Christopher Perry
*Christopher Perry was born on this date in 1854. He was a Black journalist.
Christopher James Perry was from Baltimore, Maryland, born to free people of color. Perry attended school in Baltimore, gaining a positive reputation in his local community through his public speeches. After he graduated from high school in 1873, the ambitious Perry migrated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, feeling there were more opportunities in the northern city, given the waning days of Reconstruction in the South.
Once in Philadelphia, Perry began writing for local newspapers such as the Northern Daily and the Sunday Mercury. He wrote a column titled, "Flashes and Sparks" for the Mercury, which provided information to the growing Black community in Philadelphia. Other migrants from the South were also settling there. Through his regular columns, Perry gained attention from the educated members of the Black community in Philadelphia. However, in 1884, the Sunday Mercury went bankrupt and Perry was without a job.
Later that year on November 27, 1884, Perry founded the Philadelphia Tribune. He ran the operation as the owner, reporter, editor, copier, and advertiser. Perry worked on the Tribune until his death in 1921. Throughout his career with the Tribune, Perry promoted the advancement of African Americans in society and covered issues affecting their daily lives.
