New Pittsburgh Courier?A Precious National Resource   September 8, 2003

The New Pittsburgh Courier is one of the oldest and most prestigious Black newspapers in the United States, with a rich and storied history. Pittsburgh attorney and journalist Robert L. Vann founded the Pittsburgh Courier in 1910. At a time when mainstream newspapers would not or could not solve the problems of the Black community or report news without bias, the Courier served as an alternative voice for Black Americans, focusing on issues that aroused awareness in a community just beginning to find its voice.

The Courier, covering news around the world reached an all time high circulation of 450,000 with over 400 employees in 1948. In 1966 John H. Sengstacke purchased the newspaper and renamed it the New Pittsburgh Courier. It became part of Sengstacke Newspapers (now Real Times, Inc.) - the largest and most influential Black newspaper chain in the country - which also includes the Chicago Daily Defender, Michigan Chronicle, Michigan Front Page and (Memphis) Tri-State Defender.

Today the New Pittsburgh Courier continues to serve as a vehicle for Black expression, now publishing Award-Winning local editions twice a week on Wednesday and Saturday serving southwestern PA and a new online version www.newpittsburghcourier.com offering timely news, commentary, sports, entertainment and other information of interest to the African American Community.