Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1951-01-27
K E N D RIx
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YOU NEED THE NEGRO PRESS

YOU NEED THE NEGRO PRESS
Atlanta, Ga. = After almost a
decade and half Of fellowship of
the Negro press, | am now more
convinced than ever before of our
great need for this instrumentalitv
OF fortnight and courageous fight
for right.
AS | write these lines, the Negro
Newspaper Publishers Association
here at the Butler Street YMCA
for its mid-winter workshop. is
downstairs in executive session tow
ing with methods thru which it can
increase it's service to you. and me
and the nation.
During the two-day period now
ending, publisher leaders from over
the nation have given serious con-
slderation to the many problems
which face them in their service to
you and to a nation, now in the
midst of about security planning.
and world in about turmoil.
These publisher leaders have lis
tened to governmental experts from
our nations capital, brief them on
the various programs that our gov
eminent has under formation for
security and defense and warfare,
if that be necessary.
At the same time, they have
taken serious stock of problems
which face their industry in the
near future. These problems are
grave, indeed. Beginning today, it
will be more difficult for them to
! operate as publishers than it was
yesterday. Such is the extent of the
gravity.
Beginning today, even yesterday
and the day before, they have the
problem of obtaining adequate news
prlnt-paper on which to print
their issues = manpower, if not
now, will be factor in an early
tomorrow. And as we move future
forward, these and other problems
of the trade will become more
pressing.
Your and my need for this seq
ment of the American press en-
phasizes the fact that its needs
and problems are also ours. Since
we are common stockholders in this
national institution, we are in
terested in the dividends that its
existence pays issue by issue to the
American way of life.
You may not be aware of the
fact that the Negro press, unlike
the rest of the American press,
operates greatly upon its sales
rather than upon its advertising
revenue as is the rule ether than
the exception with the bulk of our
national press. Although changing
in trend, many of the larger Adj
vertisers do not yet buy in Negro
newspapers.
The nickels, dimes and fifteen
cents, which you pay for the Negro
newspaper, increases your stock in
this organ for the promotion of
full democracy. The lines of copy
that our papers carry in rheir drive
for democracy make even greater
the common-stock interest which
you have to them and they to you.
| know that you would join with
me in making this press so strong
that the foes of democracy, the
proponents of bigotry, would dare
not shadow its path. We who need
the Negro press as a vigorous
force must give it the might to con-
tinue its fight for right.
| believe that you would want to
do something tangible to assure
the security, the growth and the
unafraid expression of opinion
which the Negro press features.
Further, my belief is strong that
you would accept my challenge for
tangible action in this important
concern.
In the support of the cause
which it has, the Negro press needs
a greater audience upon which to
reflect its mirror of interpreted
tons, so reflected as by no other
agent of the American press. If the
democracy which it champions is
to be known, it must have readers
in all areas of our national life.
Therefore, | offer you a chal-
lenge. | challenge you with this
issue of the Negro press+buy two
copies and give one to someone who
does not know the cause for which
the Negro press stands. Give it by
hand or by mail to the white per-
son for whom you work or to the
governor of your state.
Further goes my challenge to
you. You are likely a member of
some club or some type of com
munity organization - Elks what
have you. What is that groups pro-
ject for the year? If it already has
one, and it must, still you can of
fer another-buy two and pass one
along.
Get your organization to sponsor
project that will get a Negro
newspaper into the hands of the
members of the city council, the
school board, the legislature and
others. Then you would have made