1827 · THE BICENTENNIAL · 2027

Join us in launching TheBlackPress.com

November 10, 2026

Dear Publisher,

We pray this message finds you well, and we give thanks for your continued dedication to our people.

After the Midterms, we now stand on the precipice of the first African American Senator from Mississippi in 157 years — a mere generation and a half after the founding of Freedom’s Journal in 1827. During Reconstruction, Black newspapers mobilized voters and built the legislative support to elect Hiram Revels as the first African American U.S. Senator. In this election cycle, our Black newspapers once again mobilized voters, countered digital disinformation, and emphasized the real issues affecting the community.

THE INVITATION

As we approach the historic 2027 Bicentennial of the Black Press, we invite you to join us in launching TheBlackPress.com — a premier public front page and news aggregator for African American journalism designed to drive national exposure, boost site traffic, and grow your subscriber base at zero cost to you. TheBlackPress.com does not replace BlackPressUSA.com, but complements it.

WHAT YOUR PUBLICATION GETS

Every Story Links Home The platform functions as a national front page while respecting your independence. Readers explore headlines and featured stories, and every click routes directly back to your website.

Dedicated Branded Publisher Page Each publication receives its own custom page featuring your masthead, description, latest headlines, and direct “Subscribe” and “Donate” buttons so that new national readers convert into your local audience.

Weekly Sunday Newsletter Every Sunday, our newsletter will highlight stories from participating publishers and send national readers straight to your site.

Minimal Effort Required Joining requires no tech burden. Publishers simply contribute via a tag, RSS feed, or email, while other headlines are aggregated automatically.

Search Authority & National Reach Benefit from enhanced search engine authority and exposure alongside historic Black Press archives.

LIVE WITHIN 60 DAYS

You can be live within 60 days. All we need to begin is for you to join a 45-minute group onboarding session the week of November 16. If possible, please bring or delegate your web or tech person, since the main technical piece is your site’s RSS feed. After the session, we’ll collect your logo/masthead, a one-line publication description, and permission to feature your headlines with full attribution.

Two hundred years of the Black Press is too important a story for others to tell, and establishing our own distinct branded platform ensures that the Black Press protects its historic authority and legacy, safeguarding our voice against pretenders seeking to co-opt our identity and capitalize on our bicentennial.

Please fill out this form to schedule your onboarding session. We invite you to stand with us at the forefront of this initiative as we showcase the power, truth, and vitality of our institutions.

And if you have any questions, please feel free to email, text or call either of us. Our numbers are below.

May we fulfill all our Ancestors’ dreams, and May God bless you!