List of African American newspapers in Kentucky Facts for Kids

A newspaper from March 22, 1902, called the Kentucky Reporter.

Alice Allison Dunnigan, a groundbreaking journalist who started her newspaper career in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

This article is about African American newspapers that have been published in Kentucky. These newspapers were very important because they shared news and stories for and about Black communities. They helped people stay connected and informed during times when mainstream newspapers often ignored or misrepresented them.

The very first African American newspapers in Kentucky were the Colored Citizen, which started in Louisville in 1866, and the Colored Kentuckian, which began in 1867. Today, some African American newspapers still serve Kentucky, like the Louisville Defender, the Key Newsjournal in Lexington, and the Northern Kentucky Herald.

Early African American Newspapers in Kentucky
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Early African American Newspapers in Kentucky

African American newspapers played a huge role in sharing information and opinions within Black communities. They were often the only places where Black voices and stories were truly heard. These papers covered local news, civil rights issues, community events, and achievements that were often ignored by other newspapers.

Newspapers in Bowling Green

The Eagle Eye: This weekly newspaper started in Bowling Green around 1903. It was an important source of news for the local Black community.
Bowling Green Watchman: Published from 1887 to 1892, this paper was founded and edited by Cyrus R. McDowell.

Newspapers in Central Kentucky

Many important Black newspapers were published in cities like Danville, Elizabethtown, and Frankfort.

Torchlight: This newspaper was published in Danville starting in 1902 or 1903. It later moved to Lexington in the early 1910s and was owned and edited by John Edmund Wood.
Christian Pilot: Published in Elizabethtown in the 1880s, this paper was put out by a minister named Eugene Evans.
The Blue Grass Bugle: This weekly paper from Frankfort ran from about 1898 to 1915. It was edited by Edward Ellsworth Underwood.
The Kentucky Club Woman: Starting in the 1900s, this paper was the official newspaper for the Kentucky State Federation of Colored Women's Clubs. It was edited by Daisy M. Saffell in 1913.

Newspapers in Hopkinsville

Hopkinsville was home to several important African American newspapers, including some where famous journalist Alice Allison Dunnigan began her career.

Hopkinsville Globe Journal: This weekly paper was published from the 1930s to the early 1940s. It had a wide reach, with its circulation reaching 2,000 copies.
Morning News: This daily newspaper was published from 1903 to 1913 and edited by Phil H. Brown. It later became the Saturday News.
Rising Sun: This newspaper was published in the early 1900s and was later sold to the Hopkinsville Globe.

Newspapers in Lexington

Lexington had a vibrant newspaper scene for African American communities.

American Citizen: This weekly paper was published in Lexington starting in 1874. It was edited by Jordan C. Jackson, Jr. and Henry Scroggins.
Key Newsjournal: This newspaper started in 2004 and is still being published today. It was founded and edited by Patrice Muhammad and LaMaughn Muhammad.
The Lexington Standard: A very important weekly newspaper, it was published from 1892 to 1912. Many notable editors worked on it, including R. C. O. Benjamin and Daniel I. Reid.

Newspapers in Louisville

Louisville was a major center for African American newspapers, with many influential publications.

Afro-American Mission Herald: Published from 1897 to 1912, this paper was the first to promote foreign missions for the National Baptist Convention of the United States of America.
American Baptist: This weekly newspaper started in 1878 or 1879 and is still being published today. It was a continuation of the Baptist Herald from Paducah.
The Colored Citizen: One of the earliest Black newspapers in Kentucky, it started in 1866. It was edited by Horace Morris, John H. Mason, and Marsh Woodson.
The Louisville Defender: This weekly newspaper began in 1933 and is still published today. It is one of the most well-known and long-lasting African American newspapers in Kentucky.
Louisville Leader: Published from 1917 to 1953, this paper was founded and edited by I. Willis Cole.
Louisville News: This newspaper ran from 1913 to 1947. It was founded and edited by William Warley, a prominent civil rights activist.
The Ohio Falls Express: This weekly paper was published from 1878 or 1879 to 1904.
Tri-weekly Informer: This paper was published briefly in 1939. It was owned and edited by Lucille E. St. Clair, Alice Allison Dunnigan, and M. S. Kimbley. Alice Dunnigan later became a very famous journalist.

Newspapers in Western Kentucky

Newspapers in cities like Owensboro and Paducah also played a vital role in their communities.

Kentucky Reporter: This weekly newspaper started in Owensboro in 1899 and later moved to Louisville in 1912. It was published until 1953 by Robert T. and George W. Berry.
Baptist Herald: Published in Paducah from 1873 to 1878 or 1879, this paper was owned and edited by Rev. George W. Dupee.
Light House: This weekly newspaper from Paducah was published from around 1908 or 1909 until 1937. It was published and edited by T.A. Lawrence.

List of African American newspapers in Kentucky facts for kids

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