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John J. Neimore

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John J. Neimore
John J. Neimore, circa 1901/1910, Los Angeles
Born
John James Neimore

(1862-02-23)February 23, 1862
Washington County, Texas, U.S.
DiedMarch 9, 1912(1912-03-09) (aged 50)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeAngelus-Rosedale Cemetery
Occupation(s)Newspaper publisher and editor
Years active1879–1912
Known for
  • Founding one of the first and oldest long-running African-American newspapers in California
  • Appointing a woman as his successor at The California Eagle
Notable workThe California Eagle
SuccessorCharlotta Bass
SpouseIda Lewis Neimore
Children1

John James Neimore (February 23, 1862 – March 9, 1912) was an African-American publisher and editor, who founded the California Eagle, the oldest African-American newspaper in the Western US.[1] He appointed Charlotta Bass as his successor upon his death, making her one of the first African-American women to operate a newspaper.

Publisher

Shortly after arriving in California from Texas, Neimore founded an African American newspaper entitled, The Owl[2] in 1879. The weekly newspaper was short-lived, but Neimore joined forces with newspapermen Thomas Pearson and William Sampson to work on The Weekly Observer. He eventually left the Observer to found another newspaper, The Advocate, where he used his Republican political influence to discuss the issues facing African-American livelihood, including race relations and politics. From 1892 to 1895, he published the "Southern California Guide." Soon after, he established "The Eagle."[3] The California Publishing Bureau and Investment Company published "The Eagle" with Neimore as the president and John Wesley Coleman the acting secretary.[4] In 1912, the newspaper would be renamed again to "California Eagle."

Background

John James Neimore was born in Washington County, Texas circa 1862 to a farmer Daniel Neimore and his wife Susan Neimore. He was one of three children including sisters Henrietta Neimore Nunn and Mahilda Neimore Butler. In his late teens, he travelled west to Los Angeles, California and founded African-American newspaper, The Owl. As one of its first members, Neimore was a prominent figure in the historic Missionary Society Second Baptist Church, which was founded in Los Angeles in 1885.

Marriage and family

On February 19, 1890, Neimore married Ida Neimore (née Lewis) in Los Angeles, California. Later that year on November 10, they had a daughter, Bessie Luretta Neimore. His 3rd great niece is Mignon Gould,[5] an online publisher who launched one of the first virtual internship programs through the publication, The Chic Spy;[6] as well as founded the observance Chic Spy Day, to celebrate the style of on-screen spies.[7] Gould is a direct descendant of Neimore's sister, Henrietta Neimore Nunn.

Legacy

Neimore founded one of the first African-American newspapers in California as a teenager, running the paper for more than three decades, then appointing Charlotta Bass as his successor upon his death, making her the first African-American woman to own a newspaper.[8] Neimore established the original publication The Owl, to help newly arrived African-Americans adapt to life in Los Angeles. The newspaper contained information about housing, jobs and news items relevant to the African-American community. Charlotta Bass took a job selling subscriptions to the newspaper in 1910 and Neimore became her mentor. In 1912, Neimore was in very poor health. When he died, Bass took control of the newspaper and ran the California Eagle until she retired in 1951.[9]

Reading

  • Making Black Los Angeles: Class, Gender, and Community, 1850–1917 by Marne L. Campbell
  • Bound for Freedom: Black Los Angeles in Jim Crow America by Douglas Flamming

References

  1. ^ Anderson, Susan (2007-05-20). "Only the walls will change". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
  2. ^ "The California Eagle". www.pbs.org. Retrieved 2017-02-26.
  3. ^ "Charlotta Bass / California Eagle Photograph Collection, 1870–1960". digitallibrary.usc.edu. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  4. ^ Flamming, Douglas (2005-01-24). Bound for Freedom: Black Los Angeles in Jim Crow America. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520239197.
  5. ^ "YabYum Seven: Mignon Gould | YabYum Music & Arts". YabYum Music & Arts. 2017-04-30. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
  6. ^ Wasserstrum, Jonathan. "The Founder Questionnaire: 'Nurturing The Niche' With The Chic Spy's Mignon Gould". Forbes. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
  7. ^ Piu, Lara (2017-04-06). "The Chic Spy's Mignon Gould on 5 Things Every Woman Should Have in Her Closet". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
  8. ^ "The California Eagle: A Newspaper for a Black Readership That Was Ahead of Its Time". America Comes Alive. 2014-02-04. Retrieved 2017-04-08.
  9. ^ "John J. Neimore, founder and editor of the California Eagle, circa 1901/1910, Los Angeles :: Charlotta Bass / California Eagle Photograph Collection, 1870–1960". digitallibrary.usc.edu. Retrieved 2017-02-26.
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