Publisher’s Note
The First Black Newspaper in West Virginia?
In my lifetime, JR Clifford has been credited as the publisher of the first Black newspaper in West Virginia, The Pioneer Press. Thanks to historian John Muller, we now know that Clifford bought the paper from an energetic and enthusiastic young entrepreneur, George Washington Welcome.
Both Clifford and Muller were contemporaries of Fredrick Douglass. Douglass is the center of Muller’s work that WVPB reported. Muller’s work is fascinating! I’m excited to participate in his Fredrick Douglass walking tour and honored that he is writing with BBG.
Read Muller’s article
Black history does not scratch the surface quickly. But, it must be called for. And, then, the great duty of remembering long enough to tell. For some stories,that can be centuries.
Muller is digging.
Read his latest tweet about THREE possible black papers before the Pioneer Press
The WV NDNP Newspaper Project Director and Curator of Rare Books & Printed Resources at West Virginia University Libraries, Stewart Plein, is also digging.
She has digitized West Virginias Black newspapers for the Library Of Congress for years. WVU is on its sixth NEH grant to digitize these archives. Plein and WVU are doing important work.
I recently visited the library, and Stewart reminded me that the collection is only as robust as what history could save. As a result, some history is only remembered, and the rest, like the McDowell Times 1920 editions, are lost.
I’m hopeful that more history will be found and remembered with Black By God’s interest and a growing community of readers who express interest in the history of West Virginia’s Black newspapers.
Muller is digging. WVU Libraries are digging. BBG is digging.
I welcome you to join in the search for the first Black newspaper and publisher in West Virginia.
~ Crystal
