Bill > K00233

This resolution recognizes March 16, 2025, as Black Press Day, honoring the historical significance and ongoing importance of Black-owned media in the United States. The resolution highlights the Black Press's critical role in championing freedom, justice, and equality since the publication of Freedom's Journal in 1827, emphasizing how Black journalists have consistently fought against systemic racism, documented civil rights struggles, and provided a vital platform for Black voices. It notes that Black journalists currently represent only 6% of reporters in mainstream media, while Black media continues to provide more comprehensive coverage of critical issues like systemic racism, voting rights, and police reform. The resolution also underscores the Black Press's importance in the current political climate, where challenges such as voter suppression and economic inequality persist, and it specifically acknowledges the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and several New York-based Black newspapers. By designating this day, the resolution calls on New Yorkers to recognize, support, and invest in Black media as an essential institution of democracy, ensuring its survival and continued impact on communities and national discourse.

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/K233