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List of African American newspapers in Washington, D.C. facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
New Era 1870-01-13
Inaugural issue of the New Era, January 13, 1870.
The Washington Bee
Issue of The Washington Bee from 1886.
The Washington Afro-American Newspaper Office Building
Former headquarters of the Washington Afro-American in the Fourteenth Street Historic District.
The Washington Informer dispenser (partially blocked)
Washington Informer vending box in 2018.

This is a list of African American newspapers that have been published in Washington, D.C. It includes both current and historical newspapers.

Although Washington was home to abolitionist papers prior to the American Civil War (1861-1865), the first known newspaper published by and for African Americans in the District of Columbia was the New Era, which Frederick Douglass launched in 1870.

Notable newspapers in Washington today include the Washington Afro-American and Washington Informer.

Newspapers

Title Beginning End Frequency Call numbers Remarks
The Washington Afro-American /
Washington Afro-American and Washington Tribune (1984–2015) / The Afro-American		 1932 or 1937 current Weekly
  • ISSN 0276-6523 0276-6523
  • LCCN sn92003332
  • for others, see Washington Afro-American
  • Official site: https://www.afro.com/section/news/washington-d-c-news/
  • Free online archive
  • Washington edition of the Baltimore Afro-American.
The Anacostia Grapevine 1991 ? Monthly
  • ISSN 1062-2985 1062-2985
  • LCCN sn9203239
  • Edited by Qevin Q. Weathersby.
The Washington Bee /
The Bee (1882–1884)		 1882 1922 Weekly
  • The Bee:
    • ISSN 2157-3298 2157-3298
    • LCCN 2014254321, sn84025890
  • The Washington Bee:
    • ISSN 1940-7424 1940-7424
    • LCCN 2008264012, sn84025891
  • Available online
Black Land News 1971? ? Bimonthly
Black Networking News 1989 ? Monthly newspaper
  • ISSN 1042-3842 1042-3842
  • LCCN sn89007999
  • Published by Donald Temple.
The Capital Spotlight 1954 ? Weekly
  • ISSN 0411-0137 0411-0137
  • LCCN sn8902958
  • Extant through at least 1997.
  • Billed as “Washington’s Oldest Black Weekly Newspaper.”
Capital Times 1948 ? Weekly
  • Extant through at least 1950.
The Grit 1883 1884 Weekly
  • LCCN 2012254013, sn84025892
  • Description based on: Vol. 1, no. 1 (Dec. 21, 1883); title from PDF masthead (Readex America's Historical Newspapers Web site, viewed Jan. 5, 2012).
  • Latest issue consulted: Vol. 1, no. 12 (Mar. 22, 1884) (viewed Jan. 5, 2012).
  • Published by W.B. Avery
The Washington City Tribune 1964? ? Weekly
The Colored American 1893 1904 Weekly
  • ISSN 1940-7416 1940-7416
  • LCCN 2007264048, sn83027091
The Columbia Sentinel 1896 ? Weekly
The Common Denominator 1998 2006 Biweekly
  • ISSN 1521-1517 1521-1517
  • LCCN sn98067631
  • Available online
  • Billed as "Washington's Independent Hometown Newspaper."
The Commoner 1875 1875 Weekly
  • Edited by George W. Williams.
The Communicator 1974? ? Bimonthly
Washington Daily American 1918? 1925? Daily except Sunday
  • Edited by Eugene Davidson.
  • Billed as the “Oldest Colored Daily in the United States.”
Washington Daily Sun 1968? ? Daily
  • Published by Eugene M. Gardner.
  • Billed as “Washington’s only daily Black newspaper.”
  • Extant through at least 1969.
Washington Eagle News 1993 or 1994 ? Bimonthly or monthly
  • Extant through at least 1997.
Washington Eagle: National Negro Weekly 1913? ? Weekly
  • Extant through at least 1927.
The Exodus 1880 ? Weekly
  • Published by J.D. Bagwell and G.W. Hardmond.
Washington Gaily News 1931? ? Weekly
  • Billed as a “[r]eview of fads and follies - a social and pleasure guide.”
  • Extant through at least 1958.
Grass Roots News 1970s 1974 Monthly newspaper
Washington Grit
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