By Cecil Egbele | Contributing Writer | California Local News Fellow

In honor of Juneteenth, Beale Library hosted a celebration of Black newspaper history in Bakersfield on the first Saturday in June. Held in the library’s Local History section, the event titled Telling Our Stories: The Legacy of Black Newspapers in Bakersfield featured two keynote speakers – Katherine Jordan Morris, a historical researcher, who spoke on the history of older Black-owned newspapers in Bakersfield, and James Luckey Jr., who discussed the 50-year legacy of the Bakersfield News Observer. The event was organized by Lynne Kemmer, the Local History Librarian at Beale.

Early Black Press

Morris took the audience on a journey through the early Black press in Bakersfield, highlighting their lasting impact on the community. “These newspapers provided a voice and a platform for the Black community that was not available in mainstream media at the time,” Morris explained. “They covered the stories, issues, and accomplishments that mattered to African Americans in Bakersfield.”

She spoke of the Negro History Bulletin, founded in 1937 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson—widely known as the “Father of Black History.” Though not printed locally, she said it kept Bakersfield residents up-to-date on national issues.

Her main presentation focused on The Colored Citizen, a Black-owned newspaper launched in Bakersfield in 1914 by Rev. Dr. J. Gordon McPherson. The paper, she explained, offered a rare glimpse into the social, political, and economic life of African Americans in the city during the early 20th century.

“The Colored Citizen newspaper of Bakersfield was a startup newspaper published here in Bakersfield in 1914, providing a rare glimpse into the early 20th-century African American community,” Morris said.

She described the paper as a valuable historical record that chronicled church life, civic activities, social events, advertisement styles, and community news. She called it “the roots of Black churches and community histories in Bakersfield.”

Drawing laughter from the audience, Morris shared examples of what she called the newspaper’s “gossip” columns—brief reports about visitors, illnesses, church meetings, and social gatherings. While lighthearted, she said those stories reveal how Black residents built community and maintained connections in an era when their lives were often overlooked by mainstream publications.

From Print to Digital: Bakersfield News Observer’s 50-Year Journey

Building on that foundation, Luckey took the stage to discuss the Bakersfield News Observer, a pillar of the Black community for the past five decades. Part of the Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California, the weekly publication has never missed an issue in its 50 years.

“The Observer has been there consistently, week after week, telling our stories,” Luckey said with pride. “Out of the 49 years where our weekly press newspaper comes out, we haven’t missed a single week.”

Luckey also discussed the newspaper’s evolution from typewriters and film photography to digital publishing, social media, and newsletters, while emphasizing that its mission remains unchanged: serving the community and preserving its history.

“When you look through the archives, it’s like flipping through the family photo album of Black Bakersfield.” he said. “By digitizing our Black issues, we’re ensuring that our children and grandchildren will always have access to their history, to their roots in this community,” he explained.

Attendees, many of whom have deep ties to Bakersfield, expressed appreciation for the event. “I’ve lived here for decades and there was still so much I didn’t know about the history of the Black press,” shared Regina Clayton, a Black Bakersfield native. “It’s amazing to learn about the Observer’s consistency and impact over the years.”

Cynthia Nichols, another Black and long-time resident, agreed. “The Observer has always been there, covering our family and church events. Seeing our community reflected in its pages means so much.”

For some, the event sparked a newfound interest in engaging with the paper, both in print and online. “I pick up the Observer from time to time, but after today, I want to read it more regularly,” said Carol Allen, an attendee who has been in Bakersfield for 10 years. “There’s clearly a lot to gain from engaging with our local Black press.”

Eighty-year-old Richard Guzman, a Vietnam-era veteran born in Bakersfield, said he is happy to learn about parts of Bakersfield’s history that were unfamiliar to him. “I’m familiar with the Observer newspaper, but I didn’t know any of the history like he explained,” he said, referring to James Luckey Jr.

As the event concluded, many left with a deeper understanding of the vital role Black newspapers have played, and continue to play, in knitting together Bakersfield’s African American community. With the Bakersfield News Observer still going strong after 50 years, that legacy appears poised to continue for generations to come.