Page 6
(Ohsenu't
February 21, 2001
news.In 1901, he was the first
PORTLAND’S EARLY African American to attend a
AFRICAN AMERICAN Republican State Convention in
NEWSPAPERS: 1890s-1933 Oregon. Griffin published the
he New Age was es New Age until 1907 and was
tablished in 1896 by undoubtedly oneofthe most well-
owner and editor-pub known African American men
in who
the Western United States in
lisher Adolphus D. Griffin,
came to Portland from Spokane his time.
Probably the most influential
(where he published the Echo)',
he quickly assumed national and newspaper was the Advocate,
local prominence. Exchanging edited and published by the hus
news with the more than 40 band and wife team o f E.D. and
African American newspapers Beatrice Cannady. A four-page
throughout the U.S., the New weekly, the Advocate began
Age kept the local community publication in 1903, founded by a
informed about racial issues, group o f 10 men, most o f whom
can press.
The Power of the
Black Press in Oregon
Bv C athy G albraith for
T he P ortland O bserver
he African American
press has a rich his
tory beginning in 1827
T
with Freedom's Journal in New
York City , followed by The
Colored American (New York)
in 1837, and Martin Delaney’s
Mystery (Pittsburgh) in 1843.
AFFORDABLE
Delaney then joined Frederick
Douglass to begin publication o f
the most influential o f the earli
est newspapers. The North Star
in Rochester, NY in 1847. While
many people are familiar with
the later Chicago-D efender
and the Pittsburgh Courier,
T
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Open 7 Days a Week
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Sat. 9 am-6 pm
Sun. 10 am -6 pm
The office o f “The Advocate” with editor E.D. Cannady at the desk. (P hoto courtesy of OHS)
Portland has its own important
history in the African Ameri-
progress and challenges as well
as c o v e rin g “ m a in stre a m ”
HARTLEY OIL, INC
Celebrates Black History Month
were Portland Hotel employees,
E.D. Cannady was a founder
and Editor who had come
from St. Paul, Minnesota
where he worked at The
Appeal newspaper.
The Advocate quickly
became the primary source ’
o f local social news, along
with other regional and na
tional news o f interest to its
subscribers. In 1913, E.D.
Cannady married fellow-
Texan Beatrice M orrow
who had attended the Uni
versity o f C hicago and
taught school in Oklahoma.
Mrs. Cannady became the
A dvocate’s assistant edi
tor. Published each Satur
day, the Advocate grew to
sixteen pages by the 1920s.
In
1922, B e a trice
Cannady became the first
African American woman
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(503) 331-3442