By Ashlee Banks
Special to the AFRO
Members of Congress talk about the importance of Black media organizations like the AFRO and why it is consequential for Black publications to highlight stories impacting marginalized communities.
U.S. Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.-5) believes that since its inception, the AFRO has been a cornerstone in the Black community.
“Not only a publication, but a public service, the Afro newspapers gives voice to the people, shares important information and knowledge with folks who often don’t see the care and consideration afforded other news consumers,” Ivey told the AFRO.
He added that the AFRO’s “roots run deep in the Black community and has long provided nourishment for our community’s curious minds. It is a cornerstone in developing our sense of self-reliance, in politics, healthcare, the arts and many other areas of endeavor for people of color.”
John Henry Murphy Sr., a former slave, established the AFRO in 1892. He wanted to use the AFRO as a platform to share pictures and storytelling to advance the Black community and give people hope following the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863.
The publication is the longest running Black family-owned newspaper in the nation covering a wide variety of issues impacting the Black community including politics, arts & entertainment, foreign affairs, sports, business and more.
U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo (D-R.I.-1) told the AFRO that Black publications are in the best position to elevate Black voices and need to be preserved.
“Anyone doubting the importance of Black media and diversity in journalism only has to watch Donald Trump’s interview at the National Association of Black Journalists conference,” Amo told the AFRO.
Amo said the former Republican president “wasn’t expecting” the three Black reporters to hold him “accountable.”
The Democratic lawmaker is referring to the controversial discussion that took place on July 31 between ABC’s Rachel Scott, Fox’s Harris Faulkner, Semafor’s Kadia Goba and former President Donald Trump at the NABJ convention in Chicago. The three Black female journalists pressed Trump on his past remarks, key political issues and questions that Black voters have regarding his political record.
Lawmakers believe that Black publications will continue to play a pivotal role in delivering information to voters, especially during this election cycle where Vice President Kamala Harris has made history as the first Black and South Asian woman to run for the Oval Office.
“When journalists take on the task of writing the first draft of history, I hope it’s a draft that reflects the full depth and breadth of the American experience today,” said Amo. “I’m a strong supporter of elevating voices of color because if we don’t tell our stories, then no one will.”