Freedom’s Journal: Building a legacy of social change

Dr. Artika Tyner

There have been a number of incredible Black writers and poets that have made an impact throughout history. Writers like Alain Locke, Claude McKay, and Zora Neale Hurston continue to inspire millions through the transformative activism in their writing. Langston Hughes wisely stated: “Perhaps the mission of an artist is to interpret beauty to people – the beauty within themselves.” Planting People Growing Justice sees the potential that Black writers and creatives have in contributing new perspectives to our culture by unveiling the beauty of the Black experience.
Writing can be a tool for liberation. It has the power to reframe mindsets, share unique perspectives, and mobilize people for change. There are many examples throughout history of Black writers creating positive societal change with their writing.
One of the most prominent examples of this happened during the Civil War.
In the 19th century, the majority of African Americans could not read. This was due to anti-literacy laws that prevented those who were enslaved from being educated. In 1827, a group of free African Americans in New York founded the first Black-owned and operated newspaper in the United States. It was founded by John Brown Russworm and Samuel Eli Cornish, with other leading Black abolitionists serving as newspaper contributors. The newspaper, named Freedom’s Journal, began publishing on March 16, 1827.
The paper also served one of the few means of socially spreading information about other African Americans in the community. The classified section included listings of schools, job openings, births, deaths, weddings and affordable housing advertisements.
However, the newspaper was far from limited to the surrounding community. The Freedom’s Journal served a community of 300,000 Northern African Americans. It was circulated internationally in 11 U.S. states, Canada, Haiti, and parts of Europe.
The newspaper published current events and editorials, just like other major newspapers at the time did. The major difference was that the newspaper also advocated for the abolishment of slavery. This newspaper played a major role in changing societal perceptions of African Americans.
Reading Freedom’s Journal offered whites a close look at Black perspectives on education, health, and politics. Even more importantly, they also read firsthand how African Americans lived their daily lives. There was no other published journalism featuring Black perspectives at the time. In a white-dominated society, the publishing of this newspaper humanized African American perspectives in a way they had not seen before.
Unfortunately, Freedom’s Journal was relatively short-lived. A disagreement between Russworm and Cornish about the creative direction of the newspaper led the two of them to end their partnership. Russworm began working on another project, which shifted focus from what Freedom’s Journal typically covered. The last Freedom’s Journal was published in September 1827 after 103 issues. An ideologically similar paper, titled The Rights of All, was briefly revived in April 1829 by Samuel Cornish.
Despite not lasting a year, the legacy of Freedom’s Journal continues to live on today. The paper paved the way for Black voices to be heard in mainstream media. Between 1827 and 1861, over 20 Black-owned and written newspapers were founded in Northern cities.
The most famous of these newspapers was The North Star. Founded by Frederick Douglass, the paper’s namesake was Polaris – the Northern star that guided enslaved people to freedom in the North. Like Freedom’s Journal, The North Star also fought for abolitionism, and approached stories with an anti-racist and feminist mindset. The paper had an extremely broad reach, even being read by the president and Congress members. Douglass was a pioneer for the Black press, and established Black journalism as a tool of social change.
Following the end of the war, Black newspapers experienced a major boom. With anti-literacy laws under slavery lifted, African Americans finally had access to education. Black newspapers could also be published in all parts of the United States. Having finally achieved freedom, African Americans now used the press as a source of building community and literacy.
In the very first issue of Freedom’s Journal was a quote: “too long have others spoken for us.” This quote still has significant relevance today. Black feminist poet Audre Lorde also has a famous quote reflecting the transformative power of art: “poetry is the way we help give name to the nameless so it can be thought.”
Nearly two centuries later, this story demonstrates that writing has the power to be a tool for liberation and empowerment. The story of Freedom’s Journal highlights the societal power held by Black writers and creatives. Now is the time to write for justice.
Through her organization, Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute, Dr. Artika Tyner offers resources to foster literacy and education.