The founding of the “Voice of the Fugitive” newspaper in 1851 is celebrated on this date.
It was the first Black Newspaper in Canada. Published every other Thursday just across the Canadian border from Detroit, this short-lived paper was the work of Henry C. Bibb. The paper was issued from 1851 to the end of 1853. Published in the community of Sandwich (now Windsor, Ont.), The abolitionist newspaper promoted Canada as a destination for runaway slaves and a vehicle to find other family members.
The paper was published biweekly at a subscription rate of one dollar per year. The Voice of the Fugitive used its popularity to promote a cause its editor and publisher repeatedly appealed to the Homes for Refugees Fund. This was first announced in the paper on February 12, 1852. The paper also included poetry, news from around the world, and stories of slaves and fugitive slaves throughout North America.
