The Shining Star or Indiana Shining Star was an African American newspaper published in Anderson, Indiana, from 1922^[1] to about 1927.^[2] It is the only known African-American newspaper ever published there.^[2]

The newspaper was founded in 1922 by Edward Giles Irvin (1893-1982), the youngest of the ten founding members of the Alpha Kappa Psi fraternity.^[3] Irvin had worked for newspapers in various cities before joining the military in World War I.^[4] They included the Indianapolis Freeman, Chicago Daily Bulletin, and Gary Sun.^[3] Irvin is memorialized in the name of the charitable arm of the Chicago alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi^[5] and in the name of an annual Kappa Alpha Psi award.^[6]

Like many early black papers, The Shining Star placed a strong emphasis on self-improvement, publishing a new word and Bible quotation every week for its readers to memorize.^[7] The local news in The Shining Star was dominated by the activities of churches and the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows,^[7] of which Irvin was a member.^[8] The Shining Star exhorted its readers to support local Anderson businesses and lift up the local community.^[7] Its coverage, however, was not limited to Anderson, as it provided a weekly column about nearby Muncie as well.^[7]

Works cited

• Bigham, Darrel E. (1996). "The Black Press in Indiana, 1879-1985". In Suggs, Henry Lewis (ed.). The Black Press in the Middle West, 1865-1985. Greenwood Press. ISBN 9780313255793.
• Parks, Gregory S. (2008). "Edward G. Irvin". Black Greek-letter Organizations in the Twenty-First Century: Our Fight Has Just Begun. ISBN 9780813138725.