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The African American Press in World War II

Toward Victory at Home and Abroad

Paul Alkebulan

Black journalists have vigorously exercised their First Amendment right since the founding of Freedom's Journal in 1827. World War II was no different in this regard, and Paul Alkebulan argues that it was the most important moment in the long history of that important institution. American historians have often postulated that WWII was a pivotal moment for the modern civil rights movement. This argument is partially based on the pressing need to convincingly appeal to the patriotism and self-interest of black citizens in the fight against fascism and its racial doctrines. This appeal would have to recognize long standing and well-known grievances of African Americans and offer some immediate resolution to these problems, such as increased access to better housing and improved job prospects. 230 African American newspapers were prime actors in this struggle. Black editors and journalists gave a coherent and organized voice to the legitimate aspirations and grievances of African Americans for decades prior to WWII. In addition, they presented an alternative and more inclusive vision of democracy. The African American Press in World War II: Toward Victory at Home and Abroadshows how they accomplished this goal, and is different from other works in this field because it interprets WWII at home and abroad through the eyes of a diverse black press. Alkebulan shows the wide ranging interest of the press prior to the war and during the conflict. Labor union struggles, equal funding for black education, the criminal justice system, and the Italian invasion of Ethiopia were some of subjects covered before and during the war. Historians tend to write as if the African American press was ideologically homogenous, but, according to Alkebulan, this is not the case. For example, prior to the war, African American journalists were both sympathetic and opposed to Japanese ambitions in the Pacific. A. Philip Randolph's socialist journal The Messenger accurately warned against Imperial Japan's activities in Asia during WWI. There are other instances that run counter to the common wisdom. During World War II the Negro Newspaper Publishers Associationnot only pursued equal rights at home but also lectured blacks (military and civilian) about the need to avoid any behavior that would have a negative impact on the public image of the civil rights movement.
The African American Press in World War II explores press coverage of international affairs in more depth than similar works. The African American press tended to conflate the civil rights movement with the anti-colonial struggle taking place in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Alkebulan demonstrates how George Padmoreand W.E.B. Du Bois were instrumental in this trend. While it heightened interest in anti-colonialism, it also failed to delineate crucial differences between fighting for national independence and demanding equal citizenship rights in one's native land.

Lexington Books

Pages: 186 • Trim: 6⅜ x 9⅜

978-0-7391-9076-0 • Hardback • April 2014 • $120.00 • (£92.00)

978-0-7391-9563-5 • Paperback • March 2016 • $54.99 • (£42.00)

978-0-7391-9077-7 • eBook • April 2014 • $52.00 • (£40.00)

Subjects: History / Military / World War II, History / Social History, History / United States / 20th Century, Language Arts & Disciplines / Journalism

The African American Press in World War II

Toward Victory at Home and Abroad

Hardback

Paperback

eBook

Summary

Black journalists have vigorously exercised their First Amendment right since the founding of Freedom's Journal in 1827. World War II was no different in this regard, and Paul Alkebulan argues that it was the most important moment in the long history of that important institution. American historians have often postulated that WWII was a pivotal moment for the modern civil rights movement. This argument is partially based on the pressing need to convincingly appeal to the patriotism and self-interest of black citizens in the fight against fascism and its racial doctrines. This appeal would have to recognize long standing and well-known grievances of African Americans and offer some immediate resolution to these problems, such as increased access to better housing and improved job prospects. 230 African American newspapers were prime actors in this struggle. Black editors and journalists gave a coherent and organized voice to the legitimate aspirations and grievances of African Americans for decades prior to WWII. In addition, they presented an alternative and more inclusive vision of democracy. The African American Press in World War II: Toward Victory at Home and Abroadshows how they accomplished this goal, and is different from other works in this field because it interprets WWII at home and abroad through the eyes of a diverse black press. Alkebulan shows the wide ranging interest of the press prior to the war and during the conflict. Labor union struggles, equal funding for black education, the criminal justice system, and the Italian invasion of Ethiopia were some of subjects covered before and during the war. Historians tend to write as if the African American press was ideologically homogenous, but, according to Alkebulan, this is not the case. For example, prior to the war, African American journalists were both sympathetic and opposed to Japanese ambitions in the Pacific. A. Philip Randolph's socialist journal The Messenger accurately warned against Imperial Japan's activities in Asia during WWI. There are other instances that run counter to the common wisdom. During World War II the Negro Newspaper Publishers Associationnot only pursued equal rights at home but also lectured blacks (military and civilian) about the need to avoid any behavior that would have a negative impact on the public image of the civil rights movement.
The African American Press in World War II explores press coverage of international affairs in more depth than similar works. The African American press tended to conflate the civil rights movement with the anti-colonial struggle taking place in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Alkebulan demonstrates how George Padmoreand W.E.B. Du Bois were instrumental in this trend. While it heightened interest in anti-colonialism, it also failed to delineate crucial differences between fighting for national independence and demanding equal citizenship rights in one's native land.

Details

Lexington Books

Pages: 186 • Trim: 6⅜ x 9⅜

978-0-7391-9076-0 • Hardback • April 2014 • $120.00 • (£92.00)

978-0-7391-9563-5 • Paperback • March 2016 • $54.99 • (£42.00)

978-0-7391-9077-7 • eBook • April 2014 • $52.00 • (£40.00)

Subjects: History / Military / World War II, History / Social History, History / United States / 20th Century, Language Arts & Disciplines / Journalism

Author

Paul Alkebulan is a retired professor of American history at Virginia State University.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents
Acknowledgements…
Introduction…
Prologue…
Chapter 1…From Alabama to Abyssinia…
Chapter 2…The Saga of Dorie Miller…
Chapter 3…Over There…
Chapter 4…An End to Colonialism…
Chapter 5…Over Here…
Chapter 6…What We Fight For…
Epilogue…
Bibliography…

Reviews

The contributions of African Americans to WWII have often been neglected, as has the role of the black press. Retired historian Alkebulan provides a valuable addition to correcting this oversight. The black press was at its peak during WWII. There were 143 black-owned newspapers with a readership of more than 1.8 million. After the church, the black press was perhaps the most influential institution and opinion maker in the black community. Alkebulan traces the history of the black press and its role in both world wars. He also offers a superb synopsis of the contributions of blacks in WWII, from Dorie Miller (a black hero during the attack on Pearl Harbor), to the Tuskegee Airmen, to Ernest Wilkins (a black associate physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project), to black nurses. African Americans sought a double victory against fascism overseas and racism at home, even while fighting in a segregated military. WWII activism was exemplified by A. Philip Randolph's proposed march on Washington, which induced Franklin Roosevelt to issue an executive order banning discrimination by defense contractors receiving federal contracts. Outstanding. Summing Up: Essential. All levels/libraries.
— Choice Reviews

[This book] is a small but important step in recounting what is known about the black press during World War II. . . .It highlights the critical need for deeper analyses of the individual and collective efforts of black newspapers in the fight for racial equality. For this reason, Alkebulan's work is a noteworthy contribution to scholarship on the history of the black press.
— Journal of Southern History

This book provides a good overview of the black press in World War II. It would be an excellent choice as a reader for undergraduate history classes about that era.
— Patrick Washburn, Ohio University

Paul Alkebulan tells the story of World War II as seen through the lens of the black press. His briskly written narrative weaves together captivating stories to shed light on the nature of American democracy and the black struggle for inclusion in it. Using extensive excerpts from the leading black newspapers of the era, Alkebulan captures the voice of these ‘patriotic and intelligent’ but too-often ignored publications, and shows how they used the war to advance civil rights and to improve America.
— William G. Jordan, Philips Exeter Academy

The African American Press in World War II

Toward Victory at Home and Abroad

Paul Alkebulan

The African American Press in World War II

Toward Victory at Home and Abroad

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