On behalf of the www.BlackPressUSA.com and the National Newspaper
Publishers Association (NNPA), I am pleased to first state for the record that the Black Press of America remains on the frontlines of authentic journalism reporting facts and news, as well continuing to be the vocal, vibrant, voice of Black America. For the past 198 years since the first publication of Freedom’s Journal on March 16, 1827, the Black Press continues to be an active advocate for freedom, justice, equality, equity and empowerment.
In the veracious words of the initial publishers of Freedom’s Journal, John Brown Russwurm and Samuel Cornish: “Others for too long have spoken for us. We wish to plead our own cause.” That notable quote was editorialized two centuries ago. What has changed? What is our cause today? What is the enduring mission of the Black Press of America?
A lot has changed. But a lot has not changed. Black Americans have made tremendous socioeconomic and political progress since 1827.
Today we are here on the campus of the historic Howard University, one of the great institutions of higher education that continues to contribute to the sustainable progress of Black Americans and others who seek to become social- change makers, research scientists, and scholars in numerous disciplines. I referred to these facts to lay the groundwork for today’s report on the State of the Black Press.
The fact is the Black Press emerged out of the Black church to render a visible and accountable antidote to the poisonous mainstream media’s demeaning and disrespectful news coverage of Black excellence and progress. Yes, a lot has changed. But a lot has not changed.
American racism has not changed. American denial has not changed about the centuries-long trauma that still exists today from the genocide and enslavement of African people. American apartheid has not changed. The pseudo ideology of White supremacy has not changed, although it has become much more digitized in social media and institutionalized in a range of government agencies and increasingly in a growing number of American corporations.
Our cause today is to continue to report the facts and news at it happens.
Yes, we face both new and old challenges. The good news today is the perseverance and resilience of the Black Press remains relatively intact. However,
we need to work on how to best aggregate and distribute our news and advocacy content on all the current and emerging platforms.
The financial cost of doing business in the print-press world continues to increase. The announcement about new tariffs on goods entering the United States will result in even higher print cost for our member newspapers and media companies.
The news-reporting industry has changed in response to the advances in technology, digitization, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). With the help of Google News Initiative, many of our member publications were able to go through a digital transformation.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs and processes are not examples of Affirmative Action. DEI is not about favoritism of one race over another race in corporate America, government, or in other societal entities. DEI is not reverse racism.
DEI was established to encourage, not mandate, more diversity. The truth is diversity is good for business. Inclusion is good for business. According to the United States Census and the Pew Research Center, the Black American estimated population in the United States has grown by 12 million since 2000, from 36.2 million to 48.3 million in 2023. That is an increase of over 33% in two decades.
Remember these are estimates. The 2020 U.S. Census undercounted the Black
America population by over a million persons. These population numbers are important and that is why we in the Black Press know and report that today the Black American population in the United States has already exceeded 50 million.
The Black Press is the “trusted voice” of over 50 million Black Americans throughout the 50 states. We have Black people who reside and work in Alaska, Idaho and Wyoming. In the United States 2025 marks the continuing “Browning of America” that was first reported and documented back in 1998. That report caused joy for some and fear for others. Today the so-called Project 2025 has detailed strategies that today are being implemented with complete impunity to oppose and to negatively objectify the “Browning of America.”
DEI and WOKE have become condescending code phases to stir up fear, hatred, violence and a social regression that threatens the very fabric of the future of American democracy. We have to continue to plead our own cause and that cause today includes confronting and challenging the rampant contradictions of the far right who are trying to usher in American fascism.
Sisters and Brothers, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Black Press of America is needed today more than ever before.
Today we have 245 print publications and 13 digital and online publications who are members of the NNPA. In addition to 258 publishers, there are many
more preparing to join. The value of the Black Press cannot and should not be understated or underestimated.
We are in the era of so-called “fake news” and “alternative truths” that are all simply lies that we will challenge. Yet, we have to do more than just react to the negative journalism and attempts to reframe and to distort our value and contributions to advance America.
The is no other national news-reporting organization that has the local, national and global reach of the Black Press. We have to refortify our infrastructure with the latest technology and best practices of the evolving publishing industry.
The Black Press, the Black Church, and HBCUs along with other Black owned businesses have to plan and determine a pathway forward. We cannot afford to get overly distracted reacting to the current repressive and backward policies and actions of those in high places.
We are reminded of that New Testament scripture in Ephesians: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of the world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
This biblical scripture applies prophetically to what we are facing today. From the very beginning of the Black Press, we have been a praying people, a
singing people, a unifying people. Pleading our own cause necessitates that we do not lose sight of who is ultimately in charge.
Faith in the God of justice and liberation has always undergirded the sustainability of the Black Press. The relationship between Black Church and the Black Press needs to be reasserted. We need a Black Church-Black Press revival. Our spirits have to be strong. In order to overcome the spiritual weaknesses of this day and time requires all of us to remain spiritually strong.
Because of our tax status, we are nonpartisan. But we are also non- stupid. We have to start preparing for 2026 now. The Black Press will work diligently over the next 18 to 20 months to arouse our communities on the importance of civic education, voter registration and engagement. We need to inspire and to motivate the largest Black voter turnout in American history across the nation in 2026. We will work with the Black Church, Black owned businesses, and with HBCUs to achieve this goal.
Black Americans spend more than $2 trillion each year in the American economy. We are today coordinating a national public education and selective buying campaign with respect to Target because of Target’s disrespect of Black America and retrenchment of DEI. A number of our publishers have joined the campaign. The impact of our united efforts has already been consequential. To date Target’s monthly revenue is down to over $15 billion.
I am pleased to announce that the Black Press of America is also joining forces with The Reverend Dr. Jamal Harrison Bryant, pastor of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. This young vibrant pastor has emerged as a national Black Church leader. He is leading the selective buying campaign also to challenge Target and other retailers because of their expressed opposition to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. We agree with how Reverend Bryant explained his mission: “I believe in the power of God’s word to reveal, repair, and to restore.”
Simply put we are in a struggle. It is a local struggle. It is a statewide struggle. It is a national struggle. It is an international struggle. But that is our history. This is our present. And that will be our future. Struggling for freedom is part of our DNA.
500 years of enslavement could not and did not break our spirit. Yes, we have inherited centuries of suffering and trauma, but we did not let suffering or trauma have the last word on who we are and whose we are. There is a God somewhere that hears our prayers and answers our prayers.
Frederick Douglass, a Black Press publisher, said it best: “If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are those who want crops without plowing up the ground.”
The Black Press of America continues to plow up the ground with our publications and our advocations both in print and digital. It is our job. It is our calling. It is our legacy. It is our responsibility to fight and advocate for freedom, justice and equality. We must continue to plow up the ground. We need to plow up Project 2025. We need to plow up racism and antisemitism and any other ism that attempts to deny the oneness of all humanity.
In conclusion, the Black of America is alive and well in over 250 places across the nation. Yes, we are struggling. But we are making progress in the face of renewed evil forces of oppression.
Thank God for the Black Church. Thank God for HBCUs. Thank God for the Black Press. We must keep publishing. We must keep struggling, and we know that we will continue to make progress.
