First Black, female newspaper publisher
of the Eagle, renamed it the
California Eagle and immediately
Caribbean L BQ ife, March 8–14, 2019 11
What the day actually signifies
is the hard-fought ability
women have traversed in order
to strive, survive and overcome
despite resistance and adversity.
The fact the day arrives at
the start of Women’s History
Month – and at the end of a
work week finds this Insider
obligated to spotlight a woman
who blazed a trail for her race
and gender in journalism.
Her name is Charlotta Bass.
And if the name does not
resonate with familiarity, part
of the reason is that schools
continue to educate without
inclusion of diverse and accurate
attention to historical documentation.
Perhaps, the names Joseph
Pulitzer, William Randolph
Hearst, Rupert Murdoch, Hugh
Hefner and other white, male
media entrepreneurs, represent
publishers well-documented
for their enterprising and even
brilliant contributions to an
industry which begged attention
in various genres.
Bass is neither white nor
male, she is a double minority
who toiled in her profession but
never acquired the publicity nor
wealth her counterparts did.
She was Black and not only
reported news but published
her own newspaper.
Perhaps the fact she was
Black might have disqualified
her mention in text books.
However, the Sumter, South
Carolina born, Black woman
who lived to age 95 and died
in 1969 emerged the very first
African American woman publisher
of a newspaper in the
United States.
That she envisioned a Black
press devoted to empowerment
of a designated, segregated
group must have been unimaginable
to the haughty, males
– Black and Caucasian – who
decided credible or fake news.
In 1912 she took control
Imagine one day devoted to
celebrating women their gender.
Not Mothers’ Day -- which
excludes a segment who might
be childless or motherless but
a single calendar day half the
species are able to exalt with
pride the power of being female
and the endless opportunities of
claiming entitlement to a myriad
of social, economic, political
and cultural privileges.
That day is here.
It is March 8, a date globally
recognized as International
Women’s Day.
First celebrated here in 1908
with a march of unity by 1500
women, globally now many
more encourage employers to
laud outstanding workers with
either tangible or intangible
tokens of appreciation and offer
niceties of encouragement.
As a matter of fact, in more
than a few countries March 8 is
an official holiday.
Women are known on that
date to caucus for gender parity,
empower other women,
celebrate the achievements of
women in the workplace and
many display solidarity by
wearing the color purple.
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This document was developed under grant CFDA 93.778 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.14001
revamped the pages to
spotlight police brutality, white
supremacy, the Ku Klux Klan,
discrimination in housing,
employment, education, immigration,
unfairness in media
and even highlighted atrocities
in South Africa related to
apartheid.
She championed the causes
of women and advocated for
Black-owned businesses.
Truth be told she successfully
executed her job voicing
the concerns of the voiceless
by advocating as a Civil Rights
activist.
Catch You On The Inside!
Charlotta Bass
Inside Life
By Vinette K. Pryce