New Pittsburgh Courier Information

The New Pittsburgh Courier is one of the oldest and most prestigious Black newspapers in the United States, with a rich and storied history. Established in 1907 by Edwin Harleston, a guard in the H. J. Heinz food-packing plant, the Pittsburgh Courier gained national prominence after attorney Robert Lee Vann became the newspaper's editor and publisher, treasurer, and legal counsel in 1910. In his lifetime, Vann saw the Courier grow to become the largest, most influential Black newspaper in the nation with a circulation of 250,000 and over 400 employees in 14 cities. In 1966 John H. Sengstacke purchased the newspaper and renamed it the New Pittsburgh Courier. It became part of Sengstacke Newspapers (now Real Times, LLC) - the largest and most influential Black newspaper chain in the country - which also includes the Chicago Daily Defender, Michigan Chronicle, Michigan Front Page and (Memphis) Tri-State Defender. Today the New Pittsburgh Courier continues to serve as a trusted vehicle for Black expression, publishing an award-winning edition every Wednesday.