Leon H. Washington Jr. facts for kids

Leon H. Washington Jr. (born around 1907 – died June 17, 1974) was an important American newspaper publisher. He is famous for starting the Los Angeles Sentinel, which is a major African-American newspaper in Los Angeles, California. He worked hard to help the African American community gain respect and equal rights through his newspaper.

Early Life and Education

Leon H. Washington Jr. was born in Kansas City, Kansas, on April 15, 1907. He was the only son of Leon and Blanche Washington, and he had two sisters, Juanita and Barbara.

Leon went to Summer High School from 1921 to 1925. After that, he studied at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. His first job was selling clothes on his own.

Moving to Los Angeles

In 1930, Leon moved to Los Angeles, California. His cousin, Loren Miller, who was a civil rights lawyer, encouraged him to move there. Loren Miller also helped Leon get a job at the California Eagle. This was the most popular African American newspaper in California at the time. Leon worked there for three years before deciding to start his own newspaper.

Family Life and Legacy

In 1940, Leon Washington married Ruth Brumell, who was a photographer for his newspaper, The Sentinel.

After almost ten years of marriage, Leon started to have serious health problems. Because of this, he could not do all his work alone. His wife, Ruth, stepped in to help manage the newspaper. She became the assistant publisher and business manager. They worked together until Leon passed away on June 17, 1974, at age 67.

Ruth continued her husband's work for nearly 17 years after he died. She served as the editor and publisher of The Sentinel until her own death in 1990.

Honoring Leon Washington

Today, the city of Los Angeles remembers Leon H. Washington. A branch of the Los Angeles Public Library and a Los Angeles County park are named after him. The park is home to The Drew League, a famous basketball program. Many NBA stars like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Durant visit the park. They spend time with and help the community, which was something Leon Washington cared deeply about.

The Sentinel newspaper continues to be published today. It now reaches over 125,000 readers, showing how important Leon Washington's work was.

Career as a Publisher

When Leon Washington moved to Los Angeles in 1930, his cousin, Loren Miller, helped him get a job. He became an advertising salesman for The California Eagle. This newspaper was the biggest and oldest African American newspaper in California.

Starting His Own Newspaper

After three years, Leon left The California Eagle to start his own newspaper called The Eastside Shopper. This newspaper was given out for free and was very popular in the Central Avenue district of Los Angeles.

Within a year, the newspaper became so successful that Leon could change its name to the Los Angeles Sentinel. He also made it a subscription-based paper, meaning people paid to receive it. The Sentinel quickly became a strong competitor to The California Eagle.

Leon focused his newspaper's stories and content on the African American communities in Los Angeles. By 1972, The Sentinel reached its highest number of readers, with 39,277 people reading it. The newspaper also had 50 employees. Friends of Leon said that his articles were very real and honest, and that his personality shone through in every edition.

Fighting for Equality

Leon Washington used The Sentinel to push for economic changes. He believed these changes would help reduce inequality in the United States. He encouraged his African American readers to start their own businesses, just as he had done.

Washington also used his newspaper to support peaceful protests and nonviolent actions against unfair treatment. He used a slogan from the 1930s: "Don't Spend Your Money Where You Can't Work." This slogan encouraged people not to shop at stores that refused to hire Black workers.

During one peaceful protest, Leon Washington faced challenges with the Los Angeles Police Department and was unfairly taken into custody. This event only made the Black community admire him even more. His strong leadership during this time earned him the title "Colonel" from Kentucky Governor Bert Combs. Leon Washington also became the first African American to serve on the Board of Directors for the California News Publishers Association.

Leon Washington continued to work as the publisher of The Sentinel until he passed away in 1974. After his death, his wife, Ruth, took over and continued his important work until she died in 1990.