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Newspaper Phoenix Tribune (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1918-193?

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About Phoenix Tribune (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1918-193?

The first African American newspaper in Arizona was the Phoenix Tribune, started by Arthur Randolph Smith in 1918. Smith was the managing editor for the entire run of the paper. He was also involved in the community and participated in local debates. The Arizona Republican praised the new newspaper, and subscription advertisements for the Phoenix Tribune regularly appeared in the Republican. In the early years of the newspaper, Helen Harper Vance was an assistant editor and contributing editor, writing editorials on topics like discrimination against African American nurses in the Red Cross and a regular column “Seen and Heard in Prescott.” In 1918, the Tribune held a contest for signing up new subscribers with the prize being a $35 diamond; the winner was a resident of Ajo, Arizona, attesting to the statewide reach of the newspaper.

In its March 1922 fourth anniversary issue, Smith wrote a front-page column about African American life in Phoenix. He noted that the most recent census reported the African American population in Arizona to be about 8,000 (2,000 of whom lived in Phoenix). The paper grew to include poetry, public documents, advertisements, opinion pieces, and church announcements. A special 32-page magazine supplement, Arizona American, was issued in December 1925 with extensive information about African American businesses, schools, professions, homeownership, and churches. The Tribune appealed to its readers to patronize businesses that advertise in the Tribune and to “spend your money where you are welcome.”

The Tribune published local, national, and international news, reporting on the repercussions of World War I and civil rights issues including segregation and laws against lynching. The paper featured stories of interest to the community, such as a profile of Dr. W. C. Hackett, the first African American licensed physician in Arizona who started the Booker T. Washington Memorial Hospital in Phoenix. It also contained news of community happenings and advertisements for local business. Significant articles included “Widow [Alice Dunbar Nelson, poet and activist] of Famous Poet will Engage in War Work” (September 14, 1918), “Second German War Probable” (February 1, 1919), “Blacks and Whites Clash in Chicago Race Riots” (republished from Associated Negro Press, June 28, 1919), and “Governor of Georgia Signs Anti-Lynching Measure” (October 18, 1919).

The newspaper’s slogans varied over the years and included “We originate – others imitate,” “Always improving,” “Arizona’s Greatest Weekly,” and “Arizona’s Leading Newspaper…Key to Happiness in 10,000 Homes.” The paper started out publishing weekly and varied in length from four to ten pages. Special issues were longer, from 12 to over 30 pages, filled with advertisements. By 1923, the newspaper was published less frequently, sometimes every other week, sometimes monthly, and eventually only every few months until it ceased publication sometime in 1931.

Research provided by the University of Arizona Libraries.

Provided By: Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records; Phoenix, AZ

About this Newspaper

Title

  • Phoenix Tribune (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1918-193?

Names

  • Smith, A. R. (Arthur Randolph), editor
  • Vance, Helen Harper. editor

Dates of Publication

  • 1918-193?

Created / Published

  • Phoenix, Ariz. : Tribune Pub. Co.

Headings

  • -  African Americans--Arizona--Newspapers
  • -  Phoenix (Ariz.)--Newspapers
  • -  Maricopa County (Ariz.)--Newspapers
  • -  African Americans
  • -  Arizona
  • -  Arizona--Maricopa County
  • -  Arizona--Phoenix
  • -  United States--Arizona--Maricopa--Phoenix

Genre

  • Newspapers

Notes

  • -  Monthly, -
  • -  Began in 1918?
  • -  Includes supplement: Arizona American, Booster ed. <1925>.
  • -  Editors: A. R. Smith, ; Helen Harper Vance, .
  • -  Archived issues are available in digital format from the Library of Congress Chronicling America online collection.
  • -  Description based on: Vol. 1, no. 20 (Aug. 3, 1918).

Medium

  • volumes : illustrations

Call Number/Physical Location

  • Newspaper

Library of Congress Control Number

  • sn96060881

OCLC Number

  • 35642959

ISSN Number

  • 2692-773x

Additional Metadata Formats

Availability

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress believes that the newspapers in Chronicling America are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions. Newspapers published in the United States more than 95 years ago are in the public domain in their entirety. Any newspapers in Chronicling America that were published less than 95 years ago are also believed to be in the public domain, but may contain some copyrighted third party materials. Researchers using newspapers published less than 95 years ago should be alert for modern content (for example, registered and renewed for copyright and published with notice) that may be copyrighted. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permissions ultimately rests with persons desiring to use the item.

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Phoenix Tribune Phoenix, Ariz. -193?. (Phoenix, AZ), Jan. 1 1918. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn96060881/.

APA citation style:

(1918, January 1) Phoenix Tribune Phoenix, Ariz. -193?. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/sn96060881/.

MLA citation style:

Phoenix Tribune Phoenix, Ariz. -193?. (Phoenix, AZ) 1 Jan. 1918. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/sn96060881/.