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The National Newspaper Publishers Association ( NNPA ), formerly the National Negro Publishers Association , is an association of African American newspaper publishers from across the United States . It was established in 1940 and took its current name in 1956. Its headquarters was in Louisville, Kentucky . ^[1]

History [ edit ]

The NNPA was founded in 1940 when John H. Sengstacke , the second publisher of the Chicago Defender , organized a meeting with other African American publishers intended for "harmonizing our energies in a common purpose for the benefit of Negro journalism". Sengstacke succeeded in realizing a dream that his uncle, Robert Sengstacke Abbott , had for many years. Fittingly, Abbott died on the morning of the inaugural conference on February, 29, 1940. ^[2] The younger Sengstacke was selected as the first president of the NNPA, and D. Arnett Murphy , the son of John H. Murphy Sr. , who published the Baltimore Afro-American , was selected as the eastern vice president. In 1956, the trade association changed the name to the current moniker. ^[3]

"In 2000, the NNPA launched NNPA Media Services ? a print and web advertising placement and press release distribution service." ^[4] Since 2014, Dr. Benjamin Chavis has been the president and CEO of the organization.

Black Press USA [ edit ]

In 2001, NNPA created an electronic news service, Black Press USA , which enables newspapers to provide real-time news and information to its national constituency. ^[5] In 2003, Larry Muhammad reported for NeimanReports that Black Press USA "is a project of the Black Press Institute and handled by XIGroup, a Web development firm co-owned by Joy Bramble, publisher of The Baltimore Times , an NNPA member publication." ^[5]

Membership [ edit ]

In 2023, the NNPA is composed of more than 160 African American newspapers in the United States and the Virgin Islands ^[6] with a combined readership that exceeds 15 million people.

References [ edit ]

External links [ edit ]

• National Newspaper Publishers Association web site
• NNPA history , NNPA website
• The Black Press: Soldiers Without Swords , PBS
• The Black Press: Soldiers Without Swords , California Newsreel
• Black Press History short article on the NNPA website
• Patrick Washburn , academic biography

Further reading [ edit ]

Books:

• Pride, Armistead S. and Clint C. Wilson II. A History of the Black Press . Howard University Press, 1997.
• Washburn, Patrick. A Question of Sedition: The Federal Government's Investigation of the Black Press During World War 2 . Oxford University Press. 1986.