 | |
| Founder | Robert Hamilton, Thomas Hamilton |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1859 |
| Final issue | December 1865 |
| Country | United States |
The Anglo-African and The Weekly Anglo-African were periodicals published by African American abolitionist brothers Thomas Hamilton (1823–1865) and Robert Hamilton (1819–1870) in New York City during the American Civil War era.[1][2][3][4] For a short period, one paper was also named the Pine and Palm.[5]
Thomas and Robert Hamilton were the sons of abolitionist and founder of the New York African Society for Mutual Relief William Hamilton. The elder Hamilton lived through the 1834 anti-abolitionist riots in New York and was critical of pacifist abolitionist newspapers like The Liberator.[3]: 44
The two brothers held similar views, and they founded The Anglo-African Magazine, a monthly, in January 1859.[3]: 44 It had 32 pages and cost one dollar for a yearly subscription. The Hamiltons founded the Weekly Anglo-African six months afterwards.[6] The newspaper and magazine were the first publications to run Martin Delany's serialized novel, Blake; or the Huts of America. Robert managed the magazine, while Thomas used his expertise as a reporter and journalist. The weekly's contributors included Martin Delany, Mary Ann Shadd Cary, Edward Wilmot Blyden, and Sarah Mapps Douglass.[7] William B. Gould also served as a financial backer and reporter for The Anglo-African.[4] The newspaper ran with four pages of text at four cents per copy. Its motto was, "Man must be free; if not through the law, then above the law."[6] The paper had early successes in its coverage of slavery resistance, the Dred Scott v. Sandford case, and the Raid on Harpers Ferry.[6] Its correspondents and subscribers stretched across the US, as well as Canada and Jamaica.[3]: 43
The Anglo-African Magazine was published until March 1860 and the Weekly Anglo-African until March 1861. Due to financial troubles, the Hamiltons sold the weekly newspaper to George Lawrence, Jr., and James Redpath, who renamed it to The Palm and Pine.[7] The Hamilton brothers quickly saw that, under its new owners, the newspaper would no longer serve the needs of the black community.[3]: 47 Robert Hamilton, therefore, decided to start a new newspaper, also named the Weekly Anglo-African. Its first issue was published in July 1861.[3]: 47
Lost issues of the Weekly Anglo-African were uncovered in the Black Abolitionist Papers Project.[3]: 44