The Black Press

I've always fancied myself to be more informed than most about American History.
That's mostly thanks to the hours and hours I sat at home watching the history channel as a young child, a steady stream of educational Christmas and birthday gifts from my Aunt Saundra and an unusual interest in the civil war.

That's why i was so surprised when we talked about the history of the black press in class. I'd never heard of the black press, not in any of my Christmas-present books, any of the history channel documentaries and certainly not in any of the history classes I took during my 12 years in the public education system.

Few institutions played as important a role ushering in the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s as the black press. By shining a spotlight on the social injustices of the early 20th century, black newspapers provided a voice that united black communities across the country. For the first time, black Americans were given the same access to information whites. With knowledge came the power and organization that led to the successful fight for equality.

It's a shame that public schools don't teach that side of the civil rights movement. I think if more people were aware of the accomplishments of the black press, Americans would have a deeper understanding and appreciation of the power of the press.