Black-owned newspaper firebombed Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit Thu, 29 Jan 1998 11:34:52 -0500 source:Lara Johnson BLACK-OWNED NEWSPAPER KNOWN FOR TOUGH JOURNALISM FIREBOMBED By GINA HOLLAND, Associated Press Writer JACKSON, Miss. (January 27, 1998 08:43 a.m. EST) -- A firebombing at a black-owned newspaper known for its battles with local officials has left the newsroom a charred shell and the publisher wondering if authorities will help. Jackson Advocate publisher Charles Tisdale said Monday's attack came three days after an anonymous caller threatened to kill him. "I'm not going to be intimidated," said Tisdale, adding that the weekly newspaper had been vandalized or bombed more than 20 times since he took over in the late 1970s. "I'm not afraid." Tisdale said authorities have ignored past reports of vandalism and drive-by shootings, and he doesn't expect them to pursue this case. Stories in the Advocate have criticized a number of public officials, including Jackson's new mayor, Harvey Johnson, and City Councilman Louis Armstrong. "We always handle controversial subjects," Tisdale said. "It's hard to tell where attacks come from." Authorities said the door of the building was kicked in and gasoline may have been used to douse furniture and papers before two homemade bombs were thrown inside. Flames melted computers and destroyed cameras, books and art in a first floor newsroom. Tisdale, 67, said there was $100,000 in damage. Tisdale's wife, Alice, carried soot-covered files from the two-story brick building. She said it reminded her of a darker period in the country's history. "It's like times past, but they're back again," she said. "People are supposed to have moved past that." Stephanie Parker-Weaver, a spokeswoman for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Mississippi, called it "a hate crime of the highest order." Finding a suspect may be difficult because of the wide array of possible motives, said Vernon Hughes, a fire investigator who referred to stories published in the newspaper. "It could be one article. It could be two articles. It could be a past article. It might have been a lead on a future article," he said. The newspaper, founded in 1939, has a circulation of 7,400 and 26 employees. Freda Lewis, a Jackson State University journalism professor who did her master's thesis on the Advocate, said it was founded in 1939 as a news source for black Mississippi residents. "During the 1960s, it was constantly targeted. In the 1970s, there were various acts of violence. Bricks were thrown through windows. Other tactics were used to intimidate," she said. Tisdale said he had some insurance on the contents of the building, and production will be temporarily moved. He said the Advocate has never missed an edition and "will always be here." Copyright 1998 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. * * * We should all come to the rescue and support this publication workingright on the frontlines. And believe me, they are one of the few truly independent media outlets left. They are most in need of computer equipment (hardware and software), cameras, film, office supplies and, of course, cash. Please send any donations to: THE ADVOCATE 327 Eastview Street Jackson, MS 39209 (601) 948-4122 in solidarity, Lara +======================================================+ |>> http://www.amandla.org <<>> ljohnson@amandla.org <<| +------------------------------------------------------+ | Masakhane - South African 'Nation Building' | | OSEPP-Org' for Sensible & Effective Prison Policy | |GMPPJ-Grassroots Movements Promoting Peace and Justice| +======================================================+ +-+ sent by the Prison Activist List +-+ See the Prison Issues Desk webpage at . To unsubscribe, send email to with this text in the body: unsubscribe prisonact-list In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytrc-01.29.98-12:25:06-17263