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The Birmingham Times
front page of BT, August 15, 2020
Type Weekly newspaper
PublisherSamuel Martin
EditorBarnett Wright
Founded1964
Headquarters115 3rd Avenue West Birmingham, Alabama
Website birminghamtimes.com

The Birmingham Times is a weekly African-American newspaper published in Birmingham, Alabama.

History

The newspaper was founded in 1964 by Jesse Lewis Sr. in order to give the local Black community a greater voice during the civil rights struggle. [1] [2] Lewis wanted to provide an alternative to the News and Post-Herald, which only mentioned Black people in a negative light, and the Birmingham World, which Lewis felt only focused on discrimination. [3] The paper did not own its own printing press and sometimes struggled with getting their printer to print the paper because of its anti-segregation stance. [3] Lewis stated that he wanted the Times to be "committed to covering the fullness and totality of life, not just the controversial and political." [3]

The paper was sold to Lewis's son James in 1998 with Cheryl Eldridge staying on as the editor in chief. [4] [5] In 2019 the paper was sold to The Foundation for Progress in Journalism (FPJ), a non-profit created honoring Lewis, with the aim to promote minorities advancement in journalism. [1]

References

  1. ^ a b Poe, Kelly (January 29, 2016). "Birmingham Times sold to non-profit foundation, names new management". al. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  2. ^ Danky, James Philip; Hady, Maureen E. (1998). African-American newspapers and periodicals : a national bibliography. Mark Graham. Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press. p. 19. ISBN  978-0-674-00788-8.
  3. ^ a b c Cobb, Mark Hughes. "Jesse Lewis looks back on a life full of success". Tuscaloosa News. Gannett. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  4. ^ Diel, Stan (April 8, 2013). "Birmingham Times publisher James Lewis remembered as hard-working advocate for black community". al. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  5. ^ "Jesse Lewis Sr". 2020 Bicentennial Alabama African American History Book Site. December 23, 2014. Retrieved August 15, 2020.

External links