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Christopher J. Perry

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Christopher James Perry
Born
Christopher James Perry

September 11, 1854
DiedMay 15, 1921[1]
Burial placeEden Cemetery, Collingdale, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Other namesChristopher J. Perry, Sr.,
Chris J. Perry
Occupation(s)Businessman, politician, civil rights activist, newspaper founder, newspaper editor, journalist

Christopher James Perry, Sr. (1854–1921)[1] was an American businessman, politician, civil rights activist, newspaper founder, newspaper editor, and journalist.[2][3] He was the founder of The Tribune (later known as The Philadelphia Tribune), the longest running African-American newspaper.

Early life

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Christopher James Perry was born on September 11, 1854, in Baltimore, Maryland, to parents that were free people of color.[3][4][5] When he was young, he moved to Philadelphia, in order to continue his education.[2] In 1867 at the age of 14, Perry started writing for local newspapers.[2]

Career

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By November 1881, Perry was writing for the Sunday Mercury in New York City; and he later became the editor of the "colored department".[3][6] In 1884, he lost his job due to the newspaper's bankruptcy; so Perry established his own newspaper on November 27, 1884, The Tribune (later known as The Philadelphia Tribune).[7][3][4] The first issue of the newspaper was written by hand, in an office located at 725 Sansom Street in Philadelphia.[4]

According to a United States census report, in 1880 the Black population in Philadelphia was 847,170 and by 1920 the Black population in Philadelphia rose to 1,823,779.[4] Within the Black community the city became overcrowded and the job market became highly competitive.[4] Perry used his newspaper to uplift and educate Black Philadelphians about social and political issues at both the local and national level; with a goal of supporting the middle class Black community's ability to gain higher education and local, decent paying jobs.[8][4] Throughout his career with The Tribune, Perry promoted the advancement of African Americans in society, and covered issues affecting their daily lives.[9]

For 10 years, he was a member of the Philadelphia City Council from the seventh ward.[10] He was a member of the Lombard Street Central Presbyterian.

Death and legacy

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Perry worked on the Tribune until his death. Perry died of cancer on May 15, 1921, at his home in Philadelphia.[1][11] He was interred at Eden Cemetery (sometimes known as Marion Cemetery).[11]

Ten years after his death by 1930, The Tribune had a circulation of over 20,000, and became a vehicle of community change.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Philadelphia Editor Dead". The Voice of the People. 1921-05-21. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  2. ^ a b c d Manos, Nick (February 1, 2009). "Christopher J. Perry (1854–1920)". BlackPast.org.
  3. ^ a b c d Penn, Irvine Garland (1891). "Mr. Christopher J. Perry, Editor Weekly Tribune". The Afro-American Press and Its Editors. Willey & Company. pp. 145–148. ISBN 978-0-598-58268-3.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "The Leading Voice for Black Philadelphians, The Philadelphia Tribune". PhilaPlace. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  5. ^ Lane, Roger (1991-08-15). William Dorsey's Philadelphia and Ours: On the Past and Future of the Black City in America. Oxford University Press. p. 418. ISBN 978-0-19-536221-3.
  6. ^ "Christopher J. Perry - Leadership". Harvard Business School (HBS). Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  7. ^ Franklin, V. P. (1984). ""Voice of the Black Community:" The Philadelphia Tribune, 1912–41". Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies. 51 (4): 261–284. ISSN 0031-4528. JSTOR 27773002.
  8. ^ Evensen, Bruce J. (1996). When Dempsey Fought Tunney: Heroes, Hokum, and Storytelling in the Jazz Age. Univ. of Tennessee Press. p. 81. ISBN 978-0-87049-918-0.
  9. ^ Taylor, Frederick Jerome (1990). "Black Musicians in "The Philadelphia Tribune", 1912-20". The Black Perspective in Music. 18 (1/2): 127–140. doi:10.2307/1214862. ISSN 0090-7790. JSTOR 1214862.
  10. ^ "Yesterday In Afro-American History". Jet. 36 (6): 11. May 15, 1969. ISSN 0021-5996.
  11. ^ a b "Perry". Evening Public Ledger. 1921-05-16. p. 26. Retrieved 2023-04-04.

Further reading

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