All 350 issues of “The Frederick Douglass Voice,” one of the longest-running Black newspapers in New York, are now available digitally. The newspaper was in operation from 1933 – 1996.
These papers are now viewable and available to the public as part of the Howard Wilson Coles Collection, housed by the Rochester Museum & Science Center.
Coles published and distributed the newspaper throughout Western New York and at its apex circulation reached approximately 10,000 copies. Throughout the newspaper’s life, he worked as a real estate agent, insurance sales agent, and court attendant to earn enough money to support the publication of the newspaper.
The digitalization was made possible through a grant from the Rochester Regional Library Council and in partnership with the Rochester Public Library’s Local History & Genealogy Division.
Issues of “The Frederick Douglass Voice” are available on the RMSC Collections website.
