California Eagle facts for kids
Front page from 1916
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| Type | Weekly newspaper |
|---|---|
| Founder(s) | John J. Neimore |
| Founded | 1879 |
| Ceased publication | January 7, 1964 |
| City | Los Angeles, California |
| Country | United States |
| OCLC number | 9188894 |
The California Eagle (1879–1964) was a very important newspaper for African Americans in Los Angeles, California. It began in 1879 as The Owl, founded by John J. Neimore. This newspaper played a big role in sharing news and fighting for fairness for many years. It stopped publishing on January 7, 1964.
Contents
The Story of the California Eagle
The California Eagle had a long and interesting history, led by different people who wanted to make a difference.
Starting with John J. Neimore
The newspaper was first called The Owl. It was started in 1879 by John J. Neimore, who was a strong supporter of the Republican party. He wanted to create a voice for the African American community in Los Angeles.
Charlotta Bass Takes Over
After Neimore passed away in 1912, Charlotta Bass bought the newspaper. She changed its name to the California Eagle. Charlotta Bass was a powerful woman who owned and ran the paper until 1951. Her husband, J. B. Bass, was the editor until he died in 1934.
In the 1920s, the newspaper became very popular. Its circulation, meaning how many copies were printed and sold, grew to 60,000! This made it the biggest African American newspaper in California. During this time, Charlotta Bass also worked hard as a civil rights activist in Los Angeles. She fought to end unfair treatment in jobs, housing, and transportation, working for equal rights for everyone.
During the time known as the Great Migration, many African Americans moved from the Southern states to cities like Los Angeles. The California Eagle helped these new arrivals by sharing important information about jobs and places to live. It also published news stories that were important to them.
Loren Miller's Leadership
In 1951, Charlotta Bass sold the California Eagle to Loren Miller. He had been the city editor for the newspaper before. Miller was also a lawyer who worked to protect people's rights and was a respected leader in the community.
In 1945, Loren Miller helped Hattie McDaniel, a famous actress, win a court case. This case was about unfair housing rules that tried to stop people from certain racial groups from living in certain neighborhoods. Miller fought for fair housing for everyone.
In 1963, Loren Miller was chosen to become a judge for the Superior Court in Los Angeles County. Because of his new job, he sold the newspaper to a group of fourteen local investors. At first, the California Eagle's circulation went up from 3,000 to 21,000 copies. However, the newspaper quickly faced problems and had to close down. On January 7, 1964, the California Eagle stopped publishing after 85 years.
What the Newspaper Stood For
The California Eagle had a clear "platform," which means a list of important ideas and goals it supported. Here are some of the things the newspaper believed in and fought for:
- Hiring African Americans fairly in places where their support created jobs. They believed this was a right, not just a favor.
- More involvement of African Americans in local, state, and national government.
- Ending segregation, which was the unfair practice of keeping people apart based on their race. They wanted to remove all barriers that stopped people from being recognized for their true abilities.
- Encouraging African Americans to support businesses owned by other African Americans.
- Helping communities where African Americans lived to grow faster, by working together with citizens and local businesses.
- Strong support for all social, community, charity, and religious groups to provide better services.
Who Worked There
Many talented people worked at the California Eagle. Here is a list of some employees and writers from 1957:
- Francis Philip Waller Jr. handled advertising and circulation (making sure copies were sold).
- Abie Robinson reported on city news and general stories.
- Roy Smith covered sports.
- Calme Russ managed the office.
- Maggie Hathaway reported on social events and community/church matters.
- Anthony Funches helped with copying, cleaning, and distributing the newspaper.
The newspaper's offices were located at 4071-4075 South Central Avenue in Los Angeles.
Notable People from the Eagle
Some people who worked at the California Eagle later became very famous or important in their own right:
- Robert C. Farrell (born 1936): He was a journalist and later became a member of the Los Angeles City Council from 1974 to 1991.
- Vera Jackson (1912–1999): She started as a freelance photographer and later became a staff photographer for the paper.
- Jessie Mae Beavers: She was the Family Section editor for the California Eagle. Later, she became the Family Editor for the Los Angeles Sentinel for 40 years until her death in 1989.
- Adolphus D. Griffin (1868–1916): He was a newspaper editor and publisher who focused on African American causes. He worked for newspapers in the Pacific Northwest, California (including the California Eagle), and Kansas.
Images for kids
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John J. Neimore, founder
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Charlotta Bass and Paul Robeson, Los Angeles, 1949
