Moses Newson facts for kids

Moses J. Newson (born February 5, 1927) is an American journalist. He worked for the Baltimore Afro-American newspaper. Newson was an African-American journalist who bravely reported on the Civil Rights Movement. He often risked his life to share important stories.

Early Life and Education

Moses Newson was born in 1927 in Fruitland Park, Florida. After high school, he joined the United States Navy. He served from 1945 to 1947. This service helped him go to college using the G.I. Bill. He then attended Lincoln University (Missouri). There, he earned a degree in journalism.

A Career in Journalism

Newson began his reporting career in 1952. His first job was at the Tri-State Defender in Memphis, Tennessee. He and another Lincoln University graduate, L. Alex Wilson, were the only full-time staff.

In 1957, Newson moved to the Baltimore Afro-American newspaper. He worked there for 21 years. For the last 10 years, he was the executive editor. While at this newspaper, he covered many big events. These included the brave actions of the Freedom Riders.

Newson also reported from national political meetings. He traveled to many countries during important times. He covered the end of the civil war in Nigeria. He reported on Bahamian independence. He also covered Apartheid in South Africa.

After 26 years in newspapers, Newson changed careers. He worked for the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. This department later became the Department of Health and Human Services. He worked there as a Public Affairs specialist. Newson retired at age 68 after 17 years with the government.

In 1998, Newson helped his friend Sam Lacy write a book. Lacy was a famous Sportswriter. His book, Fighting for Fairness, told how he helped break racial barriers in sports.

Reporting on Civil Rights

As a reporter, Newson covered the Civil Rights Movement. He reported on school desegregation and voting rights. These were all important human rights stories in the U.S. He became a city editor at the Tri-State Defender. For the first time, Black reporters like Newson sat with white reporters. They covered the same stories together.

Newson covered the 1954 Supreme Court of the United States decision. This was the Brown v. Board of Education case. It said that separate schools for Black and white students were illegal. He also reported on school desegregation in Hoxie, Arkansas and Clinton, Tennessee.

Covering Little Rock

His first big assignment at the Baltimore Afro-American was in Little Rock, Arkansas. He covered the Civil Rights crisis there. This was a national news story for many months. Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus ordered the Arkansas National Guard to stop Black students. They were trying to enter Central High School.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent 1,000 troops. These troops were from the 101st Airborne Division. They came to protect the students who were integrating the school. Newson was among a group of Black reporters. They were stopped from reporting and attacked by a white crowd.

The Freedom Riders

In 1961, Newson became one of only two journalists. He rode with the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) Freedom Riders. This group of Civil Rights protesters traveled from Baltimore to New Orleans. They were challenging Jim Crow laws, which enforced segregation.

Newson's bus was attacked in Anniston, Alabama. A mob threw a firebomb at it. They tried to trap the passengers inside by holding the doors shut. Newson was the last person to escape the burning bus.

Gene Roberts, who wrote a book about this time, said something important. He said, "Being a black reporter during these times was extremely dangerous." He added that the Civil Rights Movement might not have happened without the Black press.

In 1968, Newson traveled to Atlanta. This was less than a month before Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Newson had a one-on-one interview with Dr. King. They talked about Dr. King's plans for the Poor People's March in Washington, D.C.

His Impact and Legacy

Moses Newson reported on some of the most important times in U.S. history. He especially focused on the Civil Rights Movement. He helped show the fight for equality for African Americans. He and many other Black journalists risked their lives. They made sure the public knew the truth about what was happening across the United States.

Awards and Recognition

• NABJ Hall of Fame (2014)
• 2008 Hall of Fame Maryland-Delaware-District of Columbia Press Association (2008)
• Named one of 50 jurors for the Pulitzer Prize awards in journalism

See also

• National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame
• Sam Lacy

External Links

• WorldCat.org Identities