Historic Black Publishers You Should Know
- Veronica Carr
- Aug 19
- 2 min read
Most of you are familiar with some of America’s largest book publishers: Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, and Harper Collins. But do you know about the Church Advocate Press, AME Book Concern, or the Afro American Company? These 3 historic Black owned publishing companies once produced everything from church hymnals and sermons to newspapers and books by leading figures in the 1800s and 1900s, such as #WEBDuBois, #EvangelistHelenaMason, and #BishopJamesAHandy, to name a few. .
Here are 3 hardcover books (two are the same book, different colored covers) from 3 different publishers:
1. Men of Maryland by Rev. George F. Bragg, Sr., 1914 (published by the Church Advocate Press of Baltimore, MD (Our archives has two copies: one with the brown cover and one with the blue cover). Bragg’s work is an overview of the lives and accomplishments of influential Black men in Maryland.
2. The Ethiopian’s Place in History by Rev. John W. Norris, 1916 (published by the Afro American Co of Baltimore, MD. Yes, the same Afro American Co that publishes the 133 year old Afro American Newspaper. This book explores the historical significance of Ethiopia and its people.)
3. Unwritten History by Bishop Levi J. Coppin, 1919 (published by the AME Book Concern of #PhiladelphiaPA. Coppin’s book delves into the rich, untold stories of Black heritage and achievements, offering readers insightful perspectives on history. Some might recognize his prominent wife, #FannyJacksonCoppin.
The Black press has always been instrumental the struggle for civil rights by providing a voice for Black writers, authors, editors, and poets, and documenting the struggles and achievements of the Black community. These 3 historic Black owned companies are just a sample of the Black Publishing collection within the Nanny Jack & Co Archives, showing the evolution of the Black press from the 1800s until modern day.
Courtesy of Nanny Jack & Co Archives
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