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African American Newspapers

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focusing on African American history and general historical research

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Origins of African American Newspapers

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 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.

 

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.

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Newspaper - Genealogical Research

Tim Pinnick -1

African American Newspapers in Genealogical Research

Tim Pinnick - 2

African American Newspapers in Genealogical Research

Brian Sheffey & Donya Williams

The Importance of African American Newspapers

Black

Newspapers

History

Freedom's Journal (1827-1829)

The first African American newspaper, which set a precedent for black journalism and advocacy.

The North Star" (1847-1851)

Founded by Frederick Douglass, it was a leading voice in the abolitionist movement.

The Chicago Defender (1905-2019)

Known for its role in promoting the Great Migration and advocating for civil rights.

The Pittsburgh Courier (1907-present)

A major African American newspaper that championed civil rights and economic empowerment.

The Afro-American (1892-present)

One of the oldest African American newspapers, it continues to serve the community with news and advocacy.

Locating  Newspapers by Ethnicity in The Library of Congress

Library of Congress - Step-by-Step Guide

  • Start Here Go to go to Library of Congress Chronicling America
  • Step 1 Locate US Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present, in upper right corner
  • Step 2 Select Ethnicity Press located in the lower left corner under More search options: Select your Ethnicity you would like you research.
  • Step 3 Click Search
  • Step 4 Select the state you’re researching
  • Step 5 Enter state and end dates and enter your City, Parish, County, Township
  • Step 6 Select you View: Gallery or List

Runaway Slave Advertisements

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. Here's a comprehensive overview:

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

Located Online

You can explore the topic of “fugitive slave ads / runaway slave ads” further using the following search strategies:

  • Using the following terms in combination, proximity, or as a phase: fugitive, mulatto, negro, ran away, ranaway, reward, run away, runaway, slave, subscriber.
  • The term “subscriber” found in many ads refers to the person placing the ad.
  • Use a specific date range if looking for articles for a particular event in order to narrow your results. To narrow your results for this topic, search between 1789-1865.
  • Library of Congress
  • East Texas Digital Archives
  • Digital Library of American Slavery
  • Texas Runaway Slave Project
  • The Geography of Slavery in Virginia
  • Freedom on/the Move
  • North Carolina Runaway Slave Notices 1750-1865
  • Google News Archive Search
  • Runaway Slaves Named in Fayette Co, Kentucky Newspapers

Articles of Enslavement an Introduction with Nicka Sewell-Smith | Ancestry

Newspapers for Researching African Americans and Slavery Genealogy

Website Key Highlights Time Period Covered Access Information Free or Paid
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