The Negro Star facts for kids
Front page of The Negro Star on December 17, 1920, announcing the NAACP's declaration of victory in the "Arkansas riot cases"
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| Type | Weekly newspaper |
|---|---|
| Founder(s) | Hollie T. Sims |
| Publisher | H. T. and Virginia Sims |
| Founded | February 1908 |
| Ceased publication | January 16, 1953 |
| Headquarters | Wichita, Kansas |
| OCLC number | 12617095 |
The Negro Star was an important newspaper for African Americans that was started by Hollie T. Sims. It was published from 1908 until 1953. Sims first began the newspaper in Greenwood, Mississippi. However, he moved it to Wichita, Kansas, in 1919. This move happened because of unfair treatment and difficulties faced by African Americans at that time.
The Negro Star brought important national news to Wichita. It was one of the few newspapers that gave African Americans news and updates about their communities in the early to mid-1900s.
Contents
The Story of The Negro Star
Hollie Sims first published The Negro Star while living in Greenwood, Mississippi. But the local sheriff and others made Sims feel unwelcome there. This happened after he wrote an article honoring the black soldiers who fought in World War I.
Because of this, Sims and his wife moved their family to Wichita, Kansas, in 1919. Two other families who helped produce the newspaper also moved with them.
Sims Family and Community Work
The Sims family was very involved with both the newspaper and the community. Hollie Sims even started the Wichita chapter of the NAACP. The NAACP is a group that works for the rights of African Americans.
When the newspaper moved, W. S. Moore was the assistant editor. Sims' brother, Hugh, also worked at The Star. Another person involved was B. H. Neely, who partnered with Sims to create a company called the Kansas Coal and Mercantile Company. For a short time in 1934–1935, Bennie Williams worked as the sports editor for the paper.
The Sims family continued to publish The Star until 1953. In January of that year, Virginia Sims wrote that they were stopping the printing. She said it was because of her husband's poor health. She also mentioned that the newspaper would go to new owners. After this, the paper continued under new names: The Post Observer until July 1953, and then The Wichita Post Observer until July 1954.
Who Owned and Supported The Star?
The Star was born from Hollie Sims' idea to share news about the progress of African Americans. Sims and his wife printed and handed out The Star from a barn behind their house. They did this until Sims passed away in 1953.
The newspaper became known across the country. This was thanks to a special effort by the National Negro Business League. This group was started by Booker T. Washington in 1900. Its goal was to help African American businesses and money matters grow.
Newspaper Group Memberships
In 1908, The Star joined the National Negro Press Association. This group was made up of African American editors and publishers. It was connected to the National Business League. Later, in 1940, the National Negro Press Association became part of the National Newspaper Publishers Association. The Star then became a member of this new, larger group.
The Star was also part of Wichita's Baptist State Convention and Auxiliaries. This was a group of Baptist churches and related organizations in the area.
What News Did The Star Cover?
The Star was mainly distributed in Wichita and the nearby areas of Sedgwick County, Kansas.
Content for the African American Community
The Star covered important issues for African Americans across the nation. It was a general newspaper, meaning it had many different kinds of stories. These included:
- Entertainment news
- Stories about famous people
- Business advertisements and promotions
- Community events
- Sports news
- Local and national crime reports
At that time, many white newspapers did not pay much attention to African Americans. They often only wrote about them if they were athletes, entertainers, or criminals. So, The Star was very important. It was one of only two newspapers in Wichita that shared daily news important to the black community. The other paper was The People's Elevator.
Hollie Sims wrote in 1922 that a newspaper's job is to serve the public. He believed it should tell the truth about all matters. This should happen no matter what the writer's own opinions are.
Supporting Local Businesses
The Star also included advertisements for local African American businesses, shops, and services. This was a way to help market these businesses in a community that was often separated by race. The newspaper encouraged African Americans to support these businesses. It wanted them to try new ones and help the local economy grow.
Sports Coverage
In August 1934, The Star hired a sports editor. After this, they started covering the state baseball tournament on a special sports page. Before this, sports news in the paper was not very regular. This sports page included local articles and reports from the Associated Negro Press wire service. This sports section continued until January 1935.
