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List of African American newspapers in Kansas facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Colored Radical 1876-08-24
Front page of the Colored Radical of 1876.
Negro Star front page Dec 17 1920
Front page of The Negro Star on December 17, 1920, announcing the NAACP's declaration of victory in the Elaine Race Riot cases

This is a list of African American newspapers that have been published in the state of Kansas. It includes both current and historical newspapers.

Although abolitionist newspapers were published in Kansas as early as 1854, the first Kansas newspaper published by and for African Americans was the Colored Radical, published briefly at Lawrence and Leavenworth in 1876. With resurgent white supremacy in the South and the end of the Reconstruction era after 1876, westward emigration of African Americans from the South increased greatly, and African American newspapers blossomed across the state through 1920.

Newspapers

Newspapers that are currently published are highlighted in green.

City Title Beginning End Frequency Call numbers Remarks
Atchison The Atchison Blade
Blade
1892 1898 Weekly
  • LCCN sn83040110, 2011254043
Atchison / Lawrence Western Recorder / The Western Recorder 1883 1884 Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254365, sn84029569
  • Founded by John L. Waller.
  • Merged with the Topeka Tribune in 1885.
Cherokee The Kansas Homestead 1889 1900 Weekly
  • Edited and published by John L. Lewis.
Coffeyville Afro-American Advocate 1891 1893 Weekly
  • LCCN 2011254022, sn85031378
  • “Published in the interest of the Negro race of Southeast Kansas and the Freedmen of the five civilized tribes of the Indian Territory.”
Coffeyville The American 1898 1899 Weekly
  • Published by Weaver & Fuller.
Coffeyville Coffeyville Herald 1908 ? Weekly
  • LCCN 2011254267, sn85030460
Coffeyville The Kansas Blackman 1894 1896 Weekly
Coffeyville The Vindicator
Vindicator
1904 1906 Weekly
  • LCCN 2014254311, sn85031454
Emporia The Emporia Citizen
Emporia Citizen
1932 1932 Monthly newspaper
  • LCCN 2011254364, sn85030235
  • Published by Rev. C.W. Arnold.
Fort Scott / Topeka The Colored Citizen
Colored Citizen
1878 1880 Weekly
  • Published by Eagleson Brothers.
  • Motto: “AMERICA—Our Country! We Toiled for it in 1776; We Fought for it in 1812; and We Saved it in 1863.”
  • Moved to Topeka after six months.
Fort Scott The Fair Play 1898 1899 Weekly
  • LCCN 2011254370, sn83040417
  • Edited by Jonathan C. Wood.
Fort Scott The Messenger
Messenger
1917 1918 Weekly
  • Edited by A.B. Johnson.
Fort Scott The Southern Argus 1891 1892 Weekly
  • LCCN 2014254313, sn84029136
  • Published by E.M. Woods.
  • Published in Baxter Springs from June 18 to October 8, 1891.
Hutchinson The Hutchinson Blade
Hutchinson Blade
1914 or 1915? 1922? Weekly
  • ISSN 2575-1255 2575-1255
  • LCCN 2011254254, sn85030713
  • Variously edited and published by M.B. Brooks (1918), Chester Lewis (1919–1922), Arthur Hughes (1922), Earl C. Patton (1922).
Hutchinson The Hutchinson Journal
Hutchinson Journal
1907? ? Weekly
  • LCCN 2012254020, sn85032519
Independence The People’s Elevator 1892 1931 Weekly
  • Place of publication varies: Guthrie, Oklahoma from 1900 to June 14, 1923; Wichita, Kansas, from February 21, 1924 to October 28, 1926.
Kansas City Kansas City Advocate
Kansas City Independent
Kansas City Advocate and Independent
1914 1926 Weekly
  • ISSN 2576-0300 2576-0300
  • LCCN 2011254018, sn85032363
  • Published and edited by Thomas Kennedy.
Kansas City / Topeka The American Citizen 1887 or 1888 1909 Weekly
  • LCCN sn98062574, sn85032021
  • Published by John L. Waller and R.K. Morton.
  • Published in Topeka from February 23, 1888 to July 19, 1889.
  • First Kansas African American newspaper to last more than a decade.
Kansas City Daily American Citizen 1897 or 1898 1900 Daily (except Monday)
  • LCCN 2012254316, sn85066912
  • Billed as “[t]he only Daily and Weekly Negro paper in this section of the Country.”
Kansas City The Kansas Elevator 1916 ? Weekly
Kansas City Kansas State Globe 1983 1980s Weekly
  • Edited by Samuel Jordan.
Kansas City National Review
The National Review
1913 1913 Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254332, sn85066903
Kansas City / Topeka The Plaindealer
The Kansas City And Topeka Plaindealer (1932–1933)
Plaindealer (1933–1958)
The Topeka Plaindealer (1900–1932)
1899 1958 Weekly
  • The Plaindealer (1899–1900):
    • LCCN 2014254026, sn84025820
  • Kansas City and Topeka Plaindealer:
    • LCCN 2014254024, sn85066913
  • The Topeka Plaindealer (1900–1932):
    • LCCN 2014254025, sn85067152
  • Plaindealer (1933–1958):
    • LCCN 2014254023, sn85032353, sn94081604
  • Billed as "[t]he oldest race newspaper in the Southwest."
  • Edited initially by J.H. Childers, and from 1905 to 1930 by owner Nick Chiles.
Kansas City The Topics
Kansas Topics
Kansas City Topics
1895 1800s Weekly
  • Published by John Homer Howlett & Co., edited by John Homer Howlett.
Kansas City Western Christian Recorder 1800s 1899 Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254363, sn85032356
  • "Organ of the 5th Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church."
Kansas City Wyandotte Echo
The Wyandotte Echo
1928 ? Weekly
  • ISSN 2577-8617 2577-8617
  • LCCN 2013254381, sn85032354
Lawrence Harambee
For Our People
1971 1900s
Lawrence The Historic Times 1891 1891 Weekly
  • LCCN 2012254017, sn84029656
  • Merged with: Leavenworth Advocate to form the Topeka Times-Observer.
  • Edited by W.L. Grant.
Lawrence Lawrence Vindicator 1870s 1870s
  • No issues survive; known only from mentions in the Colored Citizen.
Leavenworth The Leavenworth Advocate 1889 1891 Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254029, sn85029302, sn85029303, 2013254028
  • Merged with Lawrence Historic Times to form the Topeka Times-Observer.
  • Published by W.B. Townsend.
Leavenworth / Lawrence Colored Radical
The Colored Radical
1876 1876 Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254032, sn85029266
  • Published by A. Williams. Edited by T.W. Henderson.
Leavenworth The Leavenworth Herald 1894 1899 Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254048, sn85029234
Nicodemus Nicodemus Cyclone 1887 1888 Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254347, sn84030038
  • Formed from merger of Western Cyclone and Nicodemus Enterprise.
Nicodemus Nicodemus Enterprise
The Nicodemus Enterprise
1887 1887 Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254348, sn84030037
Nicodemus Western Cyclone 1886 1887 Weekly
  • Published by A.G. Tallman.
North Topeka Benevolent Banner
The Benevolent Banner
1887 1887 Weekly
  • LCCN 2011254048, sn85032037
Parsons Eye Opener
The Eye Opener
1892 1893 Weekly
  • LCCN 2011254367, sn85031556
  • Published by E.M. Woods.
Parsons The Parsons Weekly Blade
Parsons Blade
Blade
1892 1901 or 1904 Weekly
  • LCCN 2014254015, sn84025818
Peru The Freeman's` Lance 1891 1892 Weekly
  • LCCN 2011254383, sn83040711
  • Published by W.A. Tanksley.
  • Also published at times in Sedan, Kansas.
Pittsburg The Afro-American 1903 1904
  • Published by A.J. Lee.
  • No issues survive.
Pittsburg Afro-American Review 1915 1915
Pittsburg The Pittsburg Plain Dealer 1899 1900 Weekly
  • Followed by The Wichita searchlight.
  • Published by W.N. Miller.
Pittsburg The Uplift 1914 1914 Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254354, sn84029144
  • Published and edited by A.B. Johnson.
  • Strong supporter of Washingtonian ideology.
Salina The Black Word Is.. 1971 1976 Bimonthly newspaper or biweekly
  • Continued by Ubiquity.
  • Published by the Black American Citizens Organization of Salina.
  • Edited by James Briscoe (Jomo Kenyatta).
Salina Salina Enterprise
The Salina Enterprise
1908 1909 Weekly
  • LCCN 2014254309, sn85032708
Stockton Western Globe 1902 ? Biweekly
  • Published and edited by D.J. Green.
Topeka The American Citizen 1888 1909 Weekly
  • LCCN 2011254031, sn85032031
  • Published by Waller & Morton.
Topeka The Baptist Headlight 1893 1894 Weekly
  • LCCN 2017225070, sn88086003
Topeka The Colored Citizen 1897 1900 Weekly
  • ISSN 2643-0983 2643-0983
  • LCCN 2017225074, sn85067023
  • Published by Eagleson & Holloway.
Topeka The Colored Patriot 1882 1800s Weekly
  • LCCN 2011254295, sn85067024
  • Published by attorney E.H. White.
Topeka Daily Ledger 1893 1893 Daily
  • Edited by Fred L. Jeltz.
Topeka Topeka Ebony Times 1973 1978
  • "[C]ommitted to Black Liberation, Black Unity and Black Progress in a constructive manner."
Topeka The Evening Call 1891 1893 Daily (except Sunday)
  • LCCN 2011254366, sn85032047
Topeka Herald of Kansas
Kansas Weekly Herald
Kansas Herald
1880 1880 Weekly
  • Herald of Kansas:
  • Kansas Weekly Herald:
    • LCCN 2012254008, sn85067092
  • Edited and published by H.C. Rutherford and W.L. Eagleson.
Topeka The Kansas Baptist Herald 1911 1910s Monthly newspaper
  • LCCN 2012254033, sn85067234
Topeka The Kansas Blackman 1894 ? Weekly
  • LCCN 2012254034, sn85067074
  • Published by W.D. Driver
Topeka Kansas Sentinel
The Kansas Sentinel
1960 1964 Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254038, sn85067098
  • Suspended with November 26, 1960 issue and resumed with June 6, 1964 issue.
  • Published by C & C Enterprises.
Topeka Kansas State Tribune
Topeka Tribune (1880)
1880 1880s Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254039, sn85067249
  • Edited by attorney E.H. White.
  • Changed name to Kansas State Tribune after switching affiliations from the Republican Party to the National Labor Greenback Party.
Topeka The Kansas Watchman 1903? ? Weekly
  • Published by G.W. Harts.
Topeka The Kansas Whip
Kansas Eagle
The Kansas American
1933? 1956 Weekly
  • The Kansas Whip (1933–1934):
  • The Kansas Eagle (1934–1935):
  • The Kansas American (1936–1956):
  • LCCN sn85067073, 2013254382
  • Billed in 1930s as the "[o]nly colored democratic paper in Kansas."
Topeka The Little Weekly 1929? ? Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254303, sn85067122
  • Attested through at least 1938.
Topeka Topeka Messenger 1969 1970 Weekly
  • LCCN 2014254323, sn85067123
Topeka National Watchman
The National Watchman
1905? ? Weekly
  • LCCN sn96080148, sn85067124, 2013254334
  • Published by P.C. Thomas.
Topeka Topeka Post-Review 1970 1900s Weekly
  • LCCN 2014254322, sn85067155
  • Attested through at least 1971.
Topeka The Topeka Sentinel 1994 Semimonthly
  • ISSN 1079-1965 1079-1965
  • LCCN sn940931
Topeka The State Ledger
Kansas State Ledger (1894–1906)
The Kansas State Ledger(1892–1894)
1892 1906 Weekly
  • LCCN sn85067105, sn85067106
  • Published and edited by Fred L. Jeltz.
Topeka The Times-Observer 1891 1892 Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254030, sn85067184
Topeka The Topeka Tribune and Western Recorder 1885 1885 Weekly
  • LCCN 2014254316, sn85067189
Topeka The Weekly Call
The Topeka Call (1891–1893)
1891 1898 Weekly
  • The Weekly Call:
    • LCCN 2014254049, sn85032048
  • The Topeka Call:
    • LCCN 2014254048, sn85032049
  • Edited by W.M. Pope.
Weir Weir City Eagle 1899 1900? Weekly
  • LCCN sn83041035, 2013254361
Wichita The American Times
American Times
1908 ? Weekly
  • LCCN 2011254041, sn85032458
Wichita The Colored Citizen
Colored Citizen
1902 1904 Weekly
  • LCCN sn85032421, 2011254293
  • Published by E. Harrison.
Wichita The Community Voice 1995 current Biweekly
  • ISSN 1090-3852 1090-3852
  • LCCN sn96003407
  • Official site: http://www.communityvoiceks.com/
  • Co-published by Billy and Wyvette McCray.
Wichita The Wichita Factarian
Wichita Factarian
1913? 1914 Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254367, sn85032574
Wichita Wichita Globe 1887 1887 Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254368, sn85032447
  • Edited by D.L. Roberson.
Wichita Kansas Black Journal 1983 1985 Twice monthly
  • Published by L.V. Jack Hudson.
Wichita The Kansas Headlight 1894 1894 Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254036, sn85032460
  • Motto: "A fearless advocate of the rights of a worthy people."
  • Published by W.A. Bettis.
Wichita Kansas Sunflower
The Kansas Sunflower
1890 1890 Weekly
  • Published by J.B. Gibbs.
Wichita Kansas Voice
The Kansas Voice
1946? ? Unknown
  • LCCN 2013254041, sn85032470
  • Published by George Brock.
Wichita Kansas Weekly Journal 1970s or 1980 1981 Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254043, sn85032542
  • Published by L.V. Hudson.
Wichita Midwest News Press
The Midwest News Press
1958? ? Bimonthly
  • LCCN sn85032472, 2013254315
  • Attested through at least 1959.
Wichita National Baptist World 1894 1894 Weekly
Wichita The National Reflector: for the Afro-American Race 1895 1897 or 1898 Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254333, sn85032590
Wichita The Negro Star 1908 1953 Weekly
  • ISSN 2642-7621 2642-7621
  • LCCN 2013254336, sn97016157, sn85032569
  • Published and edited by H.T. Sims.
Wichita News Hawk
The News Hawk
1973? ? Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254346, sn85032473
  • Published and edited by Leonard Garrett.
Topeka The People’s Friend 1894 1896 Weekly
  • LCCN sn84025836, 2014254018
  • Place of publication varies: published in Wichita on at least December 11, 1896.
  • Edited by William Jeltz.
Wichita Wichita Post Observer
The Post Observer
1953 1954 Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254369
  • The Post Observer:
    • LCCN 2013254370, sn85032583
Wichita The Wichita Protest 1918? ? Weekly
  • Edited by W. A. Bettis.
Wichita The Wichita Searchlight
The Searchlight
1900 1912 Weekly
  • LCCN 2013254372, sn85032585
  • Published by Miller & Lewis.
Wichita The Wichita Times 1970 1977? Weekly
  • LCCN sn85032541, 2013254373
  • L.V. "Jack" Hudson.
Wichita Wichita Tribune
The Wichita Tribune
1898 1899 Weekly
  • Published by Robinson & Covington.

See also

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List of African American newspapers in Kansas Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.