★ Independent Black-Owned Newspapers in the United States

“Henceforth Blacks should speak to themselves and for themselves. No other can speak for us.”
—Samuel Cornish, publisher of Freedom’s Journal, the first African-American owned and operated newspaper published in the US.

Freedom's Journal
Freedom’s Journal:
the 1st African American owned and operated newspaper in the U.S.

The following is a list of independent, Black-owned newspapers.  Most are members of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA).

The Philadelphia Tribune, founded in 1884 by Christopher James Perry, Sr., is America’s oldest and largest daily (published 5 days a week) newspaper serving the African-American community.

Support local independent newspapers by sharing this list on your website, and invest in your community by subscribing to your local newspaper today. Learn more about the development of the Black press in the video The Black Press: Soldiers Without Swords

Larry Lee, President of The Sacramento Observer


East St. Louis MonitorEast St. Louis, MO
Kansas City The CallKansas City, MO
St. Louis AmericanSt. Louis, MO
St. Louis Argus St. Louis, MO
St. Louis Metro Sentinel JournalSt. Louis, MO
The St. Louis Evening WhirlSt. Louis, MO


Negro World: A Newspaper Dedicated to the Interests of the Negro Race
Founded by Marcus Mosiah Garvey and Amy Ashwood Garvey, Negro World was published weekly in Harlem, New York, and distributed internationally to the UNIA’s chapters in more than forty countries. Published from 1917 to 1933, aAt its peak Negro World reached a circulation of 200,000 and was an important component of the Garvey Era, also known as the Harlem Renaissance. Photo of a 1925 issue of Negro World: A Newspaper Dedicated to the Interests of the Negro Race

The Black Press: Soldiers Without Swords