The Early Black Press in America, 1827 to 1860

Denied its true place in history, the pre-Civil War black press was a forward looking, socially responsible press. Through her analysis of the content of black newspapers and magazines from the 1830s to the 1860s, Hutton not only presents a prism through which to view the social origins of black journalism in America, but also examines how this little-known ethnic press interfaced with the whole of journalism during the "dark ages" of the profession. This revisionist evaluation is a must for those interested in African-American cultural history.

FRANKIE HUTTON is Assistant Professor of Journalism and Communications and Adjunct Professor of History at Lehigh University, specializing in nineteenth-century African-American Studies. She has designed and taught courses in black history, journalism, and feature writing and has served as a senior writer/editor for the Mitre Corporation and for a government service school for chaplains.