*On this date in 1934, the first issue of The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder was sold to the public.
This was one of the first Black-owned Newspapers in Minnesota. Originally known as the Minneapolis Spokesman, it was the brainchild of publisher Cecil Newman. On the date of its first issue, in a box at the upper left of the front page was the message “A News Medium Worth While.” On the right side was a similar box with three words, “Unbiased-Impartial-Newsy.” Newman’s vision was to collect and publish ongoing newsworthy events about black people in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Minnesota, and America.
For over 70 years, through four American wars, Jim Crow segregation, the American Civil Rights movement, the assault on affirmative action, and the growing support for Reparations, the Minnesota Spokesman has remained a viable weekly journal. The newspaper blends community news with global impact, often showcasing how Black Minnesota and the world influence one another.
Politics, education, sports, business, the arts, and the continuing challenge of African America remain cornerstones of its content. Tracy Williams is the current Publisher.
