Brandon Nightingale walks to the stacks in the basement of Founders Library at Howard University, where he opens a cardboard box containing a treasure long thought lost: The North Star. Founded in 1847 by the abolitionist Frederick Douglass—whose name graces a hall on the university campus—this antislavery newspaper was named after the star that many enslaved people followed to achieve their freedom. Remarkably, during a recent move, two boxes filled with the first year of publication were discovered, much to the astonishment of the staff.
“When they came and said, ‘Hey, we found this. What do y’all want to do with it?’ – we were mind blown,” recalls Mr. Nightingale, the senior project manager for the Black Press Archive digitization project, which operates from the library’s basement. The papers remain uninventoryed, creating a palpable excitement about the potential stories waiting to be uncovered.
Why We Wrote This
Across the United States, scholars are diligently working to preserve the history of the Black press before the fragile pages are lost forever. In a basement at Howard University, found treasures are highlighting the significance of Frederick Douglass’ newspaper, The North Star.
The basement of Founders Library holds a trove of artifacts, including old editions of Black-owned newspapers. These publications chronicle the experiences of Black Americans through the tumultuous 19th and 20th centuries, covering critical issues such as slavery, lynching, Jim Crow laws, and the Civil Rights Movement. The archive project, part of the university’s Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, aims to merge these historical narratives with the digital world to ensure that they are never lost again.
This initiative is one among many across the nation striving to preserve the legacy of the Black press. Earlier this year, the Amsterdam News—established 115 years ago in New York City—announced plans to transform much of its Harlem building into a museum and community space. The Afro American Newspaper, boasting over a century of articles and photographs, has also amassed an expansive archive in Baltimore.
“America does not have a full accounting of itself without the historic Black press,” states Nicole Carr, author, investigative journalist, and professor at Morehouse College in Atlanta. Her observations highlight the critical role that the Black press has played in shaping the narrative of American history.
“I’ve argued that the Black press democratized America,” adds Professor Carr. Before many newsrooms were integrated during the Civil Rights era, the pages of the Black press provided unfiltered accounts of labor, resilience, and fortitude within the Black community. The stories published during that time serve as vital reminders and guidelines for contemporary journalism.
“We know that it’s protected”
There’s speculation that another prize may lie within Howard’s library: an original copy of Freedom’s Journal, the first Black newspaper in the United States, dating back to 1827. The Library of Congress has expressed interest in examining the copy once it is located.
Mr. Nightingale and his team fully understand the importance of their work, especially considering their proximity to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. Their effort to resurrect the history of Black Americans takes place in a time when discussions around historical narratives are fraught with contention. Last summer, then-President Trump criticized the museum for allegedly focusing too heavily on the negatives of history, ordering a review to ensure that exhibits align with a particular definition of patriotism.
“It’s significant that this work is happening here; we know it’s protected. We know that nobody’s coming in these doors to take this down from Howard,” remarks Mr. Nightingale, emphasizing the sanctuary that Howard University represents for these rich histories.
He and his staff, totaling about 11 individuals—including students—have curated a digital collection of thousands of pages from the Black press. Many of these documents have been digitally preserved before the physical versions deteriorated beyond irrecoverability. The digitization project began in 2021, supported by a $2 million grant from the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation and a generous $760,000 from Google, among other contributions.
This endeavor focuses on digitizing newspapers that are over 95 years old and now in the public domain, while also having secured permission to make certain copyrighted newspapers available online. Although the center houses certain international Black papers, primarily from the Caribbean and Africa, those are not included in the digitization effort but remain accessible for on-site research.
“When we’re thinking about our journalism and reckoning with its evolution, far too often, the Black press is discounted,” observes Professor Carr. It is often perceived as a niche entity, but she emphasizes that its rich history and teachings should be shared with everyone.
“You really want people to feel welcome”
In Flint, Michigan, where Black residents make up over 57% of the population, the role of Black newspapers is crucial in capturing the city’s intricate historical tapestry. Callum Carr, an associate archivist at the University of Michigan, Flint—a different individual from Professor Carr—underlines the necessity of preserving these newspapers to accurately represent the community.
“When you serve a community like Flint that is diverse and predominantly Black, you want people to feel included and properly represented in the archival material,” says Carr. This year, they supervised the launch of the Black Community Newspapers collection, a partnership attempting to digitize local Black newspapers that reflect Flint’s history.
Currently, the project has archived three publications: the Bronze Reporter, the Flint-Brownsville News, and the Flint Spokesman, covering the late 1940s through the early 1960s. These newspapers discuss a range of topics, from residents’ personal stories to urgent issues like police brutality and Jim Crow laws.
Now, Carr is working on preserving the second incarnation of the Spokesman, which was published from 1971 to 1978. This version chronicled urban-renewal initiatives designed to address various urban concerns, but often led to the destruction of Black neighborhoods under the guise of improvement. In Flint, communities like Floral Park, a historically significant area for Black homeowners, faced severe disruptions due to these policies.
This archival work, Carr emphasizes, is not merely about documenting the past but also about igniting conversations about the present. “The ’70s saw a deliberate destruction of Black community, and reminding people of that history and its implications today is vital,” Carr asserts. By showcasing vibrant representations of the community, these newspapers may inspire change and a deeper understanding of enduring challenges.
