#afro-americanaffairs

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Afro-American Affairs: communications and the media

Ohio University’s “Afro-American Affairs” newsletter began publishing in 1970, replacing the Black Studies Institute’s first newsletter, “The Black Bull.” “Afro-American Affairs” ran from 1970 to 1982, first published twice monthly as a tabloid newspaper and then only once per semester as a shorter newsletter. All issues can be found here in our Digital Archives, courtesy of Ohio University Archives: bit.ly/AfAmAffairs.

Common features in Afro-American Affairs were the goings-on of communications fields at Ohio University, including Black Communications Week, Black Student Communications Caucus, and women in journalism and the media.

When a Black journalism professor was hired in 1978, an article quoted the director of the school of journalism noting how important it was to have a Black professor in the school.

Several articles in Afro-American Affairs covered minorities, and especially women, in the media. One such article in 1981 was a profile on student Yvette McGee, BSJ ’82, who in 2011 became the first Black female justice on Ohio’s Supreme Court.

Articles recapped events on campus, like a Black media seminar, and promoted Black Communications Week. Photos from 1978 Black Communications Week here.

Although much that was written about communications focused on the university, discussions of national communications, like these articles in 1972, were also frequently seen in the newsletter.

Several articles discussed Black women in communications and women in the media.

There was a special edition of Afro-American Affairs in 1980 focusing on media at Ohio University.

Finally, the Black Student Communications Caucus (BSCC) at Ohio University received much coverage of its events and developments. BSCC was formed in 1973 “to provide a forum for interaction among Black students in the four schools of Communication.”

This article is part of a series celebrating Black history for Ohio University’s Black Alumni Reunion 2019 (#OHIOBAR2019). It was written by Olivia Bower, B.S. Journalism ’16 and M.Ed. ’20.

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Afro-American Affairs: ads

Ohio University’s “Afro-American Affairs” newsletter began publishing in 1970, replacing the Black Studies Institute’s first newsletter, “The Black Bull.” “Afro-American Affairs” ran from 1970 to 1982, first published twice monthly as a tabloid newspaper and then only once per semester as a shorter newsletter. All issues can be found here in our Digital Archives, courtesy of Ohio University Archives: bit.ly/AfAmAffairs.

Advertisements in Afro-American Affairs were often creative and publicized businesses and services that would not have necessarily been published elsewhere. These included Black beauty parlors, radio, and other Black-owned and -operated businesses in Athens.

Here is a selection of ads published 1971-1980 in the newsletter.

Raymond’s Afro-American Beauty Parlor, 1971

No Place to be Somebody, 1971

Sudan and Company: “We need each other,” 1972

Black Directions, 1974

The National Theater Company: Feelin’ Good, 1977

Hell’s Kitchen Bar-B-Q, 1977

Underdog Records, 1979

Side One Records and Tapes, 1980

This article is part of a series celebrating Black history for Ohio University’s Black Alumni Reunion 2019 (#OHIOBAR2019). It was written by Olivia Bower, B.S. Journalism ’16 and M.Ed. ’20.

[ohiou-digital-collections]

Afro-American Affairs: students, music, poetry

Ohio University’s “Afro-American Affairs” newsletter began publishing in 1970, replacing the Black Studies Institute’s first newsletter, “The Black Bull.” “Afro-American Affairs” ran from 1970 to 1982, first published twice monthly as a tabloid newspaper and then only once per semester as a shorter newsletter. All issues can be found here in our Digital Archives, courtesy of Ohio University Archives: bit.ly/AfAmAffairs.

Afro-American Affairs frequently published student features, poetry, music reviews, and rankings of albums.

Some features of students were short paragraphs with their pictures, like this page from 1977.

Others were simply highlights from activities that Black students participated in, like sports or the Marching 110.

Students were also featured in longer pieces, often based on an accomplishment, like these engineers or this mother who was a student.

Afro-American Affairs included Ohio Blue Tips, a few pages of literary work, in the April-May 1978 edition. There were also individual poems throughout the newsletter over the years.

This music review in 1982 discusses reggae and Bob Marley, about a year after his death.

Afro-American Affairs kept readers updated on recent record releases, too, and where they could buy them.

This article is part of a series celebrating Black history for Ohio University’s Black Alumni Reunion 2019 (#OHIOBAR2019). It was written by Olivia Bower, B.S. Journalism ’16 and M.Ed. ’20.

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Afro-American Affairs: important events during publication

Ohio University’s “Afro-American Affairs” newsletter began publishing in 1970, replacing the Black Studies Institute’s first newsletter, “The Black Bull.” “Afro-American Affairs” ran from 1970 to 1982, first published twice monthly as a tabloid newspaper and then only once per semester as a shorter newsletter. All issues can be found here in our Digital Archives, courtesy of Ohio University Archives: bit.ly/AfAmAffairs.

The newsletter served as an important resource for Black students at Ohio University, often publishing information about events on campus, events in the larger world, and even instances of racism in Athens.

Local news

In Athens news, Afro-American Affairs wrote about the union strike in 1971 and a Black student who filed a complaint against Athens County’s Welfare Department.

Incidents of racism in Athens were reported on several times.

The opening of the Lindley Hall Student Center was celebrated as a place for Black students to meet with the hope of bettering communication on campus. About six years later, another article was published, titled, “Lindley Student Center in Trouble Due to Lack of Support.”

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was first celebrated in 1986, but Ohio University students were part of the nationwide observation honoring him in 1976. Ohio University still held classes on this day. Afro-American Affairs recorded students observing the holiday in 1980 and 1981. Several pages of the newsletter were dedicated to Dr. King over the years.

Many university milestones, such as the first Black man to chair the Board of Trustees, new Black professors, and the increase of minorities on the Student Activities Board, were reported.

National news One of the first issues of the newsletter covered Angela Davis’ arrest and the indictment of the Kent State shooting victims. Angela Davis continued to be an important facet of the newsletter’s coverage, which included her 1975 visit to Ohio University.

Focused not solely on the political, Afro-American Affairs highlighted Henry “Hank” Aaron’s batting record as one of the most decorated of the time. Afro-American Affairs also kept its readers updated on the larger current affairs topics of the time, including the Vietnam War and different political movements.

International News

African liberation, assassinations, and events in South Africa were among the international news commented on by Afro-American Affairs.

For more local, national, and international news during publication of Afro-American Affairs, browse the online collection.

This article is part of a series celebrating Black history for Ohio University’s Black Alumni Reunion 2019 (#OHIOBAR2019). It was written by Olivia Bower, B.S. Journalism ’16 and M.Ed. ’20.

[ohiou-digital-collections]

Afro-American Affairs: homecoming pageants

Ohio University’s “Afro-American Affairs” newsletter began publishing in 1970, replacing the Black Studies Institute’s first newsletter, “The Black Bull.” “Afro-American Affairs” ran from 1970 to 1982, first published twice monthly as a tabloid newspaper and then only once per semester as a shorter newsletter. All issues can be found here in our Digital Archives, courtesy of Ohio University Archives: bit.ly/AfAmAffairs.

Black Homecoming appeared in Afro-American Affairs several times in the 1970s. The event, Ms. Black Homecoming Queen Pageant, was sponsored by the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and Black Student Cultural Programming Board. The winner of the pageant was the person who raised the most money for that year’s charity. The event began in 1975.

The pageant benefited the NAACP in 1976 and raised $2,260.

The next year, the pageant saw 15 candidates raising funds for the American Cancer Society for a total of $3,392.

Afro-American Affairs published features for each of the 11 candidates in the 1978 pageant, which raised funds to fight juvenile diabetes and was the last pageant featured in the newsletter.

The Black Homecoming celebration continued beyond the pages of Afro-American Affairs, as you can see from this 1980 poster and this photo of contestants in the 1990 Homecoming parade.

This article is part of a series celebrating Black history for Ohio University’s Black Alumni Reunion 2019 (#OHIOBAR2019). It was written by Olivia Bower, B.S. Journalism ’16 and M.Ed. ’20.

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Introduction to Afro-American Affairs

Ohio University’s “Afro-American Affairs” newsletter began publishing in 1970, replacing the Black Studies Institute’s first newsletter, “The Black Bull.” “Afro-American Affairs” ran from 1970 to 1982, first published twice monthly as a tabloid newspaper and then only once per semester as a shorter newsletter. All issues can be found here in our Digital Archives, courtesy of Ohio University Archives: bit.ly/AfAmAffairs.

According to a 1978 memo, the purpose of “Afro-American Affairs” was to “to inform, educate and give direction to Afro-Americans in their continuing struggle for liberation; … to offer solutions and suggestions to the pertinent issues which shape the lives of Afro-Americans; [to] stimulat[e] black self-awareness and self-pride; to act as an alternative news source to the O.U. community where Afro-Americans, Africans, and other Third World people have been excluded; [and] to provide a meaningful learning and working experience for those students pursuing journalism as a vocation.”

The newsletter covered everything from Angela Davis’ arrest in 1970…

...to the Black Student Center opening in Lindley Hall in 1975.

The newsletter richly supplements other Ohio University sources to paint a picture of Black history at the university. For example, this photo of students playing cards is found in Ohio University Archives - General, but from the article, we learn student and faculty opinions, as well as how the center was funded and what purpose it served.

Afro-American Affairs began as The Black Bull in 1969 and switched its name in 1970. The collection features 56 issues over the newsletter’s 12 years in print. It was born out of the Black Studies Institute, later renamed The Center for Afro-American Studies and then the Department of African American Studies in 1994. It is one of the oldest such programs in the United States. More information about the department’s history can be found here.

This article is part of a series celebrating Black history for Ohio University’s Black Alumni Reunion 2019 (#OHIOBAR2019). It was written by Olivia Bower, B.S. Journalism ’16 and M.Ed. ’20.