# List of African American newspapers in Tennessee

This is a list of African American newspapers that have been published in Tennessee. It includes both current and historical newspapers.
More than 100 such papers have been published in Tennessee. The first was The Colored Tennessean, first published in Nashville on April 29, 1865.
Newspapers currently in publication are highlighted in green in the list below.

## Newspapers

| City | Title | Beginning | End | Frequency | Call numbers | Remarks |
| Athens | Watchman | 1891 | 1895 | | | |
| Chattanooga | The Chattanooga Advocate | 1915 | 1900s | Weekly | LCCN sn98069675 OCLC 38450720 | |
| Chattanooga | Blade Chattanooga Weekly Blade | 1898 | 1916 | Weekly | LCCN sn98069759 OCLC 38790001 | |
| Chattanooga | Citizen | 1947 | 1947 | | | |
| Chattanooga | Colored Citizen | 1908 | 1911 | | | |
| Chattanooga | Chattanooga Courier | 1990s | 1990s | Weekly | LCCN sn98069740 OCLC 38528544 | |
| Chattanooga | Defender | 1917 | 1937 | | | |
| Chattanooga | The Chattanooga Enterprise | 1969 | 1900s | Weekly | LCCN sn98069739 OCLC 38528548 | |
| Chattanooga | Freeman | 1896 | 1897 | | | |
| Chattanooga | Harambee | 1974 | 1974 | | | |
| Chattanooga | Independent Tribune | 1886 | 1886 | | | |
| Chattanooga | Industrial Searchlight | 1899 | 1903 | | | |
| Chattanooga | Journal | 1973 | 1974 | | | |
| Chattanooga | Justice | 1887 | 1887 | Weekly | LCCN 2012254032, sn83025741 OCLC 773215976, 9772116 | Published by Horn, Wilson & Co. |
| Chattanooga | News Weekly Chattanooga News Weekly (1986–1989) | 1986 | 1994 | Weekly | LCCN sn98069727, sn98069725 OCLC 38530795, 38530821 | |
| Chattanooga | Sun | 1913 | 1915 | | | |
| Chattanooga | National Democracy | 1918 | 1921 | | | |
| Chattanooga | Chattanooga News Chronicle Chattanooga Chronicle | | current | Weekly | | Official site |
| Chattanooga | The Chattanooga North Star | 1982 | 1980s | Weekly | LCCN sn98069729 OCLC 38528862 | |
| Chattanooga | Observer | 1890 | 1895 | | | Distinct from later Observer in 20th century. |
| Chattanooga | Chattanooga Observer | 1927 or 1928? | 1966 | Weekly | LCCN sn98069710 OCLC 38528642 | |
| Chattanooga | Radiance | 1978 | 1978 | | | |
| Chattanooga | Southern American | 1884 | 1887 | | | |
| Chattanooga | Tribune | 1928 | 1931 | | | |
| Clarksville | News Herald | 1913 | 1917 | | | |
| Clarksville | Negro Index | 1901 | 1903 | | | |
| Clarksville | Sun | 1950s | 1950s | | | |
| Columbia | Headlight | 1893 | 1895 | | | |
| Columbia | Columbia Index | 1901 | 1900s | Monthly newspaper | LCCN sn96091100 OCLC 35671455 | |
| Fayetteville | Advocate | 1900 | 1905 | | | |
| Fayetteville | Rising Sun | 1895 | 1899 | | | |
| Franklin | The Black Perspective Inside/Out | 1981 | 1980s | Monthly newspaper | LCCN sn2001062217 OCLC 46326397 | Edited by Robert W. Blair. |
| Gallatin | The Major | 1905 | 1914 | Twice monthly | LCCN sn00063979 OCLC 44422728 | Attested from at least 1906. |
| Jackson | Afro-American Sentinel The Afro-American Sentinel | 1890 | 1890 | Weekly | LCCN sn97065526 OCLC 38055132 | |
| Jackson | Afro-American Standard | 1903 | 1906 | | | |
| Jackson | Community Focus | 1985 | 1987 | Weekly | LCCN sn97065547 OCLC 38065912 | Edited by Martha Robinson. |
| Jackson | Gazette | 1910 | 1912 | | | |
| Jackson | The Jackson Headlight | 1899 or 1900 | 1900 | Weekly | LCCN sn83025727 OCLC 2747574, 9765547 | |
| Jackson | The Metro Forum | 1989 | ? | Weekly | LCCN sn97065546 OCLC 28689123 | Edited by Bill Marable. Published by Bobby Lee. Attested through at least 1993. |
| Jackson | News | 1906 | 1907 | | | |
| Knoxville | Knoxville Bulletin | 1881 | ? | | | Founded by William F. Yardley. |
| Knoxville | Knoxville Crusader | 1963 | ? | Weekly | | Edited by G.J. Hill. |
| Knoxville | The East Tennessee News | 1906 or 1908? | 1948 | Weekly | | Published by Webster L. Porter. |
| Knoxville | The Enlightener | 1989 | 1990s | Weekly | LCCN sn99065874 OCLC 42677301 | |
| Knoxville | Enquirer | 1939? | 1939? | | | |
| Knoxville | The Knoxville Examiner | 1982 | ? | Biweekly | LCCN sn2001062127 OCLC 9395339 | |
| Knoxville | The Examiner | 1878 | 1878 | | | Founded by William F. Yardley. Free online archive (one issue) |
| Knoxville | The Knoxville Express | 1982 | 1982 | Biweekly | LCCN sn2001062107 OCLC 46313372 | Edited by R.J. Booker. |
| Knoxville | Flashlight Herald | 1931 | 1963 | | | |
| Knoxville | Gleaner | 1891 | 1900 | | | Founded by printer and attorney James Leonard Smith. |
| Knoxville | Herald | 1927 | 1935 | | | |
| Knoxville | Independent Call | 1952 | 1961 | | | |
| Knoxville | Keyana | 1974 | 1974 | Weekly | | |
| Knoxville | The Keyana Spectrum | 1974 | 1975 | Weekly | LCCN sn97065166 OCLC 36285544 | |
| Knoxville | Messenger | 1908 | 1910 | | | |
| Knoxville | Monitor | 1944 | 1954 | | | |
| Knoxville | The Knoxville Negro World Negro World The Weekly Negro World | 1887 or 1888 | 1895 or 1892 | Biweekly or weekly | LCCN sn83025748, sn83025753, sn83025767, 2013254339, 2013254338 OCLC 846503914, 846496571, 2753698, 2775113, 2775150, 7263300, 9773383, 9773422, 9773722 | Published by Patterson Brothers & Co. |
| Knoxville | New South | 1887 | 1895 | | | |
| Knoxville | Public Guide | 1934 | 1938 | | | |
| Knoxville | Review | 1904 | 1910 | | | |
| Knoxville | The Righteous Tribe | 1973 | ? | Biweekly | LCCN sn2001062119 OCLC 46839615 | |
| Knoxville | The Knoxville Spectrum | 1974 or 1975 | 1975 | Weekly | LCCN sn97065167 OCLC 36285625 | |
| Knoxville | Times | 1964 | 1966 | | | |
| Knoxville | Voice | 1949 | 1949 | | | |
| Liberty | Afro-American | 1899 | 1902 | | | |
| Maryville | Blount County Democrat Democrat | 1879 | 1882 | | | |
| Maryville | The Maryville Monitor | 1872 | 1874 | Monthly newspaper | LCCN sn85042538 OCLC 12633967 | Published by W.B. Scott & Co. |
| Maryville | Maryville Republican The Republican | 1867 | 1878 or 1877 | Weekly | LCCN 2013218970, sn83025728, 2013218987, sn96091618 OCLC 861797060, 9765605, 192107390, 35070847 ISSN 2331-3196, 2331-320X, 2331-026X, 2331-0278 | Free online archives: Maryville Republican (1867–1870, 1876–1877); The Republican (1873–1875) |
| Memphis | African American Voice | 1994? | ? | Monthly newspaper | OCLC 30905526 | |
| Memphis | Afro-American | 1895 | 1895 | | | |
| Memphis | Bluff City News The Bluff City News | 1902 or 1903 or 1904? | 1920 | Weekly | LCCN sn99063202 OCLC 40742314 | "The official organ of the National Negro Bankers Association." |
| Memphis | Colored Citizen | 1900 | 1921 | | | |
| Memphis | Dublin Weekly Bulletin | 1920 | 1922 | | | |
| Memphis | The Greater Memphis & Mid-South Silver Star News | 1980s | 1998 | Weekly | LCCN sn98069854 OCLC 39760189 | |
| Memphis | Head and Hand | 1902? | 1902? | | | |
| Memphis | Headlight | 1886 | 1888 | | | |
| Memphis | Memphis Free Speech and Headlight Memphis Free Speech | 1888 | 1892 | | | Edited by Ida B. Wells starting in 1889. Received national attention for its coverage of the People's Grocery lynchings in 1892. No copies survive. |
| Memphis | Index | 1923 | 1936 | | | |
| Memphis | The Jerusalem Chronicle | 1990 | current | Monthly | OCLC 28510624 | Official feed Edited by Yehoshaphat Ben Israel. |
| Memphis | Journal | 1936 | 1938 | | | |
| Memphis | Mid-South Express | 1979 | 1980s | Weekly | LCCN sn98069864 OCLC 39891897 | Published by M. Latroy A. Williams Publishing Co. |
| Memphis | The Mid-South Tribune | 1996 | | Weekly | LCCN sn2005062331 OCLC 52074108 | |
| Memphis | Mid-Weekly Progress | 1905 | 1910 | | | |
| Memphis | The Moon Illustrated Weekly | 1905 or 1906 | 1906 | Weekly | LCCN sn91028333 OCLC 6429985 | Published by Ed L. Simon & Co. Edited by W.E.B. DuBois. |
| Memphis | The New Tri-State Defender | 1961 | 1967 | Weekly | LCCN 00225459 OCLC 43855974 | |
| Memphis | Outlook | 1902 | 1906 + 1920s | | | |
| Memphis | Record | 1920 | 1922 | | | |
| Memphis | Scimitar | 1898 | 1900 | | | |
| Memphis | The Memphis Sentinel | 1940 | 1900s | Weekly | LCCN sn2003062313 OCLC 53897427 | |
| Memphis | Signal | 1901 | 1916 | | | |
| Memphis | The Memphis Silver Star News | 1980s | 1989 | Weekly | LCCN sn98069853 OCLC 39760107 | |
| Memphis | Star Times | 1954 | 1957 | | | |
| Memphis | Sun | 1913 | 1913 | | | |
| Memphis | Times | 1918 | 1937 | | | |
| Memphis | The Times-Herald | 1959 | 1900s | Weekly | LCCN sn2003062305 OCLC 53895820 | |
| Memphis | Tri-State Defender The Tri-State Defender | 1951 | current | Weekly | LCCN sn83045432, 00225460 OCLC 43855926, 9578018 | Official site |
| Memphis | The Tri-state Tribune | 1920s or 1930 | 1932 | Weekly | LCCN sn93059243 OCLC 27776413 | |
| Memphis | Memphis Triangle | 1920s or 1930 | 1932 | Weekly | LCCN 2013254317 OCLC 664611317 | Billed as the "[l]argest circulated Negro weekly newspaper in the Mid-South." |
| Memphis | Memphis Watchman | 1884? | 1889? | Weekly | | Edited by J. Thomas Turner. |
| Memphis | Weekly Planet | 1872 | 1872 | Weekly | | |
| Memphis | Memphis World | 1931 | 1972 | Twice weekly or weekly | LCCN sn83025697 OCLC 9750336 | |
| Morristown | Reporter | 1920 | 1921 | | | |
| Murfreesboro | The Murfreesboro News | 1954 or 1956 | 1966 | Monthly newspaper | OCLC 36168311 | Published by Pearl Wade. |
| Murfreesboro | The Murfreesboro Union | 1920 | 1900s | | LCCN 2013254328, sn96091136 OCLC 36001549, 664611329 | Attested through at least 1939. |
| Nashville | 780 Countdown | 1962 | 1964 | | | |
| Nashville | The Block Bulletin | 1947 or 1950 | 1950s | Monthly newspaper | LCCN sn97065571 OCLC 38124458 | Published by Solid Block. Edited by George W. Harvey. |
| Nashville | Capitol City Defender Capital City Defender | 1963 | 1965 | Twice monthly | LCCN sn89080014 OCLC 22355703 | Published by H.C. Savage. |
| Nashville | Citizen | 1893 | 1905 | | | |
| Nashville | The City Examiner | 1960 or 1962 | 1962? | Weekly | LCCN sn89080028 OCLC 22369703 | Published and edited by Mrs. W.A. Mason. |
| Nashville | Nashville Clarion | 1896 or 1902 | 1937 | Weekly | LCCN sn86071216 OCLC 13301050 | Attested through at least 1931. |
| Nashville | The Colored Tennessean | 1865 | 1866 or 1867 | Weekly | LCCN 2011254352 OCLC 747721291 | First African American newspaper in Tennessee, first published April 29, 1865. Founded by William B. Scott. |
| Nashville | The Nashville Commentator | 1948 | 1971 | Weekly | LCCN sn88061123 OCLC 18003980 | |
| Nashville | Corner Stone | 1881 | 1892 | | | |
| Nashville | The Nashville Defender | 1938 | 1943 | Weekly | LCCN sn89080026 OCLC 22369434 | Edited by D.J. Fabree. |
| Nashville | The Ebony Gazette | 1975 | 1976 | Weekly | LCCN sn89080015 OCLC 22355796 | Edited by Norman G. Simons. |
| Nashville | Emigration Herald | 1879 | 1879 | | | |
| Nashville | Free Lance | 1885 | 1887 | | | |
| Nashville | Nashville Globe And Independent The Nashville Globe and Independent | 1930s | 1960 | Weekly | LCCN sn86071168 OCLC 13227300 | Formed by the merger of the Nashville Globe and Nashville Independent. |
| Nashville | The Nashville Globe | 1906 | 1930s | Weekly | LCCN 2014218453, sn86064259 OCLC 13744970, 881287661 ISSN 2373-4892, 2373-4906 | Free online archive Merged with the Nashville Independent to form the Nashville Globe and Independent. |
| Nashville | The Herald Examiner | 1976 | 1976 | Biweekly or irregular | LCCN sn2002062623 OCLC 50137872 | Published by Robert J. Sye. |
| Nashville | Herald and Pilot | 1879 | 1879 | | | |
| Nashville | Independence News | 1972 | ? | Biweekly | | Published by the Nashville Urban League. |
| Nashville | Nashville Independent | 1929 or 1931 | 1938 | Weekly | LCCN sn89080023 OCLC 22369421 | Merged with Nashville Globe to become the Nashville Globe and Independent. |
| Nashville | Metropolitan | 1979 | 1979 | | | |
| Nashville | Metropolitan Times | 1980 | 1997 | Weekly | LCCN sn00063928 OCLC 29736253 | Published by Latham Communications, Inc. Edited by Bruce Honick. |
| Nashville | Metropolitan Weekly | 1980 | 1980s | Irregular | LCCN sn96091090 OCLC 35332442 | |
| Nashville | The Mid-State Observer | 1978 | 1970s | Weekly or irregular | LCCN sn96091078 OCLC 35332404 | Published by The Eagle Press. Edited by Lou Taylor. |
| Nashville | Neighborhood Times | 1959 | 1962 | Monthly newspaper (two summer months combined) | LCCN sn96091079 OCLC 5516773 | |
| Nashville | News | 1914 | 1918 | | | |
| Nashville | Nashville News-Star | 1960 | 1961 | Weekly | LCCN sn89080030 OCLC 22369762 | |
| Nashville | Palladium | 1883 | 1909 | | | |
| Nashville | Nashville P.R.I.D.E Nashville Pride | 1988 | current | Weekly | LCCN sn2002062624 OCLC 29840361 | Official site Founded by Larry Davis and Cynthia Hodge. |
| Nashville | The Nashville Sun | 1950 | ? | Weekly | LCCN sn89080027 OCLC 22369636 | Published by Central Southern Publishing Co., Inc. Edited by L.D. Williams (1950) and W.N. Daniel (1951). |
| Nashville | The Tennessean The Colored Tennessean | 1865 or 1866 | 1867 or 1866 | Weekly | LCCN sn83025745, sn83025746 OCLC 2623202, 2775341, 9773024, 9773080 | Published by Scott, Waring and Co. Edited by W.B. Scott. |
| Nashville | The Tennessee Star | 1886 | 1891 | Weekly | LCCN sn83025747 OCLC 2775369, 9773331 | Edited by George T. Robinson. |
| Nashville | Sun | 1950 | 1951 | | | |
| Nashville | Times Mirror Tennessee | 1997 | 1998 | Weekly | LCCN sn00063927 OCLC 38507603 | |
| Nashville | Tribune | 1912 | 1913 | | | |
| Nashville | The Tennessee Tribune | 1992 | current | Weekly | LCCN sn93002386, sn9302386 OCLC 27259983 ISSN 1067-5280 | Official site |
| Nashville | Uplift | 1973 | 1976 | | | |
| Nashville | The Urban Journal | 1998 | ? | Weekly | LCCN sn98002469 OCLC 39925470 ISSN 1521-9038 | |
| Nashville | Weekly Pilot | 1878 / 1879 | 1879 / 1879 | | | |
| Nashville | Nashville World | 1932 | 1938 | Weekly | LCCN sn89080025 OCLC 22369425 | |
| Nashville | Yours | 1949 | 1949 | | | |
| Paris | Headlight | 1909 | 1911 | | | |
| Winchester | Negro Enterprise | 1899 | 1900 | | | |