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Full resolution (TIFF) - On this page / på denna sida - IX. Leadership and Concerted Action - 42. The Negro Press - 2. The Growth of the Negro Press - 3. Characteristics of the Negro Press
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Chapter 42. The Negro Press 915
ognized by the whites, to praise. And again the low war morale of the
Negro people becomes a worry to the government. Again white leaders
come out with declarations that justice must be given to Negroes. The
Administration makes cautious concessions. Negro leaders are more
determined. All this makes good ^^copy.”
Now the color question is involved in the world conflagration. There is
probably not a single issue of any one of the big weeklies which does not
point out the failure of the British to give India independence, or contain
editorial reflections to the effect that the defeat in Singapore and elsewhere
was due to the Britishers’ having maltreated and lost the confidence of the
natives. China, moreover, cannot be expected to have too much trust in
America which discriminates against all colored people. There is plenty
of psychological compensation which the Negro press can now offer, and
the opportunity is well exploited. There is little doubt that the Negro press
is again making headway—carried along upon the rising tide of the protest.
3. Characteristics of the Negro Press
Negro newspapers are similar to ordinary American newspapers, partic-
ularly those circulating among the lower classes. Many of the dissimilarities
are only the exaggerations of common American traits, called forth by the
caste situation. For a true perspective, it is important to keep this constantly
in mind when discussing the characteristics of the Negro press in terms of
dissimilarities.
As already mentioned, the Negro newspaper is typically an ^^additional
paper.” More white papers are probably bought and read by Negroes than
Negro papers. The Negro papers, therefore, largely supplement the ordi-
nary papers with Negro news and opinions.
Even in this field they are not without competition. A few liberal white
newspapers in the South present noncontroversial news from the local
Negro world and, occasionally, some from other places. Some Southern
newspapers sell a special edition, often marked with a star or several stars,
in the Negro community, which is never seen in the white section of the
city. Not only are most whites unaware of these ‘^black star” editions, but
many Negroes believe they are buying the regular white newspaper. In
these special editions Negroes get a whole page or more for themselves,
often substituting for the financial news. There they may be called by the
titles of Mr. and Mrs. and have plenty of information on local Negro
social life, associations and churches. These white newspapers do not give
as much Negro news from the rest of the nation as Negro newspapers, and
they do not express the Negro protest.
It is difficult to determine how much competition the white press in the
South—of both the liberal and ^‘black star” types—offers to the Negro
press. The fact that the Negro newspaper is only an ^^additional” paper
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