The Revival of Frederick Douglass’ The North Star

In 1847, 172 years ago, Frederick Douglass and Martin Delany started The North Star as the leading abolitionist newspaper of the day. They spoke truth to power and unashamedly used journalism as a tool to fight for freedom.

Now, with the blessing and permission of the family of Frederick Douglass, activist and journalist Shaun King and his associate Ben Dixon are reviving The North Star. The new North Star will be published online and will generate podcasts, rather than produce a printed version.

The founders are not accepting venture capital funding or commercial support. The effort will be funded by the public. Basic memberships are $5 per month for students and $10 per month for the general public. The North Star had set a goal to have 25,000 members by the end of 2018 and 100,000 members by the end of 2019. But to date, there are less than 20,000 members.

Keisha Blain has been named editor in chief of The North Star. Dr. Blain currently teaches history at the University of Pittsburgh. She is the author of Set the World on Fire: Black Nationalist Women and the Global Struggle for Freedom (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018).

Dr. Blain holds a bachelor’s degree in history and Africana studies from Binghamton University in New York and a Ph.D. in history from Princeton University in New Jersey.

A video about the project can be viewed below.

 

Related Articles

3 COMMENTS

  1. As a former managing editor of the old Jet magazine, this venture excites me. I would be pleased to do what an old retiree can to help this venture described by Shaun King get up and running.

  2. OMG!! This is a great discovery for me at the beginning of 2020 with 20/20 clear vision. My father was the editor of one of the 1st black newspaper daily newspapers west of the Mississippi as I recall, and when we moved to Tennessee he had another newspaper. He was out there working for economic development of the black man or I guess at that time we were Negroes? I’m not sure what we were … anyway I know who I AM! I AM Mr. Edd Scott’s daughter! And the co-editor of our Scott-Brashears Family Newsletter and I want to take it to a different level this year. So it is very inspirational to find The North Star at this time. Incidentally, great name, The North Star… just resonates! Would you please kindly consider uploading the video about your project because there are millions of grant dollars for free speech that you can ask for. Soooo much currency floating around this universe… God bless!!

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

California State University Sacramento Launches Black Honors College

Officially launching for the fall 2024 semester, the Black Honors College will support students from all backgrounds who study Black history, life, and culture by providing them with a specialized curriculum and mentoring opportunities.

Higher Education Gifts or Grants of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

In Memoriam: Norman B. Anderson, 1955-2024

Dr. Anderson was the assistant vice president for research and academic affairs at Florida State University at the time of his death. He had an extensive career in clinical psychology, which led him to become the first African American chief executive officer of the American Psychological Association.

Georgia State University Launches Program to Support Black Women in Tech

While Black women account for roughly 29 percent of the Georgia State University undergradaute student body, they represent only 10 percent of the university's computer science majors and 18 percent of the computer information systems majors.

Featured Jobs