History & Heritage · Reported explainer
A route into the Black Press archives, one community at a time
The Library of Congress guide helps readers find historical newspapers by state and city, with digital access where available.
This original explainer is based on the linked public sources. No interviews were conducted for this article.
Readers researching the history of their community have a useful starting point in the Library of Congress guide to African American newspapers. Its listings organize newspaper holdings by state and city and identify digital access where known.
The guide places the beginning of the African American press in 1827, when Freedom’s Journal began in New York City as a weekly abolitionist newspaper. Thousands of publications followed, recording political life, culture, and the daily experiences of Black communities.
Finding a title is only the first step. Access differs across collections: some issues are freely available online, while other holdings are physical or are accessed through subscription databases. An archive listing does not mean a newspaper still publishes today, or that every issue survives.
Start with a place, a title, and an approximate date. Follow the access notes for that entry, and record the issue date and page when using an article. The North Star Times Black Press directory complements this historical research with links to newspaper websites and source records.