Q. Where can I search African American Newspapers?

Answered By: Kathryn Ray
Last Updated: Jun 01, 2020     Views: 22

Subscription Databases & Websites:

African American Newspapers (1827-1998)

Covers 270 newspapers from every region of the United States, including 7 from Washington DC.
African American Newspapers: The 19th Century
Full text access to seven 19th century African American newspapers.

Afro-American newspaper archives "The Vault" (web) No subscription required. Spans over 100 years of various editions of the AFRO newspapers.

Chicago Defender (1910-1975) A digitized version of a leading African American newspaper, with more than two-thirds of its readership outside Chicago. This database contains the complete run of the Chicago Defender from 1910 to 1975.

Chronicling America (website that does not require a subscription) Historical Newspaper Project of the Library of Congress.  Search news from 1789-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present

Frederick Douglass Newspapers, 1847-74 (free on the web) Library of Congress Collection

 

Abolitionist Newspapers (print copies)

AU Library has hundreds of facsimile volumes of Anti-slavery and African American newspapers published between 1840 and 1950.  The Folio (oversized) volumes are shelved in the WRLC offsite storage facility but may be requested through the WRLC catalog.

Here are some sample volumes:

National Era 1847 -1860

National Principia 1859-1861

National Anti-Slavery Standard 1840-1870

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