,” the Freedom Journal America’s first Black newspaper—was born in NYC. For 199 years the Black Press (Black-owned media) has been a thriving American institution. The successes, challenges, opportunities, and hopes of the people have been chronicled in the pages of these important community media outlets. Traditionally, it is an unspoken truth that the three pillars of influence in our community have always been the preacher, the politician, and the publisher.
Today, we have to grapple with the emerging phenomena of social media, corporate “Black Targeted Media,” and their effects. Corporate-owned, consolidated media has become a dominant influence in voice and image in our communities. In this hightech, information-driven society, the media company that delivers “numbers” through the measuring science of quantitative metrics (reach) wins! The one with the most money gets the “numbers” and is rewarded the advertising dollars, quality of content notwithstanding.
In 1892, humorist Mark Twain foresaw the current dilemma when he stated: “There are three kinds of lies: Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics (metrics).”
Our Time Press
Sadly, this practice has devastated Black-owned community media companies. As a result, we all suffer from not having indigenous media outlets that tell our stories, on our own terms. Ideally, the Black Press is reflective of the people’s image, voice, and vision—our collective soul.
Central Brooklyn’s Our Time Press (OTP) is the latest casualty. The weekly publication will begin to scale back its services beginning in May. For more than 30 years, Our Time Press has been a community staple. It’s distributed as a free publication to churches, community institutions, schools. and businesses. OTP is a quality brand that features great content and our community’s leading journalists—online and in print! Check out their recent coverage of the passing of beloved radio personality, activist, and Brooklyn native, Bob Law.
“Without advertising revenues, we just don’t have the resources to compete in the marketplace with big corporate Black “targeted” media, says David Greaves, publisher of Our Time Press. Add to that the effects of the current anti DEI backlash by some corporations and you have a recipe for disaster. Yet the Black targeted corporate media outlets remain mostly unaffected.
Our Own Narrative
Currently, the Black Press as an institution is on lifesupport. Unwittingly, the African American people and its leadership have all but surrendered its cultural sovereignty to the whims of capitalism and corporate over-control. Just like in the evil days of slavery, others determine what’s important for us to know or remember—and even choose heroes for our children. We tend to take our own media sources for granted.
How then can we remain “a free people” when we don’t take responsibility for our own narrative?
Consider this: The NY/NJ/Conn. metro region is home to the largest Black consumer market in the USA. NYC is the capital of the world for media, banking, advertising, theater and fashion. Yet our people do not own a single TV or radio station or even a major local internet site. We have a handful of weekly and monthly publications, online newsletters, and websites. How can a people move forward with little or no control of its own collective voice, image, and cultural assets? Is this what God intended for us to do with the “Talents” invested in us (Matt; 25v14-30)?
The Souls of Black Folk
But there is hope! Just like the soul is to a man or woman, culture is to a community, nation or race. The only way we can ever be denied that which is already ours is if we deny it for ourselves. A soul or culture cannot just be taken. Rather, it can only be compromised or surrendered through ignorance, fear or for sale. Therefore, no man or entity can ever outweigh the value of one’s soul.
On behalf of our colleagues, publishers of the Black Press, we make this urgent appeal to the souls of Black folk and to our community’s most cherished leadership institutions for advocacy. Speak up and take a stand for the survival of our own community media institutions Declare Our Time Press and other members of the local Black Press in service for more than 20 years, official media institutions for community progress and positive change*. The goal is to preserve, protect and promote our collective image and voice—saving our own community! This is not about audience reach or quantitative metrics—it’s much more than that. This is about the qualitative touch—relationships! My relationship to God, my family, friends, and community is a qualitative experience. The smart, forward-thinking corporate advertiser gets it: quality relationships matter! And also, it’s good for business—everybody wins.
A Knock at Midnight
This is the crisis that the African American people must address now—a crisis of image, voice, and culture! The Black Press, a vital community institution, needs your advocacy and support with the banks, utilities, major corporations, municipalities, and state agencies that are doing business in our community.
We are counting on the best among us to answer the call. For nearly two centuries the Black Press has served the people. From the times of slavery to Emancipation, Reconstruction, lynching, Jim Crow segregation, the Great Migration, two world wars, the Civil Rights Movement, and affirmative action years to the present. Our community owned media institutions have been there for the Black Church, NAACP, Urban League, and National Action Network, fraternities, sororities, the unions, schools, HBCUs and a host of civic groups and organizations.
Shout out to African American Clergy and Elected Officials. Last year this group honored The Positive Community and Our Time Press along with Civil Rights Attorney Benjamin Crump at a special reception at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn.
Save our own community media institutions; future generations will thank us. Together let us all be about the business of the future–positive change! Save the children!
…Because a positive community is everybody’s business. It really pays to care!
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