The Charleston Chronicle
{{Short description|American newspaper}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox newspaper
| name = The Charleston Chronicle
| type = Weekly newspaper
| image = The Charleston Chronicle logo.png
| owners =
| founder = James J. French
| publisher = Tolbert Smalls
| editor = Damion Smalls
| foundation = {{start date and age|1971|08|19}}
| ceased publication = 2021
| headquarters = {{ubl|1111 King Street|Charleston, South Carolina 29403}}
| publishing_city = Charleston
| publishing_country = United States
| circulation = 6,000
| circulation_date =
| circulation_ref =
| ISSN = 0746-1429
| oclc = 28446174
| website = {{URL|charlestonchronicle.net}}
}}
The Charleston Chronicle was a weekly newspaper serving the African-American and Black communities in Charleston, South Carolina. The paper was founded in 1971 by James J. French{{Cite news |title=About The Charleston chronicle. (Charleston, S.C.) 1971-1993 |work=Chronicling America |publisher=Library of Congress |url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn93067867/ |access-date=2020-10-28}} and it ceased publication shortly after his death in 2021.{{Cite web |last=Parker |first=Adam |date=2021-10-07 |title=Charleston Chronicle no longer publishing after 50-year run serving Black community |url=https://www.postandcourier.com/news/charleston-chronicle-no-longer-publishing-after-50-year-run-serving-black-community/article_1ca906c4-27aa-11ec-92eb-e72c4f925e50.html |access-date=2023-12-03 |website=The Post and Courier |language=en}}
The paper was a member of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), a trade group of more than 200 Black-owned media companies in the United States.{{Cite web|date=2016-07-18|title=Current Members|url=https://nnpa.org/current-members/|access-date=2020-10-28|website=NNPA|language=en-US}} Its estimated circulation is 6,000 copies in 2020.{{Cite web|title=Charleston Chronicle newspaper in Charleston South Carolina - MondoTimes.com|url=https://www.mondotimes.com/1/world/us/40/2237/24514|access-date=2020-10-28|website=www.mondotimes.com}} Damion Smalls was the paper's editor and Tolbert Smalls was the publisher as of 2018.{{Cite web|title=Four decades on, The Chronicle continues to fight injustice, indifference, and gentrification|url=https://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/story/four-decades-on-the-chronicle-continues-to-fight-injustice-indifference-and-gentrification?oid=17128277 |date=4 April 2018 |first=Adam |last= Manno |access-date=2020-10-28|website=Charleston City Paper}}
History
James J. French moved from Kansas City to Charleston, South Carolina, in the 1960s, while in the Navy. After serving in Vietnam, receiving the Bronze Star Medal and a Presidential Citation, he retired from the Navy in 1969, and began publishing The Charleston Chronicle on August 19, 1971.{{Cite web|title=Community Celebrates The Career of Jim French|url=https://www.charlestonchronicle.net/2016/10/26/community-celebrates-the-career-of-jim-french/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031074648/https://www.charlestonchronicle.net/2016/10/26/community-celebrates-the-career-of-jim-french/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=October 31, 2020|access-date=2020-10-28|website=The Charleston Chronicle|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=2011-2012 Bill 1418: James J. French Intersection - South Carolina Legislature Online|url=https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess119_2011-2012/bills/1418.htm|access-date=2020-10-28|website=www.scstatehouse.gov}} In 2012, the South Carolina Senate honored James J. French's contributions to South Carolina, including the founding of The Charleston Chronicle, by renaming the juncture of U.S. Route 17 and Magnolia Road in Charleston, the "James J. French Intersection". French published the paper weekly for 45 years consecutively. Because of his contributions through the newspaper, James French received South Carolina’s highest civilian award, the Order of the Palmetto, and the city of Charleston proclaimed October 22 as "Jim French Day". James French died at the age of 94 on July 31, 2021.{{Cite web|title=James French, founder of The Charleston Chronicle, dies at 94|url=https://www.postandcourier.com/news/james-french-founder-of-the-charleston-chronicle-dies-at-94/article_704d62dc-f3a4-11eb-8e44-738bb647f9a6.html|access-date=2021-12-04|website=www.postandcourier.com|date=2 August 2021 }}
The paper was handed over to Tolbert Smalls Jr., James J. French's grandson,{{Cite web|title=2015-2016 Bill 5496: Tolbert Smalls, Jr. - South Carolina Legislature Online|url=https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess121_2015-2016/bills/5496.htm|access-date=2020-10-28|website=www.scstatehouse.gov}} and Damion Smalls, Tolbert's brother, in 2016.{{Cite web|title=Catalyst Member Spotlight: The Charleston Chronicle|url=https://lowcountrylocalfirst.org/catalyst-member-spotlight-the-charleston-chronicle/|access-date=2020-10-28|website=Lowcountry Local First|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Smalls brothers to take over Chronicle|url=http://charlestonscclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Tattler-Vol-92-4-1-2016.pdf|website=Charleston Club Tattler}} In 2016, the South Carolina General Assembly recognized Tolbert Smalls Jr. "for his significant contributions in bringing indispensable news to the African-American community in Charleston, Dorchester, and Berkeley counties".{{Cite web|title=2015-2016 Bill 5496: Tolbert Smalls, Jr. - South Carolina Legislature Online|url=https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess121_2015-2016/bills/5496.htm|access-date=2020-10-28|website=www.scstatehouse.gov}}
In March 2020, The Chronicle’s office on King Street was vacated at the onset of COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2021, the newspaper produced its last edition. The website was disabled shortly after the death of founder James J. French. At some point the website went back online and is assessable as of Dec. 3, 2023.
Notable coverage
In 2016, long-time Charleston Chronicle reporter Barney Blakeney was quoted by NPR for a story about the retirement of long-time Charleston mayor, Joe Riley. Blakeney criticized the retiring mayor, who oversaw a revitalization of the city but with benefits not equally distributed among racial groups. Blakeney said, "Today as he leaves office, the city of Charleston is 70 percent white. Joe Riley totally flipped the racial demographics in Charleston during his 40-year tenure."{{Cite web|title=One Of America's Longest-Serving Mayors Steps Down|url=https://www.npr.org/2016/01/09/462400074/americas-longest-serving-mayor-steps-down|access-date=2020-10-28|website=NPR.org|language=en}}
Malcolm Graham, brother of Cynthia Hurd, who was murdered by Dylann Roof at the Emanuel AME Church, wrote an op-ed in The Charleston Chronicle in 2015.{{Cite web|title=The Charleston Chronicle - August 19, 2015|url=https://2152.newstogo.us/editionviewer/default.aspx?Edition=830b5d4d-8d65-482f-9a4f-f3b7ca903656&Page=264a3596-e505-4ad4-bfef-1b67379cf30e|access-date=2020-10-28|website=2152.newstogo.us}} The op-ep, titled "My Sister Was Killed in the Charleston Church Shooting. Removing the Confederate Flag Isn't Nearly Enough", arguing that "Ultimately, the flag is just a symbol. Its removal must be the beginning of bigger reforms that empower America’s African Americans."{{Cite web|title=What It Takes to Forgive a Killer|url=https://time.com/time-magazine-charleston-shooting-cover-story/|access-date=2020-10-28|website=Time}}
The Secret Gumbo Grove, an award-winning children's book written by Eleanora E. Tate, was based on a three-part story she published in The Charleston Chronicle.{{Cite book|title=Thank You, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.!|isbn=0440414075|last1=Tate|first1=Eleanora E.|year=1997|publisher=Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers }}
In 2019, Mayor Pete Buttigieg wrote an op-ed in newspaper, outlining his Douglass Plan.{{Cite news|last=Wang|first=Amy B.|title=Buttigieg details 'Douglass Plan' for black Americans|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/07/11/buttigieg-details-douglass-plan-black-americans/|access-date=2020-10-28|issn=0190-8286}} Buttigieg was one of two presidential candidates at the time who published campaign ads in that paper.{{Cite web |last=Bailey |first=Steve |date=January 5, 2020 |title=Steve Bailey: Why Mayor Pete and the others should 'invest' in SC's black newspapers |url=https://www.postandcourier.com/opinion/commentary/steve-bailey-why-mayor-pete-and-the-others-should-invest-in-sc-s-black-newspapers/article_db524d30-2d90-11ea-9032-3f0d6971904e.html |access-date=2020-10-28 |website=Post and Courier |language=en}}
Awards
In 2017, Nanette French Smalls received a Legacy Award from the Sister Summit Foundation for her role at the paper.{{Cite news|last=Yee |first=Gregory |title=Sister Summit Foundation presents Legacy Awards to 8 women of color|url=https://www.postandcourier.com/news/sister-summit-foundation-presents-legacy-awards-to-8-women-of-color/article_55e18e26-3771-11e7-bb83-e3444be9aa6d.html|access-date=2020-10-28|date=12 May 2017 |work=The Post and Courier}} Legacy Awards are given to recognize the work of women of color in the Charleston community.
Also in 2017, The Charleston Chronicle received The Corporate Lifetime Achievement Award from the Charleston Branch NAACP.{{Cite news|last=Parker |first=Adam |title=Charleston NAACP branch celebrates 100 years |url=https://www.postandcourier.com/news/charleston-naacp-branch-celebrates-100-years/article_0c61b310-9d7f-11e7-a1c8-573959ef2b42.html|access-date=2020-10-28|work=The Post and Courier|date=21 September 2017}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|https://www.charlestonchronicle.net/}}{{dead link|date=March 2022}}
- {{LCCN8|sn93067968|chronicling=yes}}
{{African American press}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Charleston Chronicle, The}}
Category:1971 establishments in South Carolina
Category:African-American history in Charleston, South Carolina
Category:African-American newspapers
Category:Mass media in Charleston, South Carolina
Category:Newspapers published in South Carolina
Category:Newspapers established in 1971