Writing Against the Algorithm: 199 Years of the Black Press
Black Press Week reminds us of the importance of voice, and the enduring beauty of words.
by E. Jackson
March 17, 2026 | 11:01am
Samuel Cornish (pictured left) and John Russworm (pictured right) founders of the Freedom Journal. (Public Domain/ Wikimedia)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This year marks the 199th anniversary of the Black Press, commemorating the founding of Freedom's Journal in New York City by Reverend Samuel Cornish, a minister and journalist of Delaware and John Russwurm, a Jamaican-born American abolitionist and newspaper publisher.
On Sunday, March 15, 2026, members of the Black Press will return to Washington, D.C. to gather for a conference highlighting prominent Black journalists, publishers, activists, and media leaders to honor the legacy, present work, and future of Black media.
Media, and who we receive it from, remains deeply important, especially in a time shaped by political tension and concentrated ownership. There remains a need to write against algorithms that too often serve corporate appetite, shaping what we see, and what we don’t.
Black Press Week (March 15 - March 21)
Black Press Week reminds us of the importance of voice, and the enduring beauty of words.
According to a recent article by AFRO News, event sponsors such as the Rev. William H. Lamar IV, pastor of Metropolitan AME Church, emphasized the responsibility of Black media to remain grounded in truth and justice. He noted that media is not neutral, but instead has the power to shape either a vision of shared humanity or one of exclusion and oppression.
As The Richmond Seen celebrates one year of cultivated creativity through culture, we remain committed to uplifting stories that move us closer to truth, while continuing to celebrate and protect the Black voice, and all voices.
You can read more about Black Press Sunday and its impact at AFRO News.com.
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