Assembly Resolution No. 233
BY: M. of A. Zinerman
RECOGNIZING March 16, 2025, as Black Press Day
WHEREAS, For nearly two centuries, the Black Press has served as the
steadfast voice of the African American community, championing the fight
for freedom, justice, and equality since the publication of Freedom's
Journal, the first Black-owned and operated newspaper, on March 16,
1827, in New York City; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to recognize Sunday,
March 16, 2025, as Black Press Day; and
WHEREAS, When Black voices were silenced, the Black Press spoke
boldly, leading the charge against slavery, segregation, and racial
injustice, and providing a blueprint for resistance that helped shape
landmark legislation, including the Civil Rights Act and the Voting
Rights Act; and
WHEREAS, During the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Press
documented the struggle, risked life and livelihood to expose
state-sanctioned violence, and ensured that the world bore witness to
the courage of those demanding full citizenship and human dignity; and
WHEREAS, Today, Black journalists remain underrepresented in
mainstream media, comprising just 6% of all reporters, while Black media
continues to publish up to six times more coverage on critical issues
such as systemic racism, health disparities, voting rights, economic
justice, and police reform than traditional news outlets; and
WHEREAS, The Black Press has always been more than a news source-it
is a movement, a means of survival, and a catalyst for societal
transformation, shaping public opinion, empowering communities, and
holding power to account in ways that mainstream outlets have
historically failed to do; and
WHEREAS, In the modern digital era, technology and social media have
drastically changed how news is disseminated, often allowing
misinformation and bias to spread unchecked, making the role of the
Black Press even more crucial in ensuring that truth prevails and that
Black stories are told with accuracy, depth, and historical context; and
WHEREAS, Prominent Black journalists such as Joy Reid, host of The
ReidOut on MSNBC, and Roland Martin, founder of Roland Martin
Unfiltered, have utilized both traditional media and digital platforms
to challenge misinformation, expose racial injustice, and amplify the
voices of Black communities, proving that the fight for truthful,
equitable reporting remains as vital today as it was during the Civil
Rights Movement; and
WHEREAS, The Black Press remains essential in the current U.S.
political climate, a time of banned books, rising attacks on voting
rights, economic inequality, racial disparities in healthcare, and the
ongoing fight against mass incarceration, reinforcing its role as the
fourth estate that holds power accountable; and
WHEREAS, The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), often
referred to as the "Black Press of America," has played a critical role
in educating, equipping, and inspiring generations of Black Americans
with intelligence, diplomacy, and strategic thinking, ensuring that our
youth remain engaged in the pursuit of justice and equity; and
WHEREAS, The State of New York is home to several historic and
influential Black newspapers-including Our Time Press, The New York
Beacon, New York Amsterdam News, The Buffalo Criterion, Daily Challenge,
New York Carib News, and The City Sun- most of which continue to inform,
empower, and mobilize Black communities, despite systemic challenges to
their survival; and
WHEREAS, Black-owned newspapers and media outlets are at risk due to
shifts in advertising dollars away from community journalism, making it
imperative for the New York State government, businesses, and residents
to invest in and support Black media as a vital institution in
democracy; and
WHEREAS, The 2025 Black History Month theme, African Americans in
Labor, recognizes journalism as a noble profession and underscores the
sacrifices made by Black journalists to ensure that our stories,
struggles, and triumphs are never erased; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body calls on all New Yorkers to
recognize, support, and invest in the Black Press, ensuring its survival
and continued impact on our communities, our democracy, and our nation's
future; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
recognize March 16, 2025, as Black Press Day; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the following news organizations: Our Time Press, The New
York Beacon, New York Amsterdam News, The Buffalo Criterion, Daily
Challenge, and New York Carib News.
