African-American newspapers in Indiana facts for kids
Imagine a time when the news you wanted to hear wasn't always easy to find. For African Americans in Indiana, special newspapers were created just for them! These newspapers were super important. They shared news, stories, and opinions that were often missed by other newspapers. They helped connect communities and keep everyone informed.
The very first African-American newspaper in Indiana might have been the Our Age from Evansville, started around 1878. But some people think it was the Indianapolis Leader or the Logansport Colored Visitor. Both of these began in August 1879.
A study in 1996 looked at Indiana's African-American newspapers. It found that most of them (about two-thirds) started before 1915. This was just before the Great Migration. That's when many African Americans moved from the Southern states to the North. Even though many of these newspapers didn't last long, new ones kept appearing. They popped up throughout the 1900s and even into the 2000s!
Most of these newspapers were published in big cities. Indianapolis and Evansville were common places. In northern Indiana, Gary had the most African-American newspapers. Sometimes, these newspapers were published only now and then. In the 1800s, many short-lived newspapers were like flyers. They were made for a specific election to share political ideas.
Today, some African-American newspapers are still published in Indiana. These include the Gary Crusader, the Indianapolis Recorder, the Fort Wayne Ink Spot, and Evansville's Our Times Newspaper.
Contents
Newspapers in Northern Indiana
Northern Indiana is the top part of the state. It has industrial areas like the Calumet Region. Cities here include South Bend, Fort Wayne, and Logansport. Many important African-American newspapers were published in this region.
| City | Title | Beginning | End | Frequency | Call numbers | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Chicago | The Forum | 1950 | Weekly | One of the early newspapers in East Chicago. | ||
| Fort Wayne | Frost Illustrated | 1968 | 2017 | Weekly | A long-running newspaper in Fort Wayne. | |
| Fort Wayne | Fort Wayne Ink Spot | 2018 | current | Biweekly | Still being published today! | |
| Gary | The Gary Crusader | 1961 | current | Weekly | Published by Dorothy Leavell, this paper is still active. | |
| Logansport | The Colored Visitor | 1879 | 1879 | Twice monthly or irregular | One of the very first African-American newspapers in Indiana. | |
| South Bend | South Bend Forum | 1923 | Weekly | An important voice in South Bend. |
Newspapers in Central Indiana
Central Indiana is the middle part of the state. It includes the state capital, Indianapolis. Other cities here are Anderson, Muncie, and Terre Haute. This region was a hub for many African-American newspapers.
| City | Title | Beginning | End | Frequency | Call numbers | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson | The Shining Star | 1922 | 1927 (uncertain) | Weekly or irregular | An early newspaper from Anderson. | |
| Indianapolis | Indianapolis Freeman | 1884 or 1888 | 1926 | Weekly | This was the first illustrated Black newspaper in the United States! | |
| Indianapolis | Indianapolis Leader | 1879 | 1890 | Weekly | Published by J.D. Bagby, it was one of Indiana's earliest. | |
| Indianapolis | Indianapolis Recorder | 1896 or 1897 | current | Weekly | This is Indiana's longest-running Black newspaper! | |
| Indianapolis | Indianapolis World | 1883 (uncertain) | 1932 | Weekly | Originally called Indianapolis Colored World. | |
| Muncie | The Muncie Times | 1991 | 2011 | Twice monthly or biweekly | Stopped publishing after its founder, Bea Moten-Foster, passed away. | |
| Richmond | Richmond Blade | 1918 | 1922 | Weekly or irregular | Its motto was: "Hew to the line; let the quips fall where they may." | |
| Terre Haute | Vanguard News | August 5, 1994 | February 4-18, 1995 | Biweekly, then monthly | Edited by Phillip Norton. Its goal was: "It is about black people taking care of business." |
Newspapers in Southern Indiana
Southern Indiana is the bottom part of the state. It's home to Indiana's third-largest city, Evansville. Other smaller cities are along the Ohio River. This area also had a rich history of African-American newspapers.
| City | Title | Beginning | End | Frequency | Call numbers | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evansville | Argus | 1938 | 1943 | Weekly | An important newspaper during the early 1940s. | |
| Evansville | Our Age | 1875? or 1878 | Weekly | Published by Edwin Horn, who also helped start the Indianapolis World. | ||
| Evansville | Our Times Newspaper | 1983 | current | Biweekly or semimonthly | This newspaper is still published today! | |
| New Albany | New Albany Weekly Review | 1881 | 1880s | Weekly | An important weekly paper from New Albany. |
See also
