Magazines have long served as vital sources of information, entertainment, and cultural reflection. For the African American community, magazines have played a particularly significant role, providing platforms for representation, celebration, and empowerment. From historical publications that documented the struggles and triumphs of the Civil Rights era to contemporary magazines that highlight the achievements and aspirations of Black professionals and entrepreneurs, these publications have shaped the narrative and amplified the voices of African Americans.
As literacy rates increased in the 19th and 20th centuries, magazines increasingly began to focus on niche topics. At the same time, however, the news and commentary on the news have been the mainstay of many magazines going back to the seventeenth century and beyond. Generally speaking, however, American news was focused chiefly on white Americans, and the perceived audience of news was the white middle class. Until the Johnson Publishing Company, advertisements - the lifeblood of the magazine business - did not substantially feature Black people or address Black audiences. With the success of Ebony in the 1940s, however, this started to change, especially when it became clear that there was a largely untapped market of potential magazine buyers.
Here's a look at some of the top African American magazines that have made a significant impact:
Historical Pillars
These magazines laid the foundation for Black representation in media, documenting history and culture while providing a platform for important voices.
Ebony
Cultural and lifestyle magazine founded in 1945 by John H. Johnson, spotlighting Black life, achievement, and entertainment. Like most magazines produced by the Johnson Publishing Company, Ebony imitated white magazines on similar topics, just with a Black-centric focus rather than a white-centric one. It was designed in the mold of Life, the general-interest news and photo magazine founded in 1882 known for its high-quality photography. Until the late 1960s, Ebony largely eschewed activist writing or news and instead glorified the middle-class lifestyle that some Black people were able to achieve, with the implicit assumption that middle-class Blacks would help elevate their poorer brethren. This earned the magazine criticism from Black journalists and some of the more militant Black activist groups in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, though it remained popular with Black audiences in general. Nevertheless, the magazine’s advertisements featured Black rather than white models - Johnson having convinced white companies to advertise directly to Black consumers - and later issues included essays by Martin Luther King, Jr., Carl T.
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The front cover of Ebony, vol. 8, no. 5 features articles about underage marriages, a Black-owned bus company in Washington D.C., the Black singer Better McLaurin, and the fashions of 1953. Also included is an article by the white jazz and blues singer Johnnie Ray about the Black roots of his music. The magazine also includes recipes, including a “Mardi Gras macaroni and cheese” (incorporating pimiento and green peppers), and a review of an amusement park in Florida. Together with Jet, Ebony was the foundation of the Johnson Publishing Company’s success. It ran from November 1945 until May 2019, at which point it shut down for a few years and relaunched in 2023 as an exclusively online publication.
Jet
Iconic magazine founded in 1951 by John H. Johnson, covering news, culture and entertainment in Black America. Jet was the Johnson Publishing Company’s answer to Fleur Cowles’ Quick, the small weekly newsmagazine designed to fit into a man’s shirt pocket or a woman’s purse. Quick ran from May 23, 1949 until June 1, 1953; Jet outlasted it by a considerable margin, running in print from November 1, 1951 until June 23, 2014 before transitioning to a digital format. Like Quick, the magazine was deliberately pocket-size: before 1970, it was 4" by 6" (10.2 cm by 15.2 cm); later issues were 5" by 8" (12.7 cm by 20.3 cm). Jet came out on a weekly basis and featured entertainment and national news coverage. It was commonly sold in small community liquor stores, barber shops and bodegas, achieving an average ciruclation of 900,000.
The 1969 issue includes articles on the ouster of Black appointees to federal agencies under the new Nixon administration and boycotts to advocate for the recently assassinated Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday to become a national holiday. Supreme Court ruling in Ham v. South Carolina that white jurors could be asked about possible racial prejudice, and the recently deceased Lyndon B.
Additionally, Ebony and Jet’s archive (consisting of 3.35 million negatives and slides, 983,000 photographic prints, 166,000 contact sheets, and 9,000 audio and visual recordings) was jointly acquired in 2019 by the Smithsonian Institution, the J. Paul Getty Trust, the Ford Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the John D. And Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
The Crisis
Official magazine of the NAACP, founded in 1910 by W. E. B. Du Bois.
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Sepia
Sepia was a competitor of Ebony that was published in Fort Worth, Texas, from 1946 until 1983. It was first published under the title Negro Achievements, then as Sepia Records, and finally as Sepia from 1954 onwards. Unlike the more cheerful Ebony, Sepia was sometimes harder-hitting, especially in its coverage of American race relations, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. While founded and staffed by Black Americans, for most of its existence Sepia was owned by the Jewish businessman George Levitan.
This issue of Sepia was published after George Levitan’s death, when the magazine once again was under Black management (it had just been bought by N. Gregory Young), and includes a letter from the editor Clint Wilson III about changes that the reader might notice in the new Sepia, as well as a manifesto of what readers could expect. The magazine features movie and theater reviews, a piece on NC Mutual, an interview with Qunicy Jones, excerpts from the letters of Booker T. Sepia was always overshadowed by Ebony and eventually was shuttered in 1983, just a few months after this issue came out. Unfortunately, nearly all records related to the magazine were destroyed when it closed down, although some materials survive at the Chicago Public Library, the University of Texas at Arlington, Columbia University, and the University of Texas at Austin.
Emerge
Emerge was a news magazine in the mold of Time and Newsweek, launched by Wilmer C. The magazine focused explicitly on Black news and issues related to Black heritage. Emerge won numerous awards, but suffered from low circulation and became unprofitable.
Contemporary Voices
These magazines continue to shape the narrative, providing platforms for Black professionals, entrepreneurs, and creatives.
A History of Black Stereotypes Onscreen
Essence
Magazine and media company dedicated to Black women, first published in 1970. First created in 1970, Essence provides black women with news and information on entertainment, social, and business topics pertaining to them.
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Black Enterprise
Business media brand founded in 1970 by Earl G. Graves Sr., focused on entrepreneurship, careers, and wealth building. Black Enterprise magazine is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans.
The Network Journal
Business magazine for Black professionals and entrepreneurs, founded in 1993 and published quarterly.
Upscale
Lifestyle magazine serving a stylish, upwardly mobile Black audience, founded in 1989 by publisher Bernard Bronner.
Vibe
Music and culture brand founded in 1993 by Quincy Jones (with David Salzman), with a focus on hip-hop, R&B and the artists shaping those scenes.
XXL
Hip-hop magazine launched in 1997, now published by Townsquare Media.
Specialized Publications
These magazines cater to specific interests and segments within the Black community.
African American Golfer's Digest
Quarterly print magazine and online platform founded in 2003 by publisher Debert Cook.
Atlanta Tribune
Business-lifestyle publication focused on Atlanta’s Black business community, covering entrepreneurship, careers and generational wealth-building. This publication is Atlanta's No. 1 business lifestyle publication and Black Atlanta's leading source for relevant, thought-provoking news and information on business and wealth-building.
Black MBA
Official magazine of the National Black MBA Association, covering leadership, career advancement and entrepreneurship.
Cuisine Noir
Culinary lifestyle outlet connecting the African diaspora through food, drink and travel.
Heart and Soul
Health and wellness publication centered on women of color, covering fitness, nutrition, prevention and lifestyle.
American Legacy
Quarterly magazine founded in 1995 by Rodney J. Reynolds (originally in partnership with Forbes) devoted to African-American history and culture.
Monarch
Luxury lifestyle title centered on affluent Black readers, covering culture, style, travel and business.
Digital Platforms
These online magazines and platforms offer a diverse range of content, catering to the digital generation.
Blavity
Aimed at black millennials, Blavity covers the latest news, including culture, justice, technology and more.
Cocoa Butter by BuzzFeed
Cocoa Butter highlights how black culture is pop culture and discusses everything happening on the Internet around it.
NBCBLK
NBCBLK tells “stories by, for and about the black community” with the goal of “elevating America’s conversation about black identity, politics & culture today.”
OprahMag.com
Launched this past fall, OprahMag.com helps women live their best lives through the lens of Oprah and her BFF (editor-at-large) Gayle King.
The Root
The Root “provides an unflinching analysis of important issues in the black community through insightful and savvy commentary from black thought-leaders.”
Shadow & Act
Shadow & Act spotlights the latest in black entertainment, including content around the rising directors, actors, writers and producers of tomorrow.
Shondaland
Created by Shonda Rhimes, Shondaland covers topics that entertain, inspire and overall help women live their life as the lead character in their own story.
Travel Noire
Travel Noire empowers travelers to go on the journey of their dreams by providing them with the tools and resources they need.
MadameNoire
Digital lifestyle site for Black women launched in 2010 by Moguldom Media Group.
1966 Magazine
Digital magazine at 1966mag.com focused on beauty, fashion, and luxury lifestyle content for women of color.
HBCU Connect
Networking and career platform for HBCU students and alumni, founded in 1999 by William R. Moss III and E. Shawn Starks.
Business and Career-Focused Publications
These publications cater to the professional development and entrepreneurial aspirations of African Americans.
DiversityComm
DEI-focused media company whose titles include Black EOE Journal and other nationally distributed magazines.
Black Business News
This online publication and newsletter empowers Black entrepreneurs by promoting relevant news, success stories, and other valuable resources that stimulate entrepreneurship in African American communities.
Black EOE Journal (BEOEJ)
The Black EOE Journal (BEOEJ) is the African American career and business epicenter of information!
Believe it or not, there are hundreds of Black business magazines - that is, business-focused magazines that target African American readers. There are also many publications that are focused on professional career development. Some are local, some are national, and some are even international. Many are even available as digital publications via your laptop, tablet or smartphone.
These magazines, both past and present, represent a powerful legacy of Black media, providing platforms for information, inspiration, and empowerment. They have played a crucial role in shaping the cultural landscape and amplifying the voices of the African American community.
