Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1962-08-24

the most widely known Of the
sister papers. In 1850, EBONY
Magazine called the SPOKES-
MAN one Of the IL outstanding
Negro papers In the US.
Each Of the papers have played
important roles in advancing the
cause of the Negro communities
Of the Twin Cities for % years.
Contrary to sometime expressed
beliefs, neither of the publications
are the offshoots of any other
papers. Both were organized by
the present publisher as new en-.
terprises.
The total capital of the papers
was the $65 final paycheck OF
the founder Cecil Newman, who
for seven years prior to establish
ment Of the two papers was CO.
founder and editor Of the Twin
City HERALD, the weekly he left
to begin publication Of the Spokes.
man and Recorder papers.
Total original office equipment
was one rented typewriter, a
battered wooden file case, a
typewriter desk loaned the paper
by the late j. Ed Stewart, q
desk for the editor, and four
chairs, three of them rented.
The st. Paul RECORDER office
was in the home Of Robert Jones
who served as first advertising
manager and organized newsboys
VINO picked up their copies and
sold them house to house in the
Sanity City.
The Minneapolis SPOKESMAN
office was a partitioned half Of
the Particular BARRIERS, a tonsorial
parlor, operated by the late Ellis
Houston at 3O6 Third st. s..
Oscar Newman, son Of the pub.
Usher and now his assistant, de-
Ivered a large part of the original
300 subscribers their copies by
bike for quite a few weeks.
Later copies were mailed with
IN cents postage for over two
years, before sufficient money was
available in 1885 to pay the SIS
filing fee with the Postoffice for
second class mailing rights for the
SPOKESMAN. It was six months
later before the RECORDER was
able to make deposit of similar
fee in the st. Paul Postoffice.
A big factor in the early edi-
torial of the papers impact was
the late William M. Smith, who
left the Twin City Herald with
Cecil Newman continuing his as
ISOLATION as associate editor, the
same post he filled on the Herald.
Smith was an excellent writer who
copyread the young EDITORS mater
ial, often toning it down.
Among others who went with
Newman was Nell Dodson, who
as Nell DodsOn Russell became
one of the nations most provoca-
tive and outstanding women
writer's. Nell Russell began writ
ing for Newman while q student
at Roosevelt High school
After leaving the cities she
worked on the Afro-American
newspapers where she became the
first female sports writer in the
Negro press. She worked on the
Peoples Voice, in NY. and some
for the Associated Negro Press.
Nell became disillusioned with
the Negro press returning to Min
neapolia She served a stint as news
editor for the Spokesman & Re-
corder papers during World War
II.
For a while after returning to
New York to live, she contributed
a highly read column "As I See
It." for several years. She now
sells pieces to q number Of maya
zines and every now and then
sends the Spokesman and Re-
corder an article or column.
Another famous alumnus Of the
Spokesman and Recorder Is Cor
dom Parks, former LIFE photo
Rrapher who In rated as one Of the
top ten photographers in the wide,
wide world. Gordon was circula-
ton manager Of these papers for
about q year in which he snapped