Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1952-03-22
RAIGHT
AHEAD"

NEW IOhh - (GlODal) - This
is Negro Newspaper Week, and it's
as good time as any to say
word about this segment of the
American press.
1T is important that observances
are held annually in connection
with newspaper week. 1t is re-
grettable that the activities are
not more widespread and that they
are not given more emphasis in
local communities. Except for a
15-minute radio broadcast, very lit
tie else is done.
The American people are not
fully aware of the Importance of
the Negro Press, and Negroes par
tlcularly are not conscious of the
overall significance of the Negro
Press. This, no doubt, explains why
so many otherwise intelligent
Negroes like to boast of the fact
that they "do not read Negro news
papers" Most of the Negroes who
scott at the Negro Press are the
beeter-trained ones who hold the
best jobs and highest positions in
the leadership circles of their COM
munities.
Il wouldn't have a Negro news
paper in my house." well-known
social worker said the other day.
She was echoed by a well-known
Negro major league baseball play
er. No one would argue that Negro
newspapers are perfect, but one
thing is certain: These newspapers
unquestionably played a most i'm
por, ant part in opening the doors
|. for Negroes in the white collar
professions, and also in major lea
que baseball.
1t is odd that newspapers that
can do such fine job of praising
and building up everybody and
everything else, fail so miserably
IN building up themselves. This is
especially true of the newspapers
in the smaller and middle groups.
These newspapers are much more
important to their communities
than their editors sometimes rea-
lie. Too often they become con-
fused and lose their sense of
values by attempting to compare
their activities with the bigger
newspapers. 1t is doubtful if
newspaper in Sheridan, Wyoming
would seek to compare itself with
The Kansas City Star; or that a
weekly in Long Island would lose
any sleep over the vast scope of
the operations of the New York
Herald Tribune or the New York
Times.
This should apply to the Negro
Press. The smaller papers can do
a fine job for their respective COM
munities by striving to serve the
needs of those communities. The
smaller dailies and white weeklies
are made strong through the aid
and support of the great press
associations. The growth of syndi-
Gates servicing the Negro Press has
been reflected in the growth of the
smaller Negro newspapers.
Future development of the small
er Negro newspapers will depend
to great extent upon the develop
ment and expansion of the Syndi-
Gates serving them.
1t is highly important that this
development of the Negro Press
should come about, because the rec
ords will show that in any COM
munity where there is a Negro
newspaper-whether small or large
the race relations and racial adj
vancement are noticeably better.
This is true even in those cases
where the Negro newspaper is not
particularly well edited or well de-
veloped.
In a democratic country the
weight of public opinion is a pow
erful factor in determining the
policies the community will follow,
and the printed word is a powerful
factor in creating and crystallizing
public opinion. The newspaper is,
in truth, really the Fourth Estate
of the 'realm."
Those Negroes who criticize the
Negro newspapers are playing in
to the hands of those who would
muzzle the Negro Press in this
country if they could for the
Negro Press performs a great SER
vice in keeping a record of Negro
life in America. 1t presses for the
Negroes rights, and it records his
achievements; it serves constant
notice on all Americans that the
Negro intends to press his fight
for full citizenship status.
Whether its critics like it or not,
the Negro Press is here to stay,
and Negroes everywhere should
give it the support it deserves +.
and the credit it deserves for help
ing to bring about some of the
privileges we now enjoy.