Associated Negro Press facts for kids

The Associated Negro Press (ANP) was a very important news service in the United States. It was started in 1919 in Chicago, Illinois, by Claude Albert Barnett. The ANP helped share news and stories that were important to Black Americans. It had writers and reporters in many cities across the country.

The ANP provided news stories, opinions, and reviews. It covered events and people that mattered to Black communities. As it grew, the ANP became a global network. It sent news packets twice a week to most Black newspapers.

The main office of the ANP was in Chicago. It served about 150 Black newspapers in the U.S. and 100 newspapers in Africa. These African papers received news in both French and English. The ANP was the first news service for African Americans to have reporters in other countries.

History

How the ANP Started and Grew

Claude Albert Barnett began the Associated Negro Press in 1919. It was a service that gave news to other news outlets. By 1950, the ANP served 200 newspapers across the United States and around the world. It was the first international news agency for Black newspapers.

The ANP shared news stories important to African American, African, and African Diaspora communities. The African Diaspora refers to people of African descent living outside of Africa. The ANP had journalists and writers in Europe, the Caribbean, and Africa.

Around 1945, the ANP grew into a global network. It had offices in Africa and London. In the late 1950s, about 75 African newspapers subscribed to its services. The news packets were sent in both French and English.

The ANP recorded the experiences of African Americans from the 1920s to the 1960s. This included their lives in the U.S. and abroad.

ANP's Impact

During its most successful years, the Black press was seen as a very powerful voice for Black people.

During the Chicago Black Renaissance, the ANP was a place for African American writers to share their work. It helped connect Black communities with Black thinkers and leaders.

The ANP also helped spread the word about the African American Civil Rights struggle around the world. The Chicago-based ANP fought against racism in America and other countries. It had reporters in African nations like Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana. The ANP would gather about 100 news items from African newspapers for its news packets.

The ANP reported on racism and racial incidents in the U.S. and other places. This included cities like Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Buenos Aires, Argentina. It also covered places like Guatemala, Panama, and Bolivia. The ANP brought attention to issues wherever African people lived.

The ANP was a very important organization for almost 50 years. It helped more people read and care about national and international news.

Why the ANP Closed

In the summer of 1964, the ANP closed down. Several things led to its closing.

As integration became more common, Black Americans had more choices for news. Mainstream media (like major newspapers and TV channels) started hiring African American writers. They also began reporting on issues like Jim Crow laws. This meant that many African American journalists who worked for the ANP could find jobs at bigger news companies.

Claude Barnett, the founder, once said that as soon as they trained someone, a larger paper would hire them. The ANP could not afford to pay as much as these bigger companies.

When the ANP closed, it served 75 American Black newspapers. It also served 200 African newspapers, two radio stations, and two magazines.

Notable Contributors

Many well-known writers and authors wrote for the Associated Negro Press. The ANP's Chicago office had a small staff of six employees. But it also had 72 reporters in important locations. These locations were across the United States, Africa, Europe, and the African Diaspora. They gathered news stories and helped mail out news packets.

Here are some of the notable people who contributed to the ANP:

• Alice Allison Dunnigan: She wrote for the ANP. She was the first African American female reporter to get White House credentials. This meant she could report from the White House. She also became the first Black woman in the Senate and House of Representatives press galleries. In 1947, she led the ANP's Washington Bureau for 14 years. She later worked for Lyndon B. Johnson when he was Vice President and President.
• Fay M. Jackson: She was the ANP's Hollywood reporter. She wrote about African American movie stars and other stars in Hollywood. In 1937, she went to London, England. She covered the coronation of King George VI. While in Europe, she interviewed important people like Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and singer Josephine Baker.
• Nancy Cunard: She was a British poet, journalist, and activist. She regularly reported for the ANP on events in Western Europe.
• Thyra J. Edwards: As a reporter, she traveled to Europe, Mexico, and the Soviet Union.
• Langston Hughes: A famous writer, he was a regular columnist for the ANP.
• Richard Wright: This well-known author held an Associated Negro Press card.
• Zora Neale Hurston: She wrote about cultural trends in Harlem for the ANP.
• Frank Marshall Davis: He worked as an editor for the ANP for 13 years.
• Mary Church Terrell: She wrote feature articles for the ANP. She helped start the National Association of Colored Women.
• Rudolph Dunbar: He was an ANP reporter in London.
• Vernon Jordan: He was a reporter for the ANP and later worked with the National Urban League.
• Roy Wilkins: He was a reporter for the ANP and later led the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
• James Weldon Johnson: The President of the NAACP, he was also an editor for the ANP.
• John Robinson (aviator): As a pilot in Ethiopia in the 1930s, he sent reports from the battlefield during the Italian invasion to the ANP.
• Gordon Blaine Hancock: He had a weekly news column called "Between the Lines" for the ANP from 1928 to 1965.
• Horace Mann Bond: He was an editor for the ANP and worked closely with Claude Barnett.
• William Pickens: He was an author and an editor for the ANP for 21 years.
• Nnamdi Azikiwe: He wrote for the Associated Negro Press before he became the first President of Independent Nigeria.
• Eslanda Goode Robeson: She was a consultant and reporter for the ANP, focusing on Black and colonial issues.