The Pittsburgh Courier celebrates 105 years as one of Americas’ best weekly papers’ serving the Black community.
Even though some historians list the Courier beginning as 1907 most historians as well as the Courier recognized it as 1910.
Even though most people think Robert L. Vann was the founder, actually it was Edward Nathaniel Harleston who founded the Pittsburgh Courier, with Vann building it into the largest Black newspaper in the country.
In 1909 after publishing a book of poems called “A Toilers’ Life,” Harleston decided he wanted to start a newspaper.
But he did not have the capital nor the experience to publish a newspaper alone. He then employed the help of a few co-workers, friends, family, business people in the community as well as church leaders. He sought the advice of Hepburn Carter and Edward Penman who suggested he talk to members of the Loendi Club, a social elite African-American men’s club.
Some of the big name businessmen were Cumberland Posey Sr., William Nelson Page, William Hance and Samuel Rosemound who would put together an investment team to publish the Pittsburgh Courier and create a board.
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