List of African-American newspapers in Washington, D.C.

This is a list of African-American newspapers that have been published in Washington, D.C.. It includes both current and historical newspapers.

Inaugural issue of the New Era, January 13, 1870.

Issue of The Washington Bee from 1886.

Former headquarters of the Washington Afro-American in the Fourteenth Street Historic District.

Washington Informer vending box in 2018.

Although Washington was home to abolitionist papers prior to the American Civil War (1861-1865), the first known newspaper published by and for African Americans in the District of Columbia was the New Era, which Frederick Douglass launched in 1870.

Notable newspapers in Washington today include the Washington Afro-American and Washington Informer.

Newspapers

Title	Beginning	End	Frequency	Call numbers	Remarks
The Washington Afro-American / Washington Afro-American and Washington Tribune (1984–2015)[1] / The Afro-American	1932[2] or 1937[3]	current	Weekly[3]	ISSN 0276-6523 LCCN sn92003332 OCLC 26136335 for others, see Washington Afro-American	Official site Free online archive Washington edition of the Baltimore Afro-American.[3]
The Anacostia Grapevine	1991[4]	?[4]	Monthly[4]	ISSN 1062-2985 LCCN sn9203239 OCLC 25573846	Edited by Qevin Q. Weathersby.[4]
The Washington Bee / The Bee (1882–1884)[5]	1882[5]	1922[5]	Weekly[5]	The Bee: ISSN 2157-3298 LCCN 2014254321, sn84025890 OCLC 701511424, 10587821 The Washington Bee: ISSN 1940-7424 LCCN 2008264012, sn84025891 OCLC 190847351, 10587828, 2776152, 8795165	Available online
Black Land News	1971?[6]	?[6]	Bimonthly[6]	OCLC 30764192
Black Networking News	1989[7]	?	Monthly newspaper[7]	ISSN 1042-3842 LCCN sn89007999 OCLC 19031315	Published by Donald Temple.[7]
The Capital Spotlight	1954[8]	?	Weekly[9]	ISSN 0411-0137 LCCN sn8902958 OCLC 20448216	Extant through at least 1997.[8] Billed as “Washington’s Oldest Black Weekly Newspaper.”[9]
Capital Times	1948[10]	?[10]	Weekly[10]	LCCN sn99063211 OCLC 41044772	Extant through at least 1950.[10]
The Grit	1883[11]	1884[11]	Weekly[11]	LCCN 2012254013, sn84025892 OCLC 664617204, 10587833	Description based on: Vol. 1, no. 1 (Dec. 21, 1883); title from PDF masthead (Readex America's Historical Newspapers Web site, viewed Jan. 5, 2012).[11] Latest issue consulted: Vol. 1, no. 12 (Mar. 22, 1884) (viewed Jan. 5, 2012).[11] Published by W.B. Avery[11]
The Washington City Tribune	1964?[12]	?[12]	Weekly[12]
The Colored American	1893[13]	1904[13]	Weekly[13]	ISSN 1940-7416 LCCN 2007264048, sn83027091 OCLC 182729036, 9948037, 2637065	Available online Published by Edward Elder Cooper.
The Columbia Sentinel	1896[14]	?[14]	Weekly[14]	LCCN sn88063004 OCLC 17331881	Aligned with the Republican Party.[14]
The Common Denominator	1998[15]	2006[16]	Biweekly[15]	ISSN 1521-1517 LCCN sn98067631 OCLC 39376414	Available online Billed as "Washington's Independent Hometown Newspaper."[15]
The Commoner	1875[17]	1875[18]	Weekly[17]	LCCN sn86053473 OCLC 13712980	Edited by George W. Williams.[17]
The Communicator	1974?[19]	?[19]	Bimonthly[19]		Published by Howard University.[19]
Washington Daily American	1918?[20]	1925?[20]	Daily except Sunday[20]		Edited by Eugene Davidson.[20] Billed as the “Oldest Colored Daily in the United States.”[20]
Washington Daily Sun	1968?[21]	?[21]	Daily[21]		Published by Eugene M. Gardner.[21] Billed as “Washington’s only daily Black newspaper.”[21] Extant through at least 1969.[21]
Washington Eagle News	1993[22] or 1994[23]	?	Bimonthly[23] or monthly[22]	LCCN sn98062510 OCLC 36178327	Extant through at least 1997.[22]
Washington Eagle: National Negro Weekly	1913?[24]	?[24]	Weekly[24]		Extant through at least 1927.[24]
The Exodus	1880[25]	?[25]	Weekly[25]	LCCN sn84024434 OCLC 10873779	Published by J.D. Bagwell and G.W. Hardmond.[25]
Washington Gaily News	1931?[26]	?[26]	Weekly[26]	LCCN sn93062830 OCLC 32229729, 27322091	Billed as a “[r]eview of fads and follies - a social and pleasure guide.”[26] Extant through at least 1958.[26]
Grass Roots News	1970s[27]	1974[27]	Monthly newspaper[27]	LCCN sn94053348 OCLC 8567390
Washington Grit[28]	1883[29]	1884[29]	Weekly[29]	Washington Grit: LCCN 2012254036, sn84025893 OCLC 770739115, 10587840 The Grit: LCCN sn84025892 OCLC 2806393, 10587833	Published by P.H. Carson, and from April to July 1884 by John E. Bruce.[29]
Iere: A Caribbean Newspaper	1972[30]	1989?[30]	Monthly newspaper[30]		Edited by Harold McKell.[30] Official newspaper of the Trinidad & Tobago Association.[30]
The Washington Informer	1964[31]	current	Weekly[31]	ISSN 0741-9414 LCCN sn84007874 OCLC 10269159	Official site
The Leader / The National Leader (1888–1889)[32]	1888[33]	1894[33]	Weekly[33]	The Leader: LCCN 2013254047, sn84025835 OCLC 811647325, 10373277 The National Leader: LCCN 2013254049, sn84025834 OCLC 811647320, 10373249	Also the name of a national newspaper and magazine in the 1980s.[34]
The Metro Chronicle	1986[35]	1990[35]	Weekly[35]	LCCN 2013254321, sn92060456 OCLC 844983068, 21915602	Followed by The National Chronicle.[35] Billed as "[t]he weekly newspaper linking responsible black viewpoints."[35]
Naked City News	1985?[36]	?	Unknown[36]	OCLC 3071865	Published by Edward D. Sargent.[36] Extant through at least 1996.[36]
National Black Register	1974[37]	?[37]	Bimonthly newspaper[37]		Extant through at least 1976.[37]
The National Chronicle	1990[38]	1992[38]	Weekly[38]	ISSN 1061-5881 LCCN 2013254331, sn92003168 OCLC 664611330, 22339456
The National Forum	1910[39]	?[39]	Weekly[39]	ISSN 1940-7327 LCCN 2007264067, sn82015056 OCLC 182832356, 8797812	Available online Published by Ralph W. White[39]
National Savings Bank	1868[40]	1800s[40]	Monthly newspaper[40]	LCCN sn96027351 OCLC 34135980	Published by Freedman's Savings and Trust Co.[40]
The New Citizen	1873[41]	1873[41]	Weekly[41]	LCCN sn93059155 OCLC 27420273	Followed by New national era. [volume] Published by New Citizen Pub. Co.[41]
New Era (1870)[42] / New National Era (1870–1874)[43] / The New National Era and Citizen[44]	1870[44]	1874[44]	Weekly[42]	New Era: ISSN 2471-6324, 2471-6316 LCCN 2016271026, sn84024437 OCLC 945693083, 10931292 New National Era: ISSN 2471-6359, 2471-6340 LCCN 2016271027, sn84026753 OCLC 945693431, 10641996	Available online (New Era) Available online (New National Era) Frederick Douglass was initially an investor, and had purchased the paper before 1870 was out.[45] The paper employed his sons Lewis Henry Douglass and Frederick Douglass Jr., who were both trained printers.[45]
The Washington New Observer / New Observer (–1984)[46]	1958?[47] or 1960[46]		Weekly[47]	The New Observer (1960–1984): LCCN sn85055202 OCLC 7863043 The Washington New Observer (1984–): ISSN 1060-3913 LCCN sn91003143 OCLC 24957870	Extant through at least 1992. Published by J.H. Warren, Sr., and by J.H. Warren, Jr., from 1973 to 1983.[46]
News Dimensions	1992[48]		Weekly[48]	LCCN sn9203391 OCLC 26269607	Edited by Barry A. Murray.[48] Extant through at least 1995.[48]
The Washington North Star	1981[49]	?[49]	Weekly[49] or irregular[50]	LCCN sn88063041 OCLC 8441592	Published by Ofield Dukes.[49]
The Northeast Star	1988[51]	1900s[51]	Monthly newspaper[51]	LCCN sn98062506 OCLC 38956426
Pan-African Roots	1991?[52]	1994[52]	Quarterly newspaper[52]	OCLC 29291254	Published by Bob Brown and Banbose Shango.[52] Billed as “[t]he Independent and Progressive Voice of 1 Billion African People.”[52]
People’s Advocate	1876[53]	1886?[53]	Weekly[53]	LCCN sn84025894 OCLC 10587978, 2772348	Published in Alexandria, Virginia from April 15 to September 9, 1876.[53]
Washington Press	1961[54]	?[54]	Unknown[54]		Extant through at least 1962.[54]
Prince Hall Masonic Digest	1973?[55]	?[55]	Quarterly newspaper[55]
Washington Sentinel	1922?[56]	?[56]	Weekly[56]		Published by West A. Hamilton. [56] Extant through at least 1930.[56]
The Washington Sun	1914[57]	?[57]	Weekly[57]	LCCN sn87062359 OCLC 16678514	Extant through at least 1915.[57] Published and edited by Julia P.H. Coleman.[57]
The Washington Sun / The New Washington Sun (1975–1980s)[58]	1968[59]	current	Weekly[58]	LCCN sn98062559 OCLC 27255255	Official feed Founded by Joseph C. Cooke. "Rejecting cigarette and liquor advertising, Mr. Cooke sought to put a positive light on local and national developments affecting his readers."[60]
Third World	1970[61]	?[61]	Biweekly[61]	LCCN sn96094941 OCLC 14584198
Washington Times	1980[62] or 1981[63]	1981?[63]	Weekly[62]		Founded by James Forman.[63]
Washington Tribune	1921[64]	1946[64]	Twice weekly[64]	LCCN sn87062236, sn94081606 OCLC 16046622, 32229727, 2637685

See also

• List of African-American newspapers and media outlets
• List of African-American newspapers in Maryland
• List of African-American newspapers in Virginia
• List of newspapers in Washington, D.C.

Works cited

• Danky, James Philip; Hady, Maureen E., eds. (1998). African-American newspapers and periodicals : a national bibliography. Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674007888.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

References

1. "About Washington Afro-American and the Washington tribune. (Washington, D.C.) 1984-2015". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
2. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 601, ¶ 6283.
3. "About Washington Afro American. (Washington, D.C.) 1937-1964". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
4. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 43, ¶ 444.
5. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 601, ¶ 6284.
6. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 87, ¶ 895.
7. "About Black networking news. (Washington, D.C.) 1989-current". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
8. "About The capital spotlight. (Washington, D.C.) 1954-current". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
9. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 134, ¶ 1389.
10. "About Capital times. (Washington, D.C.) 1948-19??". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
11. "About The grit. [online resource] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1883-1884". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
12. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 601, ¶ 6285.
13. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 161, ¶ 1673.
14. "About The Columbia sentinel. (Washington, D.C.) 1896-????". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
15. "About The common denominator. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1998-current". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
16. "The Common Denominator: Online Archive of Washington's Independent Hometown Newspaper". Retrieved 2020-01-17. Published 1998-2006
17. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 166, ¶ 1733.
18. "About The commoner. [online resource] (Washington, D.C.) 1875-1875". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
19. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 167, ¶ 1737.
20. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 601, ¶ 6287.
21. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 602, ¶ 6288.
22. "About Washington eagle news. (Washington, D.C.) 1993-current". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
23. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 602, ¶ 6290.
24. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 602, ¶ 6289.
25. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 217, ¶ 2267.
26. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 602, ¶ 6292.
27. "About Grass roots news. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 197?-1974". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
28. "About Washington grit. [online resource] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1884-1884". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
29. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 602, ¶ 6293.
30. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 289, ¶ 3039.
31. "About The Washington informer. [volume] ([Washington, D.C.]) 1964-current". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
32. "About The national leader. [online resource] (Washington, D.C.) 1888-1889". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
33. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 333, ¶ 3487.
34. Earl g. Graves, Ltd (July 1984). "The Leader Returns". Black Enterprise. 14 (12). p. 23.
35. "About The metro chronicle. [online resource] (Washington, D.C.) 1986-1990". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
36. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 385, ¶ 4021.
37. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 390, ¶ 4062.
38. "About The national chronicle. [online resource] (Washington, D.C.) 1990-1992". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
39. "About The national forum. [online resource] (Washington, D.C.) 1910-19??". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
40. "About National savings bank. [volume] ([Washington, D.C.) 1868-18??". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
41. "About The new citizen. (Washington, D.C.) 1873-1873". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
42. "About New era. [online resource] (Washington, D. C.) 1870-1870". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
43. "About New national era. [online resource] (Washington, D. C.) 1870-1874". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
44. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 410, ¶ 4271.
45. Masur, Kate (2006). "New National Era". In Hodges, Graham Russell (ed.). Encyclopedia of African American History, 1619-1895: From the Colonial Period to the Age of Frederick Douglass. Oxford University Press. pp. 441–442. ISBN 9780195167771.
46. "About The New observer. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1960-1984". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
47. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 602, ¶ 6298.
48. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 418, ¶ 4349.
49. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 603, ¶ 6300.
50. "About The Washington north star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1981-19??". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
51. "About The Northeast star. (Washington, D.C.) 1988-19??". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
52. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 452, ¶ 4713.
53. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 458, ¶ 4777.
54. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 603, ¶ 6301.
55. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 472, ¶ 4924.
56. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 603, ¶ 6302.
57. "About The Washington sun. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1914-19??". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
58. "About The new Washington sun. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1975-19??". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
59. "Washington Sun Newspaper". Facebook.com. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
60. "Washington Sun Publisher Joseph Cooke". Washington Post. 2008-01-20.
61. "About Third world. (Washington, D.C.) 1970-????". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
62. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 603, ¶ 6305.
63. Uschan, Michael V. (2013). James Foreman and SNCC. Greenhaven Publishing. p. 93. ISBN 9781420509205. Forman moved to Washington, D.C., in 1981 and started the Washington Times newspaper. The publication was only in existence a short time[.]
64. Danky & Hady 1998, p. 603, ¶ 6306.