The Anglo-African facts for kids
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| Founder | Robert Hamilton, Thomas Hamilton |
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| Founded | 1859 |
| Final issue | December 1865 |
| Country | United States |
The Anglo-African and The Weekly Anglo-African were important newspapers and magazines. They were published by two African American brothers, Thomas Hamilton (1823–1865) and Robert Hamilton (1819–1870). They lived in New York City during the time of the American Civil War. These publications helped share ideas about ending slavery.
Contents
The Hamilton Brothers and Their Newspapers
Thomas and Robert Hamilton were the sons of William Hamilton. Their father was also an abolitionist, meaning he worked to end slavery. He founded the New York African Society for Mutual Relief. William Hamilton saw how dangerous it was to speak out against slavery. He did not like newspapers that were too peaceful in their fight.
Starting The Anglo-African Magazine
The Hamilton brothers thought like their father. They started The Anglo-African Magazine in January 1859. This was a monthly magazine. It had 32 pages and cost one dollar for a whole year.
Launching The Weekly Anglo-African
Six months later, the Hamiltons also started The Weekly Anglo-African. This was a newspaper. Robert Hamilton managed the magazine. Thomas Hamilton was a skilled reporter and journalist, so he worked on the weekly newspaper.
Who Wrote for the Papers?
Many important writers contributed to the weekly newspaper. These included Martin Delany, Mary Ann Shadd Cary, Edward Wilmot Blyden, and Sarah Mapps Douglass. William B. Gould also helped with money and wrote for The Anglo-African.
The newspaper had four pages and cost four cents. Its motto was a strong statement: "Man must be free; if not through the law, then above the law."
Early Successes and Reach
The newspaper quickly became popular. It covered important events like resistance to slavery, the Dred Scott v. Sandford court case, and John Brown's raid. People read it all over the United States. It also had readers and writers in Canada and Jamaica.
Changes and New Beginnings
The Anglo-African Magazine was published until March 1860. The Weekly Anglo-African newspaper stopped in March 1861. The Hamiltons faced money problems. They sold the weekly newspaper to George Lawrence, Jr., and James Redpath. The new owners changed its name to The Palm and Pine.
However, the Hamilton brothers soon realized the new newspaper would not help the black community as much. So, Robert Hamilton decided to start a new newspaper. He called it The Weekly Anglo-African again. The first issue of this new version came out in July 1861.
Finding Lost History
Some issues of the Weekly Anglo-African were lost for a long time. They were later found as part of the Black Abolitionist Papers Project. This project helps collect and preserve important historical documents.
