African American newspapers have a rich history, starting in the early 19th century. Their emergence was pivotal in advocating for the rights and upliftment of African Americans, particularly during the slave era and post-emancipation period. Here's a detailed overview:
African American newspapers were not just sources of news but vital instruments of change, resilience, and empowerment. From their inception in the 19th century to their ongoing role in the modern era, they have provided a voice to the voiceless, challenged injustices, and fostered a sense of community and identity among African Americans.
The first African American newspaper, which set a precedent for black journalism and advocacy.
Founded by Frederick Douglass, it was a leading voice in the abolitionist movement.
One of the oldest African American newspapers, it continues to serve the community with news and advocacy.
Known for its role in promoting the Great Migration and advocating for civil rights.
A major African American newspaper that championed civil rights and economic empowerment.
These advertisements typically included the following types of information:
Details about the appearance of the enslaved person, such as age, height, complexion, hair texture, and any notable physical characteristics like scars or marks.
A description of the clothes the individual was last seen wearing, which can provide insights into their living conditions and personal choices.
The name the enslaved person was known by, and sometimes details about their manner of speaking or any distinctive accents.
Information about the skills, trades, or specific jobs that the individual was trained in or typically performed.
Some ads included information about where the enslaved person was originally from, their family connections, and occasionally, personality traits or habits.
Details about how, when, and possibly why the individual ran away, which might include information on whether they were believed to be alone or in a group.
Speculations about where the runaway might be headed, often based on their known connections or previous attempts to escape.
The amount of money offered for their capture and return, and sometimes specific instructions or conditions for how this should be done.
Runaway slave advertisements were notices published by enslavers in newspapers and other media during the period of legalized slavery, primarily in North America, to alert the public about enslaved individuals who had escaped from bondage.
These advertisements are now invaluable historical documents that provide insight into the lives of enslaved people, the systems of slavery, and the efforts enslavers made to maintain control over enslaved populations.
Newspapers for Researching African Americans and Slavery Genealogy
| African American Newspapers | ||||
| Website | Key Highlights | Time Period Covered | Access Information | Cost |
| Afro-American (Baltimore) | Covers significant events, cultural developments, and social issues in the African American community since 1892. | 1892 - Present | Afro-American Archives | Free |
| Alexandria Gazette | Detailed reports from Alexandria, Virginia, covering slavery, emancipation, and African American life in the 19th century. | 1784 - Present | Library of Congress | Free |
| Ancestry.com | The long journey to freedom - Go back in time to follow the lives of over 100,000 enslaved people in 19th-century North America. Search thousands of free newspaper articles published before and after the Emancipation Proclamation and get a rare glimpse into the stories of a community on the brink of freedom. | Before the 1900s | Ancestry.com | Free |
| Ancestry.com | This database contains issues of African-American newspapers printed in the 19th and early 20th century. | N/A | Ancestry.com | Paid |
| Anti-Slavery Bugle | Provides insights into the anti-slavery movement and African American issues in the pre-Civil War era. | 1845-1861 | Ohio Memory | Free |
| Anti-Slavery (Collection of Distinction) | Boston Public Library with a major gathering of correspondence, documents, and other original material relating to the abolitionist cause from 1832 until after the American Civil War. | 1832 | Boston Public Library | Free |
| Chronicling America | 299 newspapers filtered on African American are available for viewing on this site. Covers a broad time range from 1789-1963 | N/A | Library of Congress | Free |
| The Cleveland Gazette | Important for African American history in Cleveland and the Midwest, active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. | 1883-1945 | Chronicling America | Free |
| Frederick Douglass' Paper | Edited by Frederick Douglass, advocating for the abolition of slavery and civil rights. | 1847-1860 | Library of Congress | Free |
| Freedom's Journal | The first African American-owned and operated newspaper, voicing against slavery and for civil rights. | 1827-1829 | Library of Congress | Paid |
| GenealogyBank | GenealogyBank is an invaluable way to begin or continue your search for information on your family's past. With over 330 years' worth of historical records and newspapers, | N/A | N/A | Paid |
| Georgia Historic Newspapers | Rich insights into African American history and community life in the South since Reconstruction. | 1875 - Present | Georgia Historic Newspapers | Free |
| ISSUU | Serving Communities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, and surrounding WNY Areas with News, Events, Opinions and Views from the African American Perspective. | N/A | Challenger Community News | Free |
| Last Seen | Formerly enslaved people placed ads looking for loved ones from all over the United States and sometimes from as far away as Africa. | 1865-1922 | Last Seen | Free |
| Liberator (Boston) | Influential abolitionist newspaper edited by William Lloyd Garrison, covering slavery and emancipation. | 1831-1865 | Accessible Archives | Paid |
| Lost Friends | This searchable database provides access to more than 2,500 advertisements that appeared in the Advocate between November 1879 and December 1900. | 1879-1900 | Lost Friends | Free |
| Mississippi, Wilkinson County Newspaper Slave Ads | This is a digital index of slave ads and other slave related items in the Woodville Republican and Wilkinson County Advertiser between 1823-1849. | 1823-1849 | Ancestry.com | Paid |
| National Era | Known for publishing "Uncle Tom's Cabin," it was significant in the fight against slavery and for African American rights. | 1847-1860 | Library of Congress | Free |
| New York Age | A key source for African American news and advocacy, especially focusing on post-emancipation issues. | 1887-1953 | NYPL Digital Collections | Free |
| New York Colored American | Platform for African American voices in the fight against slavery and for civil rights in the 19th century. | 1837-1842 | Chronicling America | Free |
| New York Tribune | Extensive coverage of slavery, abolition, and the Civil War, focusing on national events. | 1841-1924 | Library of Congress | Free |
| Newspaper Archive | Content from 16,144 publications and over 3,465 cities from all over the world—big cities, small towns, and everything in between—but we focus on staying close to home with newspaper publications from small towns, where you are more likely to find your family. | N/A | N/A | Paid |
| Newspapers.com | Search for obituaries, marriage announcements, birth announcements, social pages, national and local news articles, sports, advertisements, entertainment, fashion and lifestyle pages, comics, and more | N/A | Ancestry.com | Paid |
| North Carolina Newspapers | Explore original materials from 341 libraries, museums, and archives across North Carolina. | N/A | NC Digital Heritage Center | Free |
| Old Fulton New Post Card | Search over 57,255,105 Old Newspaper pages from US & Canada | N/A | N/A | Free |
| Pittsburgh Courier | Influential in documenting African American life during the Great Migration and Civil Rights Movement. | 1907 - Present | ProQuest | Paid |
| Richmond Planet | Essential for understanding African American life and issues in the South during the Reconstruction era. | 1883-1938 | Chronicling America | Free |
| South Carolina Historical Newspapers | Free online access to historical local and regional newspapers originating throughout South Carolina since 1815. | 1815-Present | University of South Carolina Libraries | Free |
| South Carolina Leader | Post-Civil War publication documenting African American life, emancipation, and Reconstruction in South Carolina. | 1865-1873 | South Carolina Digital Library | Free |
| Staunton Spectator | Coverage of pre-Civil War Virginia, including slavery and African American life. | 1823-1916 | Library of Congress | Free |
| The Appeal (St. Paul) | Focused on African American issues and civil rights from the late 19th century, especially in the Midwest. | 1885-1923 | Chronicling America | Free |
| The Christian Recorder | Published by the African Methodist Episcopal Church, documenting African American life and issues since 1852. | 1852 - Present | Accessible Archives | Paid |
| Virginia Chronicle | Virginia Chronicle is a historical archive of Virginia newspapers, providing free access to full text searching and digitized images of over 4 million newspaper pages. | 1815-Present | Library of Virginia | Free |
| Weekly Advocate | Early African American newspaper advocating for the rights and interests of African Americans during the pre-Civil War era. | 1837-1837 | Chronicling America | Free |
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