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Oral history interview with Moses J. Newson, 1971.

Creator: Newson, Moses J., 1927-
Project: Black Journalists Oral History Collection.
(see all project interviews)
Phys. Desc. :sound files : digital preservation master, WAV files (96kHz, 24 bit) Transcript 18 pages
Location: Columbia Center for Oral History
Full CLIO record >>

Biographical Note

Moses J. Newson was born in 1927 in Leesburg, Florida. Newson graduated from Lincoln University in 1952 with a B.A. in journalism and worked at the Tri-State Defender in Memphis until relocating to Baltimore in 1957. He worked at the Baltimore Afro-American Newspaper as a reporter, eventually becoming executive editor. He covered important moments in civil rights history, including the Emmett Till trial, desegregation in Little Rock, and Freedom Rides. Afterwards, he worked at the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (now the Department of Health and Human Services) until his retirement 1995.

Scope and Contents

In his 1971 interview conducted by Henry La Brie III, Moses J. Newson discusses the changes and successes of the black press despite mass production impacting smaller press outlets. He discusses the differences in how the black and white press report on police brutality, crime, and race. Newson explains the impact of daily newspapers and representation, as well as the expansion of the readership of the black press. He discusses objectivity in reporting, especially on issues relating to police brutality and public perception of reporting.

Subjects

Using this collection

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