By Robert J. Henn
Andrew Jackson Smitherman (1883-1961) was a man ahead of his time. Throughout the early 1900’s, he used his incredibly successful newspaper The Tulsa Star to righteously defend and progress black America beyond its limits. Smitherman is adored by many for his tenacious perseverance in diversifying the black vote in America. He worked tirelessly to bolster democratic ideals among black readers at a time when the Republican Party significantly overshadowed the African American political landscape. However, A.J. Smitherman’s success did not come without great hindrance, nor did he become a legendary historical figure overnight. His story and impact spans over decades of American history. Therefore, to properly analyze his historical significance, we must first explore his complex, yet conventional background. Next, we will identify his many accomplishments and why his work serves such an immense importance to American journalism. Lastly, we will discuss his honorable legacy and why he is still celebrated by many to this day. With that being said, this is the story of A.J. Smitherman: a leader, an activist, and a journalistic legend.
A.J. Smitherman’s story begins on December 27th, 1883, in Childersburg, Alabama. He was born to his parents, James, and Elizabeth Smitherman, who, according to author Myrna Colette Magliulo, were both “of interracial backgrounds” (Magliulo). As he got older, A.J.’s mother insisted he pursue his education instead of working in the coal mines of Lehigh, Oklahoma like his father. Therefore, respecting her wishes, A.J. went on to receive his primary, secondary, and collegiate education. He also later went on to receive his law degree from Lasalle University. It was after he had established these credentials when A.J. began working for the newspapers. He had especially grown close to William H. Twine, an African American lawyer and newspaper editor, who hired him “to serve as a law clerk and eventually as manager of his newspaper, the Muskogee Cimeter” (Magliulo). These two positions are what ignited A. J.’s immense passion for civil rights and community outreach among people of color, especially in the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma, also known as Black Wall Street. For example, during the onset of the guardianship protests, he used his power as a law clerk to help African and Native Americans fight guardian appointments. However, most notable of A.J.’s work was his commitment to diversifying political affiliations among marginalized groups.
After Republican President, Abraham Lincoln led the emancipation of slaves in 1863, many people of color began to side with the Republican Party because of Lincoln’s liberating and highly commendable actions. However, what African and Native Americans didn't know was that the Republican Party often opposed and voted against their civil rights. This encouraged A.J. Smitherman to use his newly formed newspaper The Tulsa Star, as stated by an article from the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame, to persuade “blacks to diversify their vote rather than vote straight Republican as they had since Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves” (Williams). By doing so, A.J. combined his journalistic skills and his passion for social change to fortify black civil rights at a time when they were threatened extensively by the white man. Moreover, according to the Oklahoma Historical Society, A.J. also used his newspaper to inform his black brothers and sisters about “the tide of racial violence occurring around the country at the time” (O’Dell). He encouraged Black Wall Street and all of black America to take any means necessary to protect themselves from heinous hate crimes like lynching, which was unfortunately taking place nationwide. Therefore, A.J.’s work not only proved the immense impact one individual can have on the lives of many, but also how powerful journalism is in defending the morals and values this country is supposed to stand for.
Like all good things, they must come to an end. However, this ending came very abruptly for A.J.’s newspaper and his beloved community on May 31st, 1921. As stated by Raven Majia Williams (great granddaughter of A.J. Smitherman) in her video Black Wall Street 101, the overwhelming success and wealth of Black Wall Street led to “the largest government sanctioned attack on American citizens since the Civil War” (Williams). Members of the Ku Klux Klan and other like-minded citizens violently decimated the Greenwood District out of fear of black America growing too strong. These domestic terrorists used bombs, fire, and lethal force to wipe Black Wall Street off the map. As a result of the malicious massacre, many businesses and homes were turned to ash. This forced A.J. to flee the area in search of sanctuary and a new place to call home, which didn't come for him until he made his way to Buffalo, New York. There, he established another newspaper, The Buffalo Star, which later became The Empire Star. According to author Sean Krist in his article from Buffalo News, his newly formed newspaper once again became “a black community newspaper” and “a namesake of The Tulsa Star” (Krist). Therefore, despite the aggression and deep hatred A.J. endured for his work in the Tulsa Race Massacre, he continued to remain a loyal activist in the fight for civil rights.
A.J. Smitherman proved that journalism is far more than an article in a newspaper or a televised report, he showed the nation that journalism is the one true weapon the people have when it comes to defending their freedoms. His journalistic tactics helped hundreds of people and he will always remain as a legendary civil rights icon to the black community. Once again referring to A.J.’s great granddaughter, Raven Majia Williams, in a news report done by Roland S. Martin, A.J. Smitherman “did not incite” the “preconceived massacre” that occurred in 1921 (Martin). The only action he incited was the fair and equal treatment of African and Native American citizens within the United States. Personally, I wish A.J. was still alive today. He would be amazed by the immense social reform accomplished by large activist groups like Black Lives Matter. His work fueled the civil rights movements and inspired so much of the societal evolution we see today. To say A.J. Smitherman is a legend would be an understatement. He was an American hero that forever altered both the fabrication of society and modern politics; he is without a doubt the definition of a masterful journalist.
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