Dr. Aleen Ratzlaff to speak on Black Press in Kansas
The Wichita Public Library has announced a change of program for its February 13 Senior Wednesday session.
Dr. Aleen Ratzlaff will speak on “Black Newspapers and African-American Communities in Kansas.” The program will be held at 1:30 p.m. in the Central Library Auditorium, 223 S. Main. It replaces a previously announced presentation by Bonita Gooch.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, black newspapers served as a pipeline for information, a platform to denounce injustices, and as a promoter for racial uplift through education and entrepreneurship. Dr. Ratzlaff will discuss the history of the Black newspapers in Kansas communities and their impact on our state.
“Kansas has a rich journalistic history,” shared Ratzlaff. “Among the extant newspapers preserved are those published and edited by African Americans. These newspapers convey the vitality and challenges that can still inspire us in the 21st century.”
Dr. Ratzlaff is a professor in the Communications Department at Tabor College where her research interests include 19th century black press, media, and race relations. She serves as a copy-editor for the “Hillsboro Free Press” and as a member of the Hillsboro Museums Board of Directors.
For more information about the program, contact the Library at 261-8500 or visit the Library’s website, www.wichita.lib.ks.us.
