I was reading the February 17th Sunday’s Star Ledger and came across an article titled “Campaign to Remember Crusading Editor.” Since it is Black History Month, I thought this article was appropriate to me as a Social Studies major. This article informed me, the reader about a former slave turned editor, T. Thomas Fortune. He was using the term Afro-American, before the turn of the century. He did not use the term colored or Negro. He used Afro-American because he wanted people to feel proud of his African heritage and being an American citizen.
T. Thomas Fortune founded a civil right organization that predates NAACP He was a crusading journalist who launched three newspapers. He published the New York Globe from 1879 to 1884, the New York Freeman from 1884-1887 and the New York Age in 1887 (This was still published until 1960.). These papers offered American Americans a global view. He urged African Americans to agitate change and equality throughout the world.
He lived in Red Bank, New Jersey, and is a native son. Efforts are currently underway to preserve his homestead, as a cultural center, which would celebrate the life of this 20th century journalist and be a beautiful location for special events. This would help with the renovations. According to the organization, Preservation for New Jersey, Fortune’s home was listed in May, as one of the Ten Most Endangered Historic Sites in New Jersey. This trailblazer’s one-acre homestead should be saved from predatory developers. There is currently a grass roots effort underway to save it. Legislators are being petitioned to assist in this effort. They are slow to come on the bandwagon because Red Bank is home to many not-for-profit agencies and they say Red Bank doesn’t need another tax-exempt property. We will have to wait and see how this unfolds. Will Red Bank looks favorably on this Fortune?
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