News:The Negro Star
The Negro Star
 | |
| Caption | Front page of Negro Star |
|---|---|
| Name | The Negro Star |
| Type | Newspaper |
| Founded | February 1908 |
| Founder(s) | Hollie T. Sims |
| Publisher | H. T. and Virginia Sims |
| Headquarters | Wichita, Kansas |
Summary
The Negro Star was an African American newspaper created by Hollie T. Sims that ran from 1908 to 1953.[1] Sims founded the paper in Greenwood, Mississippi, but moved it to Wichita, Kansas, in 1919 as a result of racial hostility.[2]: 241 Bringing national news to Wichita, the Star was one of few newspapers that provided African Americans news and access to African-American updates during the early to mid-1900s.
| |
| Caption | Front page of Negro Star |
|---|---|
| Name | The Negro Star |
| Type | Newspaper |
| Founded | February 1908 |
| Founder(s) | Hollie T. Sims |
| Publisher | H. T. and Virginia Sims |
| Headquarters | Wichita, Kansas |
History
Hollie Sims originally ran The Negro Star while he lived in Greenwood, Mississippi. However, the city sheriff and others made Sims unwelcome there after he wrote a tribute to the black soldiers of World War I.[2]: 241 Sims and his wife therefore moved their family, along with two other families involved in the Star's production, to Wichita, Kansas in 1919.[2]: 244
Sims and his family were very involved with both the newspaper and the community (among other activities, Sims founded the Wichita chapter of the NAACP). At the time of the move, the Star's assistant editor was W. S. Moore. Sims' brother Hugh also worked at the Star, as did B. H. Neely, who partnered with Sims to form the Kansas Coal and Mercantile Company.[2]: 244 For a period in 1934–35, the paper tapped Bennie Williams as a sports editor.[2]: 244, 248
The Sims continued to publish the Star until 1953; Virginia Sims wrote in January, "Because of Editor Sims [sic] continued weak condition, we are giving up printing; [the Star] goes into new hands later this week".[3] The paper continued as The Post Observer until July 1953[4] and the Wichita Post Observer until July 1954.[5]
Ownership
The Star was a paper that came from Sims's vision to spread news of African American progress. Sims and his wife issued and distributed the Star from a barn behind their house until Sims died in 1953. However, the paper received nationwide recognition thanks to a membership campaign by the National Negro Business League, which had been founded by Booker T. Washington in 1900 with a mission "to promote the commercial and financial development of the Negro."[6]
The Star became a member of the National Negro Press Association, a society of African-American editors and publishers associated with the National Business League, in 1908 (the organization was then called the National Colored Press Association). The Star eventually became a member of the National Newspaper Publishers Association when the National Negro Press Association was incorporated into that group in 1940.[7]
The Star also belonged to Wichita's Baptist State Convention and Auxiliaries, a collection of Baptist churches, district associations, and auxiliaries.
Content
The Star covered African-American issues across the nation in various topics. As a general-interest newspaper, the Star habitually published stories covering entertainment, public figures, business promotions and advertisements, societal activity, sporting events, and both local and national criminal activity. Because white newspapers paid little attention to African Americans except as "athletic stars, entertainers, or criminals", African Americans in Wichita could only read about daily news of interest to the black community in the Star and one other Wichitan paper, the People's Elevator.[8] Sims wrote in 1922 that "a newspaperman's duty is to serve the public by giving the truth of all matters [...] regardless of his own individual opinions or creed."[9]
Advertisements for local African-American businesses, shops, and services were written into the paper as a form of marketing in a segregated community. The Star encouraged African Americans to patronize existing businesses and services, try new ones, and generally support the local economy.
In August 1934, the Star hired a sports editor and began covering the state baseball tournament in a separate sports page; previously, sports coverage in the paper had been quite spotty. This sports page, consisting of both local articles and reports from the Associated Negro Press wire service, continued until January 1935.[2]: 248–9
Legacy
The legacy of The Negro Star is multifaceted:
1. Advocacy for Civil Rights: The paper addressed systemic discrimination, segregation, and racial violence, including lynchings and mob attacks. It played an essential role in pushing for justice and amplifying the struggles of African Americans long before the major civil rights movements of the mid-20th century.
2. Platform for Black Voices: It provided a platform for Black writers, activists, and thinkers, enabling African Americans to engage in public discourse about their experiences and struggles. This platform allowed voices from within the community to be heard and preserved, creating an invaluable archive of Black thought and expression.
3. Encouragement of Black Economic Independence: The paper promoted Black-owned businesses, financial literacy, and community self-sufficiency. By supporting economic autonomy, it aimed to empower African Americans and reduce dependence on white-owned establishments.
4. Promotion of Education and Social Welfare: Through articles on education, social welfare, and community issues, The Negro Star worked to uplift the Black community. It encouraged educational opportunities and highlighted achievements within the Black community, fostering a sense of pride and resilience.
5. Historical Record of Midwestern Black Communities: The newspaper documented significant events, personal stories, and everyday life within Black communities in Kansas and surrounding states. This record provides invaluable insight into the African American experience in the Midwest, often overshadowed by the narratives from larger cities on the coasts.
6. Inspirational Legacy for Future Black Journalism: The Negro Star inspired future generations of Black journalists and publications, contributing to the growth of an independent Black press that would continue to serve as a voice for justice, equality, and truth.
Though it ceased publication in 1953, The Negro Star remains an essential part of Black press history, and its impact is reflected in the continued efforts for racial equality and representation in media today. It stands as a reminder of the power of community journalism and the critical role of independent Black media in shaping American history.