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Full resolution (TIFF) - On this page / på denna sida - IX. Leadership and Concerted Action - 42. The Negro Press - 3. Characteristics of the Negro Press
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Chapter 42. The Negro Press 919
in the background of the Negro: a people whose tastes, goals and ideals—^both from
formal training and informal ideals—^are strictly American, with no special religious
or nationalistic heritage being passed on to them in a way comparable to the experi-
ence of the Jew or the offspring of more recent immigrants. In addition, Negroes
in America have been largely a servant class, coming into close contact with the
“cream” of American social position. From the days of slavery, therefore, they have
known what is considered good taste and fine manners, and have sought to make their
own lives after the pattern of the masters. Negroes also read the magazines and news-
papers and see the same moving pictures as docs the rest of America! There is more
truth than jest in the saying among Negroes that if you visit a Negro’s home where
the dinner service is complete in every detail and where the host and hostess know
what to do with every piece of dinnerware, behold! there is a household where some-
one, at some time, has been a butler, valet, maid or cook to some of the best families
of America (not wholly true, but suggestive)
The “society” page of the Negro newspaper is a direct copy of that of
the white paper. It is certainly no more exaggerated than the gossip pages
of the small-town American newspaper. Whites are amused by it partly
because of their belief in the inferiority of the Negro, but also partly
because they are seldom aware of the existence of a Negro upper class,
especially one so attentive to the social niceties.
Most upper and middle class Negroes “over-do” their social activity
because they are struggling for status as individuals. Social mobility is
great. Negroes stress “society” because whites deny them social prestige.
They have to create prestige and distinctions of prestige among themselves,
and there is an element of the caste protest in demonstrating that they
have done it. But apart from this, Negroes, in their isolated and cramped
world, enjoy reading about themselves in pleasant situations just like
other small-town Americans. The society pages in a Negro paper are,
indeed, most similar to the small-city white newspaper. While the Negro
paper has the character of a small-town paper, at the same time, by cover-
ing the whole country and the world from the race angle in its general
news, it keeps the character of a general race paper.
It seems probable that the society news in a Negro paper—as also in the
small-city white paper—is of greatest importance for keeping up its sale.
Many editors say that they feel that Negroes buy their papers partly
because there they can read about themselves and their friends or social
competitors. The Negro paper gives almost every upper or middle class
Negro family a chance now and then to see one of the family displayed with
name and picture, at least as a member of a club, a church, a committee,
a high school cIbss, or as attending a tea, a dance, a bridge party or a sports
event. Fleming observes:
In the large, anybody not in the criminal class, can get a “personal” or “social note”
in the Negro paper.^^
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