HARLEM — The New York Amsterdam News remains a cornerstone of the Black press. The paper is now drawing from its storied history to secure its future in an evolving media world.
Publisher Elinor Tatum lists numerous instances when the newsroom advocated for its mostly minority audience. One notable example, she states, is the paper’s reporting on The Central Park Five case.
“We have been telling the stories other people will not tell, through our lens, through the lens of our community,” Tatum said.
“The Black press has remained resilient. These are multigenerational family-run enterprises determined to survive,” says AmNews Educational Foundation CEO Siobhan Bennett. She acknowledges the commitment and sacrifices of Tatum and her family over the years. “Thanks to extraordinary dedication, the Tatum family has sustained this building and covered all costs, but we’re now at a critical juncture.”
The Amsterdam News and many newspapers have struggled to keep their business footing. To help elevate some of the financial pressure, the paper is launching a preservation project. Tatum, Bennett and the paper’s staff are working with preservationists to transform the historic newsroom into a public gathering and education center. The goal is to make the Harlem building a historic landmark that celebrates the Amsterdam News’ work and the role of the Black press.
As the paper ends one chapter and begins the next, Tatum sees the project as “a way to preserve all of that and to tell the story of Black New York at the same time.”
