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Open Letter To African American
Leaders &. Communities:
It has become fashionable for the leaders of African American communities to present, exalt,' and
give praise to the main-stream media. It is also interesting that when these same leaders introduce
dignitaries at their functions, they bring the publishers and/or representatives from th white media
to th dais, but completely fail to even recognize representatives from the Black Press.
In an article in the Washington Informer (Black Press), the headline read, "Black Leaders Rebuke
NAACP's Attack on Media". Upon reading the contents, two African American leaders, Bill
Alexander, a member of the Alexandria, Virginia City Council, and Horace Cooper, an African
American & Capitol Hill staffer, blast the NAACP for blaming the white media for "bad press. "
Cleveland is quoted as saying, "He did not and would not have known about the NAACP's
meetings with Farrakhan " had the white media not reported it. He goes on to say that he doesn't
understand why he was not invited to the meetings.
Cooper asked the question, "Is the [white] media to blame for the AACP's problems?'.'
Both of these men are on the national Advisory Committee for Project 21, an African American
leadership group designed to formulate solutions to the problems facing African Americans.
In a similar criticism of the Augusta, Georgia, Chronicle (white daily newspaper), a Metro
Courier (Black Press) headline read, "The Daily Newspaper in the Black Community: Som Believe
P:lP 4" 'ici uS in Coverage of Black Community ", Henry Howard, a Stat Representative state that
he believes "the Chronicle puts the personal lives of black officials under additional scrunity in an
attempt to discredit black lead rs."
Additionally, a Mr. Y.N. Myers, an Augusta School Board member expresses his opinion of the
Chronicle as going out of its way to tarnish the image of black leaders.
These men are focused upon because their names were in print, however, across the nation, in
every city and township, our leaders are often at fault of doing what is presented in the beginning of
this letter.
If you have to always go to the white media for all your news, you're probably not supporting
the black press in your area. You might give your reason as being, "They [the black press] don't
rcpcrt the news; they don t have the resources to provide me with what the white m dia can give'
I've not read the black paper in my area, because .... '
Well, just 'think about this. The clack press is a struggling entity in the black community, The
black press could provide the same news (state-wide, nationally and globally) as the white media, if
they had the support of the community in which they seek to serve.
It takes people - reporters, sales, photographers, artists,' editors and a host of other job titles to
bring the reader a publication with news, and articles of interest that you want and need to read on a
consistent and reliable basis.
Take a look at your average white newspaper. How many people do they have on staff? How
many pages does 1t generally print? What is the make-up of its staff and are they being paid?
ow, take a look at your average black press. How many people does it have on its staff? How
many pages does it generally print? What is the make-up of its staff and are they being paid?
From my expenence, if you work on the staff of a black paper, you are an editor, a reporter, a
photographer a delivery person and, the Lord knows you don't do it for the money
(more-oft-than-not you don't get paid), but because it is something you see the potential in and hope
others in the black community will come to see as a need d entity.
The next question would be - "Do you, Mr. Cleveland and Mr. Cooper' have a subscription- to
the black press? Do you have a subscription to the white media'? Do black leaders in every
community where a black newspaper is printed support that publication by subscribing
(individually)?
What is interesting is, if that black leader has a subscription to the black press, it usually comes
to his office, while they have two subscriptions to the white media - one to. their office and one to
their home. Think about that, and ask yourself why the black press is still a struggling entity.
With all our black leaders (ministers, NAACP, Urban Leagu , school officials, etc.) on some sort
of conunittee to provide solutions for the future of African Americans in the 21 st century and
beyond, isn't it time they started the economic escalator. in .their own back yard. Isn't it time they
looked around �d started providing more sl_1pport than Cryt�cIS� for black �usmess�. who are trying
to bring economic stability to African Amencans by providing Jobs for African Amencans.
Here is an simple idea: Every household in every community wh re an African American
newspaper is printed, should have a subscription to that newspaper. Just think about how much
news you would get about African Am ricans, white Americans, Congress, churches, local, state and
national n ws, as well as global news. On average, a subscription to the black press is between $12
to $30 per year, in comparison to $500 to $1,000 a year for the white media.
The Black Press could provid the same information and news as th ir white counterparts, and
even better coverage of the black community wh n and only when th y have the same resources as
the other media.
If you, Mr. Cleveland, Mr. Cooper and other African Am rican leaders, want proof - put your'
money wh re your mouth is, and instead Qf criticizing the Black Press, support it!
And, just one more tbing ... th Black Press in whatever city it i� in, is·th only publication
consistently, recording the history of African Americans. .
So, to keep our children and th ir children from being in the same ituation, as most of us are
now, namely, searching through endless records, for t�m and �red pieces of paper! to find our
history> support the Black Press and make sure It stays In pnnt. History-at your fingertips.
DQ" Cordrav. P .tblisher
Community Voice Newsjoumal
P.O. Box 1625 Lexington, Kentucky 40592