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List of African American newspapers in Illinois facts for kids

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Copy reader of the Chicago Defender
Copy editing the Chicago Defender in 1942.

This is a list of African American newspapers in Illinois. To be included, a newspaper should be attested in a reliable source as an African American newspaper published in Illinois. The list is divided by region, and the newspapers attested in each region are placed in alphabetic order by city.

Illinois' first African American newspaper was the Cairo Weekly Gazette, established in 1862. The first in Chicago was The Chicago Conservator, established in 1878. An estimated 190 Black newspapers had been founded in Illinois by 1975, and more have continued to be established in the decades since.

While most such newspapers in Illinois have been local, some like the Chicago-based Chicago Defender and Muhammad Speaks have had a major national circulation and impact. National Black newspaper networks, including the Defender syndicate and Associated Negro Press, have also been headquartered in Chicago.

Northern Illinois

20070601 Chicago Bee Building (3)
The Chicago Bee Building in Bronzeville, where the Chicago Bee was published.
20070601 Chicago Defender Building (3)
The Chicago Defender Building in Bronzeville, where the Chicago Defender was published until 1960.

Northern Illinois covers the northern third of Illinois, and is by far the most populous of Illinois' regions. Most of population is concentrated in the Chicago metropolitan area, and most of the region's African American newspapers have likewise been concentrated in and near Chicago.

City Title Beginning End Frequency Call numbers Remarks
Chicago Abbott's Weekly & Illustrated News 1933 1934 Weekly
Chicago Advance 1890 1900 Weekly
Chicago The Chicago Advocate 1905 (uncertain) ? Weekly
Chicago African-American Voice / The Voice of the Black Community 1994 (uncertain) ? Biweekly
Chicago All About Us 1896 1899 Weekly
Chicago All Chicago Focus 1990 (uncertain) 1991 Twice monthly
Chicago A.M.E. Record 1895 ? Weekly
Chicago Appeal 1885 1926 or 1923 Weekly
Chicago Aspect 1908 1908 Weekly
Chicago (Austin) The Austin Voice 1986 ? Biweekly
  • official site: http://thevoicenewspapers.blogspot.com/
Chicago (Austin) The Austin Weekly News 1987 current Weekly
  • official site: https://www.austinweeklynews.com/
Chicago The Chicago Bee and Sunday Bee 1925 1947 Weekly
Chicago Bee-Free Speech 1888 1895 Weekly
Chicago Black Truth 1968 1971 (or later) or 1970 Weekly
Chicago Black X-Press 1973 1970s Weekly
Chicago The Broad Ax 1895 1935 Weekly
  • Moved to Chicago in 1899; published from August 1895 to June 1899 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Chicago Brotherhood 1890 ? Weekly
Chicago Bronzeville 1943 ? Weekly
Chicago Bulletin 1958 1972 Weekly
Chicago Busy Bee 1896 ? Weekly
Chicago (Chatham) Chatham-Southeast Citizen / Chatham Citizen 1965 current Weekly
  • Part of the Chicago Citizen Newspaper Group.
    Official site: https://issuu.com/chicagocitizennewspapers/stacks/860deb9b41174408ad84ebacdfd10a30
Chicago The Chicago Courier 1938 Weekly
Chicago Chicago Defender 1905 current Weekly; daily from 1956 to 2008
  • Became online-only in 2019.
    Official site: https://chicagodefender.com/
Chicago Christian Gibraltar 1910 1970 Weekly
Chicago Christian Science 1895 ? Weekly
Chicago Chronicle 1918 ? Weekly
Chicago Church Organ 1893 1898 Weekly
Chicago Church Record 1895 ? Weekly
Chicago Citizen 1965 Weekly
Chicago Clipper 1885 1898 Weekly
Chicago Conservator 1878 1914 Weekly
Chicago Courier 1932 1932 Weekly
Chicago Crusader 1937 ? Weekly
  • Distinct from the Chicago Crusader that was established 1940 as the New Crusader.
Chicago New Crusader / The Chicago Crusader 1940 current Weekly
  • Published by Balm Leavell until 1968 and subsequently by Dorothy Leavell.
    Official site: https://chicagocrusader.com/
Chicago Daily Times ? ? Daily
Chicago Dynamite 1936 or 1937 1939 Weekly
Chicago Eagle 1889 1930 Weekly
Chicago East Side Monitor ? ? Weekly
Chicago Egyptian Sun ? ? Weekly
Chicago Enterprise 1918 1931 Weekly
Chicago Evening World 1919 1919 Daily
Chicago Fellowship Herald 1916 1916 Weekly
Chicago The Final Call 1979 current Twice monthly
  • Official newspaper of the Nation of Islam. Official site: http://www.finalcall.com/
Chicago Free Lance 1895 1926 Weekly
Chicago Free Speech 1888 1898 Weekly
Chicago Chicago Gazette 1880s? 1890s?
  • No copies extant.
  • Managing editor in 1893 was William Thomas Scott.
Chicago The Chicago Gazette 1949 or 1950 current Weekly
Chicago
  • Globe
  • Chicago Globe
1950? Weekly
  • Circulation of 35,000 in 1951.
Chicago Hero 1889 1891 Weekly
Chicago Home Journal ? ? Weekly
Chicago Home News 1925 1925 Weekly
Chicago (Hyde Park) Hyde Park Citizen 1988 (uncertain) current Weekly
  • Published by the Chicago Citizen Newspaper Group.
    Official site: https://issuu.com/chicagocitizennewspapers/stacks/f9581a21e426425cbe727b6fe217608b
Chicago Idea 1900 1918 Weekly
  • Published by W.D. Neighbors.
Chicago Illinois Chronicle 1900 1921 Weekly
Chicago Illinois Idea / The Chicago Illinois Idea / The Chicago Idea 1903 1922 Weekly
Chicago Illinois Political News 1939 (uncertain) ? Weekly
Chicago Chicago Independent Bulletin 1972 (uncertain) ? Weekly
Chicago Inquirer 1926 1926 Weekly
Chicago Chicago Journal 1975 (uncertain) ? Weekly
Chicago (Lawndale) Lawndale Drum 1970 or 1972 1979 (uncertain) Weekly
Chicago Leader 1905 1906 Weekly
Chicago Messenger 1942 1944 Weekly
Chicago Chicago Metro News (1972–1991) / Chicago-South Suburban News (1968–1972) / South Suburban News (–1968) 1965 1991 Weekly
Chicago Metropolitan News (to 1938) / Metropolitan Post (to 1940) 1935 1940 Weekly
Chicago Mission Star 1890 ? Weekly
Chicago / Moline Modern Farmer 1930 1932 Monthly newspaper
Chicago Monitor 1914 1915 Weekly
Chicago Muhammad Speaks 1961 1975 Weekly
Chicago National Aspect 1910 1912 Weekly
Chicago Negro Champion 1925 1929 Weekly
Chicago The Negro Spearhead 1968 ? Weekly
Chicago New Metro News 1992 (uncertain) ? Weekly
Chicago (South Side) News Clarion / South Side News-Clarion 1964 ? Weekly
Chicago News Ledger 1938 1941 Weekly
Chicago News Scene 1984 (uncertain) Twice monthly
Chicago Observer 1885 ? Weekly
Chicago The Chicago Observer 1964 ? Weekly
Chicago The Owl 1962 1960s Weekly
Chicago Pathfinder ? ? Weekly
Chicago People's Advocate 1900 1926 Weekly
  • Published by Oscar De Priest
Chicago People's Voice 1918 1918 Weekly
Chicago Plain Dealer 1888 1922 Weekly
Chicago The Chicago Reflector 1895 or 1896 1906 Weekly
Chicago Republican 1888 1889 Weekly
Chicago Review 1929 1932 Weekly
Chicago Royal Messenger 1921 1932 Weekly
Chicago Savoyager 1929 1932 Weekly
Chicago Chicago Scene 1984 (uncertain) 1993 Weekly
Chicago Search Light or Searchlight 1910 1932 Weekly
Chicago The Chicago Shoreland News / Chicago Shoreland 1977 (uncertain) ? Weekly
Chicago Smith's Arrow Weekly ? ? Weekly
Chicago South End Citizen 1965 (uncertain) current Weekly
  • Published by Chicago Citizen Newspaper Group.
    Official site: https://issuu.com/chicagocitizennewspapers/stacks/9db481e6cebe4facaecd509e91965b41
Chicago The South Shopper 1995 ? Monthly newspaper
Chicago South Side Bulletin: Chicago’s Progressive Community Weekly / Bulletin 1959 (uncertain) 1972 Weekly
  • Published by the Southtown Economist.
Chicago (South Side) South Street Journal 1994 (uncertain) 2010s Biweekly
Chicago South Suburban Citizen 1982 (uncertain) current Weekly
  • Published by Chicago Citizen Newspaper Group.
    Official site: https://issuu.com/chicagocitizennewspapers/stacks/efc5c2738fcf4a0da9f6de9b2e8e5011
Chicago Southside Digest 1931 1931 Weekly
Chicago Spokesman 1932 1932 Weekly
Chicago Standard 1894 1895 Weekly
Chicago Star 1910 1946 Weekly
Chicago Sun 1924 1924 Weekly
Chicago Supreme Liberty Guardian ? 1938 Weekly or twice monthly
Chicago Today’s Chronicle 1992 or 1996 Biweekly
Chicago Voice 1910 ? Weekly
Chicago The Voice / Second Ward Voice / The First District Voice (1942) 1940 ? Weekly
  • Official newspaper of the Second Ward Regular Democratic Organization.
Chicago Wednesday's Focus 1990 ? Weekly
Chicago Chicago Weekend 1974 (uncertain) Weekly
  • Published by the Chicago Citizen Newspaper Group.
Chicago Weekly Reporter 1906 1906 Weekly
Chicago West Side Torch 1969 1969 Weekly
Chicago Western Opinion 1906 1909 Weekly
Chicago The Chicago Whip 1919 1939 Weekly
Chicago (West Side) West Side Torch: The People's Paper 1965 (uncertain) 1971 (uncertain) Biweekly
  • Published by the West Side Federation.
Chicago or Chicago Heights Tri-City Journal 1978 Weekly
Chicago The Windy City Word 1992 (uncertain) ? Weekly
Chicago (Woodlawn) Woodlawn Booster / Woodlawn Booster and Bulletin 1932 1973 Weekly
Chicago The Chicago World 1900 1902 Weekly
Chicago The Chicago World 1918 1953 Weekly
  • Circulation of 32,000 in 1951.
Chicago Heights Chicago Standard News 1984 current Weekly
East Moline The Common Bond 1975 ? Monthly newspaper
Evanston Evanston Guide 1929 1932 Weekly
Evanston Evanston Newsette 1941 ? Weekly
Evanston Evanston Weekly 1915 1931 Weekly
Evanston North Shore Examiner 1968 or 1971 1979 Weekly, later monthly or bimonthly
Harvey Chicago South Suburban News 1964 or 1966 1972 Weekly
Harvey Suburban Journal 1968 Weekly
Hopkins Park (Pembroke Township) Pembroke Herald Eagle 1961 or 1962 1983 Weekly
  • Published by Ozroe Bentley, remembered as "the conscience of a community."
Joliet Voice or Negro Voice (1966) 1950 ? Weekly
Kankakee Progressive Era 1924 1942 Weekly
Maywood Suburban Echo-Reporter 1964 ? Weekly
Robbins Herald 1917 1950 Weekly
  • Circulation of 3,800.
Robbins Informer 1947 or 1948 1949 Weekly
Rockford Crusader 1950 1972 Weekly
Rockford Vital Force 1985 2000s Weekly
  • Published by George Anne Duckett.
Rock Island Tri City Oracle 1898 1900 Weekly
South Holland South Suburban Journal 1975 (uncertain) ? Weekly
Waukegan North Shore Guardian 1964 ? Weekly

Central Illinois

Central Illinois is the middle third of the state. It includes the state capital Springfield and many other small cities such as Bloomington-Normal, Champaign-Urbana, Danville, Decatur, Galesburg and Peoria.

City Title Beginning End Frequency Call numbers Remarks
Bloomington American Pilot 1896 1899 Weekly
  • Published by A.M.E. minister and attorney Henry Washington Jameson.
Bloomington Cooperative News 1933 1938 Weekly
Champaign Illinois Times 1941 1971 Weekly
  • Not to be confused with the Illinois Times of Springfield, an alternative weekly established in 1975.
Champaign Plain Truth 1967 1969 Weekly
  • "[T]he first black power publication in Champaign-Urbana"
Danville The Black Vanguard: for Unity in the Black Community 1968 ? Weekly or irregular
Danville Illinois Times 1939 1941 Weekly
  • Not to be confused with the Illinois Times of Springfield, an alternative weekly established in 1975.
Danville International 1901 1902 Weekly
Danville Inter-State Echo 1909 1920 Weekly
Decatur Advance Citizen 1892 1932 Weekly
Decatur The Voice / African-American Voice / Voice of the Black Community 1967 ? Weekly
  • Publisher Horace Livingston, Jr., is the subject of a sculpture by Preston Eugene Jackson at Decatur's Mueller Park. The Voice also produced Bloomington, Peoria and Springfield editions.
Galesburg Western Herald 1884 1885 Weekly
Galesburg The Illinois Star 1935 1941? Weekly
  • Available online
Litchfield Afro-American Advocate 1892 1893 Weekly
  • At its founding, the Afro-American Advocate was the only African American newspaper in Illinois supporting the Democratic Party.
Peoria Advance Citizen 1892 1932 Weekly
Peoria Black Rapper 1968 1970 Weekly
Peoria Bronze Informer 1945 1946 Weekly
Peoria Bronze Peoria Herald 1964 1968 Weekly
Peoria Forum 1906 1915 Weekly
Peoria Informer 1934 1939 Weekly
Peoria Peoria Whirlwind 1962 1970s Weekly
Peoria Spectator 1955 1955 Weekly
Peoria Traveler Weekly 1968 1970s Weekly
Peoria Weekly Enterprise 1952 1952 Weekly
Quincy Advocate 1906 ? Weekly
Quincy Illinois Informer 1919 (uncertain) 1926 Weekly
Quincy Illinois Progress 1892 1900 Weekly
Springfield Advance Citizen 1892 1932 Weekly
Springfield Argus 1913 1915 Weekly
Springfield Capital City Courier 2005 or 2006 current Monthly newspaper
  • Official site: http://www.capitalcitycourier.org/
Springfield Capitol City News 1942 1951 Weekly
Springfield Chronicle 1917 1917 Weekly
Springfield Community Echo 1950s ?
  • Published by Lottie Bridgewater.
Springfield Eye 1890 1893 Weekly
Springfield Forum 1904 1927 Weekly
Springfield Illinois Chronicle 1912 or 1917 1969 Weekly or twice-monthly
  • Circulation of 1,200 in 1951.
Springfield Illinois Conservator / Conservator-Globe 1902 or 1905 1950 or after 1956 Weekly or twice monthly
  • Published by Elmer Lee Rogers. Remembered for its strong advocacy in the aftermath of the Springfield race riot of 1908.
  • Circulation of 3,500 in 1951.
Springfield Illinois Record 1897 1899 Weekly
Springfield Illinois State Informer 1935 ? Weekly
  • Founded by Dr. Alonzo Kenniebrew. Continued through at least 1938.
Springfield Illinois State Messenger 1897 1900 Weekly
Springfield Leader 1902 1918 Weekly
Springfield Messenger 1888 1889 Weekly
Springfield National Standard Enterprise 1894 1903 Weekly
Springfield Negro Democrat 1934 1936 Weekly
Springfield PURE NEWS USA 1983 current Monthly newspaper
  • National circulation.
  • Official site: http://www.purenews.com/
Springfield Spirit of Black Springfield 1968 1968 Weekly
Springfield Springfield's Voice 1973 current Weekly
  • official site: https://www.facebook.com/pg/TSV.SPFLD/
Springfield The State Capital 1886 1915 or 1910 Weekly
Springfield Voice of the Black Community 1972 or 1973 2000 Weekly
  • Springfield edition of the Decatur Voice.

Southern Illinois

Southern Illinois or "Little Egypt" is the southern third of Illinois, and is the state's least populous region. Much of the population is concentrated in Metro East, a five-county region across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri. The state's first African American newspaper was established in Southern Illinois' southernmost town, Cairo, in 1862.

City Title Beginning End Frequency Call numbers Remarks
Alton Advance Citizen 1892 1932 Weekly
  • One of a chain of five Advance Citizen papers published across central Illinois from 1892 to 1932 by Harvey T. Bowman.
Brooklyn Monitor 1886 19th century Weekly
Cairo American 1905 1906 Weekly
Cairo Baptist Truth 1894 1924 Weekly
Cairo Illinois Messenger 1925 1933 Weekly
Cairo Cairo News / United Front News 1971 (uncertain) ? Weekly
Cairo Sentinel 1890 1895 Weekly
Cairo Three States 1881 1883 Weekly
Cairo Weekly Gazette 1862 1890 Weekly / Daily (1882)
  • First African American newspaper in Illinois. 1882 daily edition was first daily African American newspaper in the United States. Published by William S. Scott.
East St. Louis Advance Citizen 1892 1932 Weekly
East St. Louis Beacon 1960s ? Weekly
East St. Louis The Crusader 1941 or 1943 ? Weekly
  • Circulation of 7000 in 1966.
East St. Louis East Side Monitor 1970 1970s Weekly
East St. Louis Empire Weekly News 1960s 1970s Weekly
East St. Louis Forum 1928 1929 Weekly
East St. Louis Monitor 1962 or 1963 current Weekly
  • official site: https://www.facebook.com/EastStLouisMonitor/
East St. Louis Negro Democrat / Spotlight 1933 ? Weekly
  • Official newspaper of the Downstate Negro Democratic League. Extant through at least 1942.
East St. Louis Sentinel 1904 1909 Weekly
East St. Louis Southern Illinois Press 1922 1924 Weekly
East St. Louis Tri State Tribune ? ? Weekly
Metropolis Christian Anchor ? ? Weekly; monthly in 1912
  • Religious topics
Metropolis The Metropolis Gazette / Metropolis Weekly Gazette 1897 or 1898 1938 Weekly
Mound City Egyptian Sun 1924 1940 Weekly
Mound City Star 1908 1925 Weekly

See also

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