Professional Training
What will in all probabilities mark the real beginning of professional training in Journalism among Negroes is the opening of the proposed School of Journalism by Howard University, Washington, D. C. Owing to a limitation of finances, unfortunately the school has not yet been put in operation.
Proposed Courses at Howard University Journalism School
The course as outlined in the Howard University catalog is based upon two years of college work, including a reading knowledge of at least two modern languages, and advanced work in English Composition. The professional work covers two years and leads to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Journalism. The subjects offered are: Practice in Writing, Newspaper Technique, Newspaper Editing, The History of Journalism, Advertising, Journalistic French, Journalistic German, Journalistic Spanish, Elements of Law, Freehand and Applied Drawing, and certain college courses in History, Economics, Sociology, Literature and Politics.
Journalism at Wilberforce
While it does not have a separate department in Journalism, Wilberforce University offers courses in journalistic writing as a part of the work in the department of English. Three courses are given at present: Business English, Short Story Writing and Editorial Writing.
Printing
On the mechanical side of newspaper publishing, work is offered in printing at Hampton Institute (Va.), Tuskegee Institute (Ala.), and Wilberforce University (Ohio). Many of the present printer-editors are products of these schools.
CHAPTER X
A FORECAST OF THE FUTURE
From its small beginning in 1827, Negro Journalism has steadily grown in the United States. Today it stands as a definite factor in Negro life. In truth, the Negro press reflects the growing race consciousness of eleven million American citizens of African descent. The status of the Negro newspaper is fixed—it is here to stay. While daily newspapers may devote space to “News of Interest to Colored People;” yet they can never take the place of the newspapers which are published solely for the race group. The appeal of the Negro newspaper is direct and racial. In a manner similar to that of the rural press, the Negro paper has an unlimited field because of its personal relationship to its readers.