Edward Elder Cooper Explained

Edward Elder Cooper was a prominent early black publisher in the United States. He was born into slavery in Duval County, Florida on 10. June 1859, and died at the age of 49 on 9 July 1908.^[1]

Cooper was the publisher of the Indianapolis Freeman, starting in July 1888, then sold it in 1892.^[2]

Cooper then launched The Colored American in Washington, D.C. starting in 1893.^[3] Cooper allied the newspaper with Booker T. Washington, Mary Church Terrell, and generally with the Republican Party. The newspaper fell into debt and shut down in 1904.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Gatewood. W. B.. Edward E. Cooper, Black Journalist. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly. 1 June 1978. 55. 2. 269–324. 10.1177/107769907805500207. 145061486.
2. Book: Taylor, Jr., Robert M.. David J. Bodenhamer. Robert Graham Barrows. The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. https://books.google.com/books?id=bg13QcMSsq8C&pg=PA781. 5 April 2012. 1994. Indiana UP. 9780253312228. 781. Indianapolis Freeman.
3. Book: Ratzlaff, Aleen J.. David B.. Sachsman. S. Kittrell Rushing, Roy Morris, Jr.. Seeking a voice: images of race and gender in the 19th century press. 2009. Purdue UP. West Lafayette. 9781557535054. 131–140. Illustrated African American Journalism: Political Cartooning in the Indianapolis Freeman. https://books.google.com/books?id=qvchtbfW4FMC&pg=PA131.
4. Web site: About The colored American. (Washington, D.C.) 1893-19?? . .