SEPIA

APPROVED:

/f, C. Major Professor

Minor Professor

Director of the Department of Journalism

Dein of the Graduate School Ponder, Janace Pope, Sepia. Master of Arts (Journalism),

May, 19'73, 126 pp., 9 photographs, bibliography, 10 titles.

This study of Sepia magazine was researched as a historical project in order to trace the progress of a twenty-five-year-old Negro publication begun as a sensational news sheet and expanded to a pic- toral, entertaining magazine aimed at the middle-class black.

The study shows how Sepia has survived in spite of its strongest competitor Ebony, and how it rose from a mediocre publica- tion to a higher quality publication.

Sources of data included two major primary sources: Mr.

George Levitan, publisher of Sepia, and Mrs. Adelle Jackson Martin, ex-managing editor of Sepia. Other interviews were conducted with members of the editorial board of Sepia, as well as with the art and production staff. In addition to the interviews, back copies of Sepia an<^ Negro Achievements, the forerunner to Sepia, were used to analyze the formula followed in each decade of Sepia's life.

The thesis is organized chronologically since each decade was clearly defined as to Sepia's journalistic progress. The first chapter ?, introduces the reader to Sepia's earliest beginnings and takes Mm into Chapter H, which is a detailed study of Negro Achievements.

Chapter III is a biographical sketch of George Levitan, pub- lisher of Sepia. Chapter IV begins with the actual analysis of content of Sepia during 1950-1959 and is titled "Decade of Change." It describes the sensational formula used during this decade and how the publication gradually changed to a news-entertainment organ.

Chapter V, titled "The 1960's and Coming of Age," discusses the saga of John Howard Griffin, a white journalist who traveled the prejudiced roads of the Deep South as a Negro, an event which earned

Sepia journalistic acclaim.

Chapter VI concludes the study with suggestions that Sepia move towards the ever growing middle-class Negro whom it now reaches more than any other Negro publication; that the publication, in order to progress, must make additional notable contributions to the

Negro race such as the John Howard Griffin episode; that the magazine must continue to upgrade its technical production; and that it must acquire a better grade of advertising. The conclusion also notes

George Levitan's obvious impact on the publication, and suggests that

Levitan's possible decision to sell would drastically alter the publica- tion. SEPIA

THESIS

Presented to the Graduate Council of the

North Texas State University in Partial

Fulfillment of the Requirements

For the Degree of

MASTER OF ARTS

By

Janace Pope Ponder, B.A,

Denton, Texas

May, 1973 TABLE OF CONTENTS

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BIBLIOGRAPHY 125

in CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Negro Achievements was a publication begun in August, 1946, by a half black and half white man named Horace J. Blackwell. With little knowledge of journalism or business, Blackwell had an idea to publish a magazine "just for the Negro. " He. was tired of the higher class magazines such as Ebony or Look, which he considered too far above his people.

Negro Achievements, containing interesting highlights of the

Negro community, was first a news magazine. However, Blackwell later found that this sort of publication would, not sell. Consequently, he changed the formula to consist of true stories about the Negro. In order to maintain the authenticity of the stories, no copyreading was

? allowed. Therefore, when Blackwell died in 1946', the magazine was far from being a quality publication.

George Levitan, wealthy, white, and Jewish, bought the

World Messenger Publishing Company in 1951 and proceeded to make the magazine one of the nation's better Negro publications under the new name Sepia, Until 1.960, Sepia was a mediocre publication with little direction. In I960, a man named John Howard Griffin, a white con- tributor for Sepia at the time, went on a lonely journey into the deep

South disguised as a black man through the use of medication. The trip produced a series of stories by Griffin for Sepia, and also the book titled Black Like Me. The series was written before the book and marked Sepia's swing toward the top.

Sema's struggles were no easier than the Negroes' struggle.

Always fighting to raise itself, Sepia went from a true-story type

magazine to an organ of total entertainment to a well-varied publi-

cation for the black race. Experimentation, courage, and a strong

hand helped Sepia to find itself in the journalistic world.

This thesis concerns the development of Sepia from its

birth to its maturity in the 1970's, its changes over a twenty-five

year period in formula and content, its leadership throughout the

years, its place in the black man's world, and its future.

The thesis delves into the audience to which Sepia appeals,

and shows how Sepia tries to reach the middle-class Negro, a unique

effort in black journalism. The study further shows the relevance

of Negro journalism, a subject where extensive research is just

beginning. - 3

Interviews were conducted with George Levitan, publisher., at Good Publishing Company in Fort Worth, Texas, and with other employees during a three-week period beginning on June 9, 1972, ard ending on July 5, 1972.

Plant observation began on June 9, 1972, with one week spent, in each department from noon until six in the evening. After the initial observation period was completed, a series of interviews was con- ducted to gather information about the various issues of Sepia.

Information for analysis of content was obtained from stacks of old Sepias stored in supply rooms at Good Publishing. One of the drawbacks involved in researching the topic was the lack of numerous back copies of Sepia. Only assumptions could be made concerning the missing issues, since very few key people could remember speci- fics about individual issues.

Sepia rose from a third-rate publication to a highly-regarded publication. This study seeks to show how the magazine is significant in the overall development of Negro journalism. CHAPTER II

NEGRO ACHIEVEMENTS,

1946-1951

During the middle 1940's, Negroes had moved slowly along the road of rebellious struggle in their attempt to find a place in democratic, white America. Their struggle, like those of most minority groups, had been long and with little reward. Torn by preju- dice and poor background, the Negro man. had little to offer society which often left him prideless and broken.

Horace Jefferson Blackwell, a Negro man who grew up as a white, attended white schools, and lived with his white grandfather, * was repulsed at the Negro's place in the United States. Everywhere he turned he saw mistreated Negroes who seldom raised a hand to defend themselves.

1 Statement and general information by Adelle Jackson Mar- tin, long-time secretary and ex-managing editor to I-I. J. Blackwell's publication Negro Achievements, Fort Worth, Texas, July 24, 1972. It must be noted that during Blackwell's editorship, Adelle Jacks cm remarried,changing her last name to Martin. She will be referred to throughout the paper as Martin. Throughout the remainder of this chapter her statements are quoted and discussed without further foot- noted attributions. *

Blackwell, when old enough to make it on his own, left the white race to become a Negro.

"He entered a black world in more ways than one. He was bitter, but he realized revenge on whites would do little good. That's} when he decided to publish some kind of magazine," said Mrs.

Martin.

Blackwell, born out of wedlock in Pratt County (Kansas), ^

August 23, 1893, to a white father and a black mother, said,

"Negroes need a form of expression where at least they can say what 3 they feel." He felt strongly about the Negroes'long-time suppression and wanted to see them grow from a stifling position to a strong posi-s tion among men.

His dream was to publish a paper where Negroes could tell their story "in their language. " After he began his publication, one policy stood: no corrections on true story material. "If the story was in third grade language, that's what Mr. Blackwell wanted.

Some of the writers hadn't ever been to school and the stories

2 "Horace J. Blackwell," Negro Achievements, IV (May, 1950), 17. It must be noted that Pratt County is not in Texas. From information gained through the Sheriff's office, Dallas, Texas, the only Pratt County listed in the County Directory is in Kansas. 3 Martin, interview. 6 showed it; but, no matter how crude, they stayed," explained

Mrs. Martin.

Blackwell became interested in publishing a paper through. &. used clothing store he owned where he also sold Negro newspapers*

"His sideline developed into his mainline," said Mrs. Martin,

He wanted to make money from his venture in journalism, but he also had a desire to do something for his race which, by the ag©

of twenty-three, he had decided was to be his only race, from that point disclaiming his half-white heritage.

"It was hard for him to be black because he didn't have on© black feature, " said Mrs. Martin. In selling clothes he had met

people who were willing to help him start a Negro publication and who often gave him advice.

In 1944, working out of a dilapidated store room at 1200

East Tenth Street, Fort Worth, Texas, Blackwell and his fourth wife, Elizabeth Blackwell, began The World Messenger Publishing

Company. They put out the first publication, The World's 4 Messenger, sometime in March.

4 The exact date is not known. However, Edna Lacy Turner, employee under Blackwell and presently Sepia's managing editor, and Adelle Jackson Martin, both felt March was the date of the first magazine. No World's Messengers can be located. Negro Achievements, July, 1950, repeats 1944 as the beginning of the maga- zine publishing house in an advertisement on page 42. "Mr. Blackwell selected that, nam? because he wanted to deliver a message to the world," said Mr®« Martin, The message was to be: Here is the Negro--like it or not, it is the truth.

In August, 1946, Blackwell, not. satisfied with The World's

Messenger, decided to edit a "classier" magazine designed to reach, the more educated segment of the Negro raqt, In addition to The

World's Messenger, basically a true story magasine, he launched

Negro Achievements, a news magazine,

Negro Achievements was designed to tell the news of Negroes around the world and of their accomplishments, "Mr, Blackwell always said they may not have achieved much in comparison, but we'll tell the world what little they have done," said Mrs. Martin.

Negro Achievements, a seventeen-^by'eleven pulp tabloid, began as a quality news magazine containing editorials, news columns, political analysis, a Who's Who section from each state, achievement true stories from the common man, and achievement true stories from famous men, musicians, doctors, lawyers, and society women. And during 1947 and 1948, the magazine also con- tained many pictures. Content

The basic problem of Negro Achievements was that it did not sell. Blackwell, though against lowering the standards of the maga- zine, decided to do so "until the circulation comes up," explained

Mrs. Martin.,

A comparison of content reveals the change. In the earliest surviving copy of Negro Achievements, the June, 1947 issue, the inside cover was the editorial page. The two editorials, titled

"Advanced Education" and "Regents for University of Texas for

Negroes Met in Session for the First Time," fell under the heading

"an independent writer supporting what he believes to be right and opposing what he believes to be wrong, regardless of race, creed, or color. " This heading was continued in Negro Achievements until the editorial section was dropped in December, 1947.

The editorials, though short-lived, were clear, concise, and in fair journalistic form. Under "Advanced Education" in the June,

1947 issue, Nicholas P. Francis wrote:

While on the subject of higher education it is worthwhile to mention that a short time ago Prince- ton University awarded a diploma to its first Negro graduate in nearly a hundred years. The young man was Benjamin Chaves of North Carolina. This was sponsored by a group of white students upon a bet whether a Negro could stand the rigors of higher education. This means that the young man had to have complete self-control and had to disregard some circumstances. 9

In August, 1947, an editorial entitled "An Unwanted

Distinction" praised the fact that a Negro man, Arthur Adams, had

been given the death sentence for killing another Negro. It read,

"Because of the apparent indifference to Negroes murdering

Negroes, knife wielding killers and pistol packing bullies, ran amuck

in Fort Worth, slashing and shooting on the slightest pretext, wound-

ing, maiming and killing. "

News content during the first year of the publication's life was at a high peak, mainly written by contributors with some pieces done by the small staff of three, Blackwell, Mrs. Martin, and Mrs.

LaVerne Timmons. However, by-lines were not usual except on regular columns and true stories.

Among news stories in June, 1947 were the stories of "The

Electrocution of Willie Francis, May 3, 1946, When the Chair Failed";

"Brooklyn: A Town Governed Entirely by Negroes"; "Joe Louis

Ready to Quit Unless He Fights Soon"; 'Sugar Ray Robinson Eyes

Middle Weight Crown"; "President Truman Demands Sharp Price

Reductions"; "Waiters in Tax Muddle"; "Negro University Directors

Approved"; "4H Negro Club Workers May Be Barred Again. " Two news columns, "Reviewing the News" and "Sports in Spots," appeared in the August, 1947 issue. Another news column to appear frequently but not regularly was "News of the Month. " 10 i 5 On the back page of the 1947 issues, news stories similar

to front-page news in 1,972 appeared under the heading of "America's

Greatest Negro Pictoral Magazine, A Medium for Reporting Negro

Accomplishments."

The lead for story one on the back cover of June, 194-7

reads, "Texas City. - Death took scores of lives and many hundreds

were injured and left homeless as great peril hits Negroes and Mexi-

cans the hardest. " Under this story was a six-inch story and picture

of M. C. Littlejohn, the Negro photographer who went to Texas City

to take pictures of the disaster.

News coverage continued through 1947 but even by the August,

1947 issue, more columns and true stories appeared with less intense

news coverage. After December, 1947, the magazine dropped

"Summary of the News" and enlarged a column titled "The Under-

cover Reporters" for society gossip and other tidbits in the Negro

c ommunity.

In February, 1948 issue, news included items such as 'The

Nation's Only Negro Owned and Operated Record plant," "An Eye 5 It must be noted that only two issues published during 1947 survive, those issues being the June and August copies. In columns noted, both issues ran all mentioned. 11

Witness Account of the Missouri Pacific Wreck," and "Negro

Achievements Goes to College. " However, the back cover of

February, 1948's issue still resembled a news page containing such stories as "Colored Girls Lead Freedom Train Line in Montgomery,

Alabama"; "Help Our Poor Instead of Europe"; and "Negro Gridders

Play Whites in Texas," Still, the news was dwindling and the back page at this point included three advertisements and eighteen inches of "The Matrimonial Column," designed for those "who want to marry and want to find the kind of man or woman you want. "

By May, 1948 the only news column left was "Reviewing the

News, " and it had diminished to editorial comment in twenty-eight column inches and was placed beside "The Matrimonial Column" and advertisements for Madam X, Love Me Perfume, and Grow Hair

Treatments.

In August, 1948 "Reviewing the News" was phased out com- pletely and true stories dominated with a few articles of prominent

Negroes. Timely news events were only mentioned in columns and in letters in "We the People Speak," a column "reserved for those who wish to speak their own mind and own opinion on any subject they see fit. " 12

True Stories

By 1948, true stories were dominating the content, because

Blackwell saw that this type of story would sell and though it was not the type of stories he originally desired, they did give the Negro a medium for expression and showed the Negro public the experiences of their race.

"He chose to tell the true story of the Negro through the 6 Negro. " The achievement stories were to tell the Negro he could be something; he could do something, just as others had even though the barriers might seem insurmountable.

Blackwell, still wanting the Negro reader to relate with

Negro Achievements, allowed no copy reading. "He wanted the Negro reader to know beyond a doubt that the material they read was true; so, no changes were made in the original copy. This made the maga- zine fairly crude, but made our job a lot easier because we just typed it as it stood. Instead of a journalism job, it was a secretarial job, " said Mrs. Martin.

Asa consequence of this policy, issues edited under Black- well contained many grammatical errors and served the purpose of

^Statement by Edna K. Lacy Turner, employee of H.J. Black- well and now a leading editor of Sepia, Negro Achievements successor, July 20, 1972, at Good Publishing offices, 1220 Harding Street, Fort Worth, Texas, in publisher George Levitan's office. 13 causing whites to say "what other type of life story could one expect 7 from a Negro? u

However, as crude as this content may have seemed, it served another purpose of portraying the stifling situation of the Negro in America, although the magazine was not published as a protest paper. The true stories, however, were a protest against white

America. The experiences related in Negro Achievements told honestly and without pride the self-degradation, the self-humiliation, and the dehumanization Negroes of this period suffered.

Mack C. Nance, in a letter to the editor under "We the

People Speak" said, "[The] Negro Press - Just as an X-ray, exposes irregularities within the body, so does the Negro Press expose the mental and moral weakness of its readers (the Negro) in other words, the press is a medium by which the characteristics of a r 8 people maybe fectually interpreded [sic]." Another reader in a letter to the editor wrote:

To many readers these stories are more than just entertainment. They serve to give needed strength to carry on. When we read of other people having suffered and endured much more than we, ourselves have been called upon to endure, and they still possess

7 "We the People Speak," Negro Achievements, IV (April, 1950), 15.

8Ibid. (March, 1950), 16. 14

the fortitude and the ambition to become better citi- zens , then we too can endeavor to rectify our mi3pent lives--or at least try and use the remaining time left to us for better and worthier purposes,. I'm proud of the fact that Mr. Blackwell caters to the entire Negro race, no social discrimination* thanks to his true Christianity. The kind of true story read by these skeptics and hypocrites are those written by white authors and published by white editors. The life, love, and romance portrayed in the white people's magazine are not even a dream to us . . . While the Negro is buying and reading these white publications, the white editors will not accept stories written by the Negro unless it's of the refined type , , . Refinement! . . . How many of the 14,000,000 Negroes in America are blessed with the kind of environ- ment to be of the refined character? . , . The under- privileged classes of readers and contributors should strive to hold on to the only true story magazines we are likely to have. Otherwise we are sure to be an obscure people so far as the literary world is concerned-- unless we shall be so fortunate as to make the "crime headlines.

Through comments of this kind, Negro Achievements can I I !!• • •• urn •J'MHILgj» „ II L.». . *111 imvwxa UI'IIUUAMHIUIIU* be seen as reflecting truth of the race even though the truth was not

pretty or refined like white journalism of the same period.

Negro Achievements made appeals to the general Negro

public to write their experiences for publication and encouraged suc-

cessful Negroes to send in their life stories. The type of appeal used was:

9Ibid. (April, 1950), 15. 15

'J HAVE YOU ACCOMPLISHED ANYTHING IN LIFE? The publishers of Negro Achievements want to know you. Send us your story cf your success along with your pic- ture and pictures of what you have achieved. Let us tell it to the world through Negro Achievements. We want our young generation to be inspired by what you have done. Send pictures of your business, your home, automobile, etc. We will publish your story FREE. You can use 2,000 words. Send good pictures. We will return them. If you can't write your story, get some one to do it, or send us the facts and we will do it. (Notice: We don't buy this kind of stories [sic]).

This type of appeal worked and true stories constituted about

75 per cent of the magazine content from 1949 until a change of format in 1952. True stories originally solicited were those about prominent people, although even in Negro Achievements' first year, the everyday man found room for his story.

Among the true stories in the August, 1947 issue were "Why

I Married a Negro" by Mrs. James Lee Miles, "I Was Kidnapped at

Six Years Old by the Man I Married," by Bessie E. Coats, and "The

Wanderer's Trail, A Prisoner's Story" by Luther A. Hill.

This type of story, contrasted with achievement stories, dif- fered in tone, but both types of true stories helped verify the name- plate of Negro Achievements which read: A Magazine for Everybody,

^"Have You Accomplished Anything in Life, " Negro Achievements, II (February, 1949), 31. 16

Featuring all True Negro Stories, Consisting of Negro Accomplish- 11 ments, Love, Romance.

True stories included many phases of Negro life, some reputable aspects and some not so reputable. For instance, the .

February, 1949 issue featured as story one "Love Played a Danger- ous Part in My Heart," a story about an unwed mother jilted by her lover. On the following page is a story, "Must We Continue," tell- ing about a young black woman's struggle in a white world packed with prejudice. "Must We Continue" tells the downfalls of some Negroes and ways to improve. "The term 'that [sic] just like a Negro or

(Nigger)' should not be used by us any longer. How can we ask the white man not to use a certain phrase, when it has become part of the

Negro himself," asked the writer.

Some of the true stories were religious confession stories telling how the writer of the story had sinned and been saved. For 12 13 instance, "Forgive Us Our Debts," "My Experience in Life,"

^Negro Achievements Nameplate was carried as noted until 1952 when it changed to The Progress of the Negro People. 12 Betty Jean Clark, "Forgive Us Our Debts," Negro Achievements, II (February, 1949), 2. 13 Doretha Tucker, "My Experience in Life, " Negro Achievements (December, 1948), p. 3. 17 & 14 "Prayer Changes Things," ' "God Spoke to Me, and God Leads Me

Now, "^ "The Lord Will Make a Way, " "You Cannot Beat the 1 7 18 Cross," "Blessings of Our Heritage," and "What Will I Be 19 Doing When Jesus Comes," are examples of this type of story.

In later issues of the 1950's, the stories became more racy,

often containing references to sex. Although Blackwell died in

December, 1949, the following year's magazine was indiscernible

from those edited while he was alive. No format or content change

can be seen. Although the format Blackwell established cannot coin-

cide well with the magazine's name, Negro Achievements, the format

of true stories stayed and increased in number and intensity.

14Delores Wynne, "Prayer Changes Things, " Negro Achievements (March, 1949), p. 1.

^Evangelist Hattie King, "God Spoke to Me, and God Leads Me Now," Negro Achievements, IV (March, 1950), 9.

l6Essie B. Roberts, "The Lord Will Make a Way, " Negro Achievements (March, 1951), p. 3.

17Bob Mitchell, "You Cannot Beat the Cross," Negro Achievements (April, 1948), p. 3.

18Francis A. Alston, "Blessings of Our Heritage, " Negro Achievements, II (August, 1948), 2.

19Erma McGowan Tisdale, "What Will I Be Doing When Jesus Comes," Negro Achievements (October, 1950), p. 9. 18

Such stories as "I Was Misused," "A Chinese Woman Tried to Buy Me from My Wife, " 'My Adventure of Skid Row, " and "The

World Don't Owe Me a Thing, " all appeared in the May, 1950 issue; the only achievement story was "An Inventor's Life."

Other stories, not to be considered achievements of the race 20 were "Motherless and Fatherless Child," "My Crave Was Married

Men, "How I Went Astray, "Born to Be Bad,"^ "Because I 24 2 ^ Loved Him So," " "Product of a Broken Home, " ~ "Cheap Love Can 26 27 Cost a High Price," "My Broken Life," "Love That

20 Mildred Langston, "Motherless and Fatherless Child," Negro Achievements (October, 1949), p. 3. 21 Louise Fort, "My Crave Was Married Men," Negro Achievements (October, 1949), p. 7. 22 Mrs. Oscar Nell Taylor, "How J. Went Astray, " Negro Achievements (July, 1949), p. 1. ? 3 Eddie Harris, "Born to Be Bad," Negro Achievements (August, 1950), p. 7. 7 A Helen Gaffin, "Because I Loved Him So," Negro Achievements (August, 1950), p. 3. 25 Earl Dixon, "Product of a Broken Home," Negro Achievements (December, 1950), p. 5. ?6 Susie Anderson, "Cheap Love Can Cost a High Price," Negro Achievements (December, 1950), p. 1. 27 Louise Grayson, "My Broken Life," Negro Achievements (July, 1950), p. 1. 19 28 Vanishes Leaves an Aching Heart," and "My Marriage 29 Failed." "Like many other people, Blackwell had heard sex would sell and he didn't ever consider the name of the magazine. He just put in whatever came in and whatever he thought would make our 30 people buy. "

The circulation did go back up in 1948 after the magazine 3 1 changed from a news magazine to a general light reading magazine, but Blackwell never tried to change the content back to news. "He thought with the circulation up, he could improve the magazine and sell even more, " said Mrs. Martin. By improvement, Blackwell was thinking in terms of plant facilities and not copy.

True stories in Negro Achievements portrayed the life of the Negro ardently, but they did not necessarily show the best side of the Negro. For this reason, the magazine cannot be considered a crusader for the black man except in a most subtle sense. 28 Pies Dabney, Jr., "Love That Vanishes Leaves a Broken Heart," Negro Achievements (May, 1951), p. 1. 29 Lueollie Jones, "My Marriage Failed, " Negro Achievements, IV (March, 1950), 1. 30 . ^ Turner, interview. 31 Circulation figures are not stated in the magazine showing the rise. However, Edna K. Lacy Turner said the rise was evident to her in 1948 because she worked in shipping. Also, Adelle Jackson Martin recalls Blackwell exalting over the rise after the format was changed. 20

Excerpts from a variety of true stories selected at random are as follows:

I didn't get a chance to go to school as much as my sisters did because I had to stay out and help ray father work one or two days a week. I would pass in all my grades but would miss too many days to pass that year. . . . But I did get to the 8th grade. ^

I was raised on a farm: hard work, half-price, and always pushed around by Mr. and Mrs. Jessie Crabb. I guess I was about seven when my father and his brother decided to walk to Florida to find better work, and was to send back for us. ... I couldn't go to school because it was cold and I didn't have anything to wear . . .so we stayed home. My poor grandmother and mother would go out and bring straw for brooms and sell it in order to get food for us . . . they would wash for people and sweep yards.

Daddy was still working us in the cotton fields and wheat fields or hoeing corn. Just any kind of work. He wouldn't work unless it was something we could help him do. ^

My brothers begin to be mean to me. But I have always loved my sister and brothers a little more than they did me. They had it bad calling me Red, I didn't like the name even though I am a little lighter than they are. ^

^2 Fleming Frazier, "The Wrong Kind of Life," Negro Achievements (March, 1951), p. 1. 33 Mattie Jones, "Will I Ever Have a Happy Home, " Negro Achievements (March, 1951), p. 1. 34 Lenora Ward, "I'll Never Forget, " Negro Achievements (November, 1950), p. 3. ^Oscar Nell Taylor, "How I Went Astray," Negro Achievements (July, 1949), p. 1. 21

Now once again I must wage my reservation against the rate I held: cook. If I must, because of color, hold down mess jobs, I won't any longer give any orders* So knowing the penalty, I broke five rules. ^

His dad would tell him about me picking cotton with other men, and he would whip me with a rope. Well things got worse and worse. My husband would take my money and he wouldn't give it back to me. I couldn't do a thing but cry. I didn't have no people around me to speak a good word for me. Well he got where he would stay out all night with other women. ^

Two months later she found out she was going to have a baby. She and Harrie got married. Jim asked me to marry him. I told him I would think it over. Jim was too dull for me but I wouldn't let him know it because I knew he love me and if I married him he would move to the city. I didn't love him at all. I just wanted to leave the country.

Regular Columns

Although true stories occupied a good deal of space in Negro

Achievements, regular features on a variety of subjects appeared for the Negro reader.

In the beginning issues of 1947 "News of Different Churches,"

"Theory of Music," "What the Heavenly Planets Tell for You,"

"Reviewing the News," "News of the Month," "The Past, Present, and Future," "Sports in Spots," and "Matrimonial Column" were regular columns. The June, 1947 issue featured an advertisement

3 8 Mary Dean, "Disappointed in Love," Negro Achievements (July, 1950), p. 5. for the beginning of two new columns. They were "We the People

Speak" and "The Undercover Reporters. "

Also appearing in the August, 1947 issue was "Swinging in the

Breeze,1' a column to continue many years by regular contributor

Dave Clark. Added in May, 1948 was "Spinning the Records, " also by Clark.

In 1948 a new column, "Here, There, and Everywhere," was included, written by Herman W. Clark of San Francisco, Cali-

fornia.

"Sports in Spots" and "Theory of Music" were dropped in

the February, 1948 issue and were never re-entered. However, later

1948 copies which previewed coming articles mentioned news in sports 39 and a two-page section entitled 'Theatricals and Music" which

covered music and theater happenings among Negroes.

By April, 1948 the magazine had acquired a vehement writer

for the Negro personally and for the Negro in society. Mack C.

Nance of Nogales, Arizona, made his fiirst appearance in Negro

Achievements under the title "Scratches" which eventually changed

to 'Observations," a regular column.

•^Negro Achievements, I (May, 1948), Front Cover Index. <2 iL*

Another column added in the 1948 issue was "For Ladies; 40 Only,11 by Leo la, which pragmatically advised women on etiquette, style, and the latest gossip about town. "For Ladies Only" was to lead Negro Achievements1 introduction of many columns practical for

Negroes.

"A Hint to Young Men and Young Women" appeared in

August, 1948, written by Adelle Jackson Martin who was later to become editor of the publication.

Edna K. Lacy, presently a leading editor of Negro

Achievements' successor Sepia, began in November, 1948,writing a regular column with no specific name but rather with a headline describing the topic of the column. Her first two columns were about restaurants: the job of waiters and waitresses and of customers frequenting public eating places. Overall, columns excelled other material in the publication. Grammar and subject matter were above the level of other writing.

"Brooklets by Brooks," a column to continue several years and written by George W. Brooks of Seattle, Washington, was added 40 "For Ladies Only," Negro Achievements (April, 1948), p. 32. Leola, out of San Francisco, never signed her last name. Since a staff box was nonexistent on Negro Achievements, the last name is not to be found. Since it was a contributor's column, none of the remaining original staff members remember. 24 in February, 1949, and Mack C. Nance put his column under the regular name of "Observations'" at the same tim©v

Of all the columns written, showing the most fire was the one by Nance, who is unknown and forgotten by surviving staff mem- bers. Only his column could be called a fighter or crusader for the Negro.

For instance, in December, 1948 Nance raves about the idiocy of the black race being lured into small satisfactions by the white race. He wrote:

The American Negro, prior to and since a ques- tionable emancipation, has leaned (with an inherent and a morbid scrupulosity, proceeding from ignorance, emotionalism, and enigmatics) so heavily [sic] upon an imaginary "good time" and gala festivities, after death, that he has forgotten his material self and that of posterity. While progressive races are paving the rough highways of life for the babes yet unborn, the "petite" brained Negro, under the suicidal influ- ence of an anesthetic, says, "let posterity go to hell and get by as I did" and comforts himself by a vision- ary aspect of "mansions in the sky," golden slippers, long WHITE robe, free gin and honey, all to be enjoyed after death. This is childish and far from pleas- ing to GOD. For this we (the Negro) suffer the agony of deep humiliation. Our sinister minded brother, the white races (en masse) have proven to be crafty psychologists, in that they have been very successful instilling in the

41 Adelle Jackson Martin stated she thought he made regular contributions from a penitentiary but was not sure. Other surviving original staff members remembered nothing at all, not even his name. Nogales, Arizona, has no record of his birth or death. 25

confused, emotional and stupid minds of the Negro, just out of slavery; a contaminating "virus" a deadly seda - tive, meant to permanently tranquilize him into a state of morbid satisfaction, even in dire humility.

Raging against advertisements in Negro publications, Nance writes in "We the People Speak" of March, 1950:

The press is an instrument of the people. It is the Negro who supports the Negro press. We, quite natur- ally, looks [sic] for. expects and are entitled a con- structive, educational and a productive service rather than a periodical invitation to "git white overnight" black no more, kink no more, conjuration and voodooistic preparations.

Other columns, mainly light writing, were to entertain or advise and not to preach or rage about injustices. In Adelle Jackson's

1948 Christmas column, she advises: "Learn to control your emotion, avoid arguments, it's only the stupid who argue, an intelligent person reasons things out,"

Music columns, flourishing by March, 1949 expelled such gossip as: "Look who's here. It's Tampa Red, The State Street

King of the Blues and he will slay you with two very fine blue tunes done only as the Mayor of State Street can do them."

Other items of the same column included:

The movie capitol was loaded with Celebs includ- ing Billy Eckstein, Duke Ellington, Louis Jordan, Nellie Lutcher, and Herb Jefferies who is doing it up big at the Toddle House, while Horace Henderson and his band is the feature at the Million Dollar Theatre with Roy Milton and his band toppin' at the Elks on Central Avenue. 26

As the magazine aged, it became an instrument for enter-

tainment and for providing the Negro race with a publication to which

they could understand and relate.

According to ex-managing editor Mrs. Martin, "We weren't

competition to anyone ... couldn't hold a candle to Ebony who was

using color and everything else. But our magazine sold. It really

appealed to what the Negro knew and could understand. Ebony was

a dream world."

Negro Achievements: Stories, Articles, Pictures

Achievement articles were mainly about singers or musi-

cians such as Tiny Davis,42 Mr. Be-Bop, 43 That Miracle Man Duke 44 Ellington, Gospel Singer Millicent Folwer,45 and Lena Home.46

However, also common in achievement stories were busi-

ness men, church men, and community men. For instance, in the

42 "Tiny Davis Sings, NegroAchievements.il (Februarv. 1949), 16. 43 "Mr. Be-Bop, " Negro Achievements (March, 1949), p. 32. 44 That Miracle Man Duke Ellington, " Negro Achievements (April, 1948), p. 18. 45 "Gospel Singer Millicent Fowler, " Negro Achievements (August, 1947), p. 21. " 46 "Lena Home Now, " Negro Achievements (May, 1950). p. 41. 27

December, 1948 issue the first Negro traffic officer in Tulsa was. honored with a caption reading, "Like most southern cities, Tulsa doesn't particularly like for Negro officers to arrest whites, but in.

Mr. White's [sic] case, if a white motorist speeds on Tulsa's northside, and is caught by Officer White, he is arrested."

Other achievement stories included the "Junior Choir of

New Bethel Baptist Church," who received space on the back inside cover of the March, 1949 issuer as did the "Dramatic Class of the

California Labor Class." The back cover gave a beautician and a social worker space with pictures as Negroes with achievements.

Noted also in various issues were such stories as "Jackie Eobinson 47 Souvenir Venders," Oliver Edwards as "Windy City Disc 48 49 Jockey," "The National Mortuary Fraternity, " and "Girl Goes 50 to College. "

47 "Jackie Eobinson Souvenir Venders," Negro Achievements (July, 1950), p. 33. 48 "Windy City Disc Jockey," Negro Achievements, IV (March, 1950), 21. 49 "The National Mortuary Fraternity, " Negro Achievements (October, 1949), p. 30. 50 "Girl Goes to College," Negro Achievements (November, 1949), p. 32. 28

Community activities, weddings, anniversaries often filled the pages as notable achievements.

The World's Messenger Publishing Company was featured in the magazine when it moved to its new location. The article told C 1 of The World Messenger's hopes for beginning three other magazines.

When Blackwell began to organize a Negro Baseball League, a large spread was done on the meetings and progress of the various 52 committees. Achievement articles and pictures interspersed throughout the magazine "lifted the Negro-~so to speak—which is what Mr.

Blackwell fully intended to do. "

Format and Design

From Negro Achievements' beginning until probably April, 54 1949, the magazine was 17 X 11 inches, printed on pulp paper. It resembled a tabloid newspaper. In May, 1948 the cover was changed to slick paper, giving the publication more of a magazine look. 51 "Slowly a Reality, " Negro Achievements, II (February, 1949), 32-33. 5^Ibid., p. 13. 53 Turner, interview. 54 March and July, 1949 copies were found but intervening copies cannot be located. 29

Inside design included four 2-1/2 inch columns arranged with column rules. Body type was approximately 9-point Bodoni and head- line type was mixed Roman and Gothic, different weights and postures,

Varitypers were used mainly to set the type. Offset printing was the only method used.

The format was newspaper style throughout with very little design used. Two-page spreads were not used nor were other maga- zine design techniques. Each page was treated as a separate unit.

The first twelve pages usually contained the beginnings o£ six true stories. Most true stories were continued to the back of the magazine. The only obvious layout practice which prevailed was the placement of the author's picture (the reader must assume it is the author since no cutline is given) to the right of the headline at the top.

Columns were usually boxed with various types of borders and advertisements were boxed with plain line borders.

Pictures, as well as ads, were fitted wherever room existed, with seemingly little order or organization involved. However, many pictures were used with achievement articles and news stories which kept the title of "pictoral" magazine true. Large pictures occupied three columns by six inches which was not an unusually large display.

Some pages had only one column of copy, with the rest of the page being pictures. 30

March, 1949 is the latest large-size magazine available.

The next issue in July, 1949 had been reduced in size to 8-1/2 X 11 inches, glossy cover, pulp paper and a three-column format. The magazine also changed from thirty-two pages to forty-eight pages. It took on the look of a standard magazine at this point. However, according to Mrs. Martin, the change was not made to improve looks but rather to halt complaints from readers, distributors and the World

Messenger printers who said the large size was too hard to handle and display.

Content did not change with the size change, but more two- page spreads with pictures were used and columns were displayed to their best advantage on the three-column page.

The cover, from its beginning, had used two colors, but on the smaller size, the colors appeared brighter and the pictures, usually head shots, were more typical of the co\er girl look.

Dropped with the change in size was the cover's index,

"Appearing in This Issue" and "Appearing in the (Next Month)

Issue," which usually ran in two 4 by 4 square blocks at the bottom of the cover.

Inconsistent cover material would feature either a Negro singer, musician, star, the author of one of the true stories, or sometimes a pretty Negro woman, featured as "Our Cover Girl." 31

Advertisements and Policies

Quality advertisements were not the rule at Negro

Achievements; however, advertisements were similar to those seen still in many Negro publications which advertise fortune tellers and skin bleach.

Full-page ads were not to be found until the magazine changed owners in July, 1951. The normal size ad was one column .inch by two inches.

Negro Achievements promoted itself through advertising fillers which encouraged subscriptions, stories, and people to apply for agent's positions. Also, space was provided for Negro

Achievements to give notices to their readers on particular policies.

For instance, one notice to readers read:

NOTICE--T0 those who are sending in stories for our publications: Your picture must accompany the story, and don't send us any little bit of old faded pic- tures. If you do, we will send them right straight back. We won't accept the story or the picture either. We must have good pictures.

No policy existed for the type of advertisements to go into

Negro Achievements. However, if the staff received any material detrimental to the black race, it was deleted. No effort was made to delete poor quality ads for blacks.

c c Negro Achievements (November, 1949), p. 45. 32

"We didn't really depend on advertising too much for revenue.

There just wasn't a system, " said Mrs. Martin.

Regular advertisers from 1947 to .1950 were Fie mining s's

Superior Beauty Aids, Loadstones for Luck, Meet your Friends at

America's Best Colored Correspondence Club, High John; The

Conqueror's Root for Good Luck, Franklin's Skin Bleach, Baker's

Funeral Home, Christian Colored League, and Colored Property for

Sale. Other advertisements spasmodically appeared and disappeared with occasional advertisements for local places of business.

An advertising rate card^ listed the following chart for its readers:

Page 1 Time 3 Times 6 Times 12 Times

1 $50. 00 $45.00 $40.00 $36.45 u > o o 2/3 36.31 • 29. 70 26.73

1/3 19.97 17. 97 16. 17 14. 55

1/6 10.99 9.90 8. 91 8. 02

Other information given on the chart was: $ . 70 per line less than one-sixth page; cover prices ranged from $ 80 to $ 58 with two colors being the publisher's choice. Agency commission stated on

56 "Advertising Rate Card," Negro Achievements (July, 1950), p. 48. 33 the chart was 15 per cent to recognized advertising agencies, 2 per cent discount in. ten days.

Circulation stated on the rate card was 15,000.

Expansion and Indebtedness

Blackwell, discontent with the Thomas and Morrow Printing plant on West Lancaster in Fort Worth, decided he could put up his profits and improve the magazine at the same time if he printed the magazine himself.

"He had all the blueprints and two lots," said Adelle Jackson

Martin, and in 1948, he completed the building with still further hopes of expanding. He mortgaged the entire place to buy more equipment in early 1949.

The December, 1948 issue carried for the first time the new address, 1216 Harding Street, Fort Worth, Texas, and the Februi-* ary, 1949 copy displayed on page 32 and on the back cover the story and the pictures of "The World's Messenger Publishing Company's

$ 75, 000 Printing Plant (Is) Slowly but Surely Becoming a Reality. "

The first copy of Negro Achievements to be printed by the new equip- ment was the March, 1949 issue. The February, 1949 issue reported,

"The plant will be equipped with three fine stations, that requires five 34 girls to operate: one electric power cutter, and many other equipments- for plate making.11

Blackwell, finicky about his expensive new plant, set rules that lasted even after the newness was gone. For instance, no high heels were allowed on the tile floors and anyone who slammed a door was usually reprimanded harshly. The ceiling fans, quite a conven- ience in 1948, were to be turned on only by Blackwell, who eventually shared this responsibility with Adelle Jackson Martin.

During the process of enlarging, Blackwell hired Edna K.

Lacy, who was placed in shipping and Lula Pearl Woodfork and Geneva

Benn, who also worked in shipping. Louise Wright was hired and became one of Blackwell's "favorites" which "made it difficult on everyone," explained Mrs. Martin. Blackwell, "not always a fair person," could make working unpleasant when he chose pets. Also, according to Mrs. Martin, the added financial strain wore heavily on

Blackwell's health and he never acted like the same person after the move.

The printing shop hired three men, Marvin Thompson, O.W.

Owsley, and Don Anderson, and once a month bindery girls were called in to put the magazine together.

Blackwell fully intended to enlarge and publish three other magazines besides The World Messenger and Negro Achievements: 35

Another magazine will be known as Interracial Romances. This magazine will depict and display pic- tures and stories of liberal-minded white women and men. These types of people have kept their secret romances hidden for years, and now they will tell their own story in their own way; of their relationship with different races of people. This magazine will hit the news stands about April 1. The company will publish another magazine known as Negroes in Crime. The purpose of publishing this type of magazine is to impress upon our younger genera- tion that crime doesn't pay. The company will also publish a sixteen page tabloid newspaper that will be known as The Texas State News. ^^

The only magazine to materialize was Interracial Romances and it lived for only one issue. "That magazine hit newsstands in the

South and it caused a riot and a burning in Mississippi so bad we had to discontinue it," said Mrs. Martin. The other magazines were

"too much" for Blackwell to undertake because his health was failing as his responsibility was growing.

In November, 1949, Blackwell wrote a true story entitled 58 "Yes, I Am Going to Die."

I am a victim of cancer, that dreaded disease, can- cer. I have some other plans that I had longed to bring to reality for the benefit of my race before I round out my career.

ti *7 "Slowly a Reality, " Negro Achievements, II (February, 1949), 32.

H.J. Blackwell, "Yes, I Am Going to Die," Negro Achievements (November, 1949), p. 1. 36

B lac Well stated in the same article his two great accom- plishments as founding The World's Messenger and Negro Achievements,,

"America's two famous magazines" and as buying the lot at Twelfth and Harding and building the "thirty-five thousand dollar publishing house." He wrote:

I went heavily into debt and bought sixty-five thou- sand dollars worth of the latest type of machinery and equipped the building with the proper equipment to get out our own magazines.

Blackwell said a "white concern" printing his magazine was attempting to gain control by discouraging him to take on his own printing, "claiming that I was taking on a headache." The printers overcharged him, caused his February issue to be delayed (which eventually caused him to skip the April issue), and he was "deter-

59 mined to get aloose from that strangle hold they had on me. "

Owing his printers $ 6, 385, Blackwell went to the hospital for forty-five days when "these ungrateful printers sort [sic] this

chance to strike me 6a0 blow; they tried their darndest to throw me into receivership.u- "n

Blackwell's claim was that the printers wanted the plant in receivership so they could become trustees.

59 Ibid. 6°-.. Ibid. 37

It wasn't their money they wanted so bad. If it had been they would have waited until I got out of the hospital; after I had paid them $40, 000 during 1948. They thought they were familiar enough with the- two publications to print them, and that would have been a grave mistake, because there is not a white man in the United States who can publish a Negro magazine. ^ *

During this time, a R.L, Hosea, former vice-president of the Trinity State Bank of Fort Worth, aided Blackwell by planning a course of action, paying creditors and incorporating The World's

Messenger Company. Blackwell explained in his story:

He set up a bookkeeping system that was very simple and taught a girl for two months and a half how to keep them. I am burdened with fear--what will become of my business after my death? Will it go into the hands of white ownership; the business that I have worked so hard to build up, and have almost paid with my life to see it grow, or will it remain in the hands of my peo- ple. 62

Blackwell asked for contributors to save the magazine "so that it will 6 3 remain within the race and live on, and on, and on. "

Blackwell, stating his one great fear again, says, "Thia is the last thing in the world we want to do, that is to sell to

^ *Ibid., p. 26.

^Ibid., p. 27.

k^lbid. , p. 28. 38

b whites, that is what we are fighting for new, is to save it 64 for the Race." Blackwell died on December 15, 1949, at 7:30 p.m. , one 65 month after his story was printed.

He was fifty-six years old and he left his wife Elizabeth, thirty-nine, in charge of his affairs,with his last wish being that Negro

Achievements remain in the hands of blacks.

Mrs. Blackwell knew very little about the business and had little business knowledge. "She kept it in the hole. She didn't pay taxes and all the employees had to rush to the bank with their pay- checks," explained Mrs. Martin.

To further complicate matters, Mrs. Blackwell acquired a boyfriend who occupied most of her time, leaving her little time to worry about publications. Although Mrs. Blackwell was able to keep the magazine operating, it was not a long-lived endeavor.

Mrs. Martin went in search of someone to save Negro

Achievements, which was deeply in debt. 64 ° Ibid. 65 "H.J. Blackwell," Negro Achievements (May, 1950), p. 9. CHAPTER in

SEARCH FOR NEW OWNERSHIP

Finding an owner for the defunct Negro Achievements proved no easy task. It was ready to go into the hands of the Bank of Com- merce, * which had the mortgage on the building.

Negro Achievements had become crude in its five years of life, and this crudeness was not a selling point. It was not the type of publication the "average" man would want. Buying the publication would mean an investment requiring work, because Negro

Achievements needed change in content, layout, and advertising in order to raise the circulation.

As the black man became more liberated and more educated, he rose above the standards Negro Achievements had set. The eleva- tion of Negroes was slow because of hampering attitudes in white communities, but elevation was happening. Slowly, Negroes were outgrowing the publication.

Statement by George Levitan, publisher of Sepia Publishing Company, 1220 Harding St. , Fort Worth, Texas, June 9, 1972. A second interview with Levitan took place on June 22, 1972. Through- out the remainder of this chapter, his statements at these interviews are quoted and discussed without further footnoted attribution.

39 s> 40

A progressive black with much money and a gambling instinct would have the best qualifications. However, Adelle Jackson Martin found quickly that a man with such characteristics was difficult to locate. "I went to every black leader I knew, but they just wouldn't 2 chance it,11 said Mrs, Martin.

She approached The Excelsior Insurance Company and almost convinced the company officials that the magazine could be improved and make money. "But as soon as they found out Blackwell had left the company in the charge of his wife, they were not willing to invest or buy, " Mrs. Martin commented.

Mrs. Martin decided that perhaps the search was hopeless;

"I just wasn't trying to be heroic and save Negro Achievements. I was trying to save my job, " she said. Mrs. Martin made it clear that a black woman's place in society was not in an office, but rather behind a mop or broom. "Finding a decent office job or any job wasn't easy, and there were several of us who were going to be tossed out in the street if I didn't do something. "

Since Mrs. Martin had exhausted her resources in the black community, there was only one place left to go--the white community. 2 Statement by Adelle Jackson Martin, long-time secretary and ex-managing editor to H.J. Blackwell's publication, Negro Achievements. Interview by telephone, July 24, 1972, Fort Worth, Texas. Further footnote references in this chapter are omitted. 41

The white man was an object of fear and distrust to the Negroes, and the year 1951 brought little change to their feelings. But th

Negro Achievements provided were more important to Mrs. Martin than pride. "Guts had to make up for pride. I just kept plugging," she recalled.

0„W. Owsley, one of the men in the printing shop, suggested a white man who met most of the qualifications needed for the new owner. Although not black, he was in a minority group, He was

Jewish. If any race of people has undergone as much turmoil, perse- cution, and prejudice as the Negro, it would be the Jewish people. In part, his being Jewish altered the image of this man's whiteness. Also, he was rich, ready to retire at age forty-six, and his favorite mental exercise was gambling with promising enterprises. His name was 3

George Levitan, and he was a handsome, dark-skinned man with alert eyes who would be taken in by no one.

Determined to talk with Levitan, Mrs. Martin pursued him and stated her intentions clearly. Levitan liked her approach but stated firmly, "No, I'm getting ready to retire. What would I want with a broke publishing house? " Not being satisfied with anything

Mrs. Martin said, Levitan again said, "No." Leaving for a vacation

3 Although his given name is George Theodore Levitan, the Theodore has been dismissed as "unnecessary" by him. He has not used it or revealed it in any business transaction or to any of his associates. 42 with his wife, he did not give the proposition further thought except

to marvel at the gall of Mrs. Martin..

But Mrs. Martin's mental wheels had not quit spinning.

"Here was a man with heart. I wasn't going to give up," Mrs. Mar-

tin recalled, and she kept her word. After Levitan returned from his

vacation, Mrs. Martin was "figuratively speaking, camping on his

doorstep.11 Her proposition this time was, "Try it at least. You

can't know till you try. "

Ordinarily a business man first, Levitan, in this case, let

his sensitive side guide him in becoming interested in the defunct

World Messenger Printing Company. When Mrs. Martin approached

Levitan the second time, the following conversation occurred:

"Mr. Levitan, if you don't take over this company, we'll all be out of work, " said Mrs. Martin. "Who's all? " asked Levitan. "Five colored women and one white pressman," she replied. "Well, Lady," said Levitan, "you'll just have to be out of work. I don't know anything about the pub- lishing business and I'm getting ready to retire." "A young man like you, looks as good as you. You don't need to retire. Just come and look at it. "

So Levitan went to look. "What I saw was so pathetic.

They were looking at me with their dark faces and white eyes wonder-

ing what I was going to do with them. It was like having a little group

of people in the palm of your hand that you could squeeze them to 43 nothing or let them blossom into something really big, " said

Levitan,,

Levitan, deciding to take over the magazine for ninety days, was ordinarily a scrupulous business man. In this case, Levitan admitted the buy was not such a "good deal," but he was a gambler at heart and could not resist the temptation of such a business. He recalled,

It was not at a good price. They owed money on the building and on the equipment. They were being sold on a receivership deal, and the people who owned the building and the people who owned the equipment wanted their money. It was about a thirty- or forty-thousand dollar investment. I paid them off, put five thousand dollars in the bank, and we started operating.^

Levitan began operating the plant July 11, 1951,^ the day he bought it; the company made money the first month.

He kept the magazine just as it was, making no changes in format or layout. However, changes were made rapidly and efficiently in the operation of the business.

"I threw out the cats which Mrs. Blackwell had lurking around and started a system, " explained Levitan. The system

4 The equipment was worth approximately $ 14, 000 or $ 15, 000 and the plant was worth approximately $ 15, 000 or $ 16, 000. Levitan said the exact value could not be determined because of Blackwell's poor system of records. 5 July 11, 1951, is the birth date of Levitan. He recalled the 44 e involved requisitioning for supplies or anything else which was needed,

"They had to requisition for a two-cent stamp. I wanted everything^ tight," said Levitan. Arid tight it was, because not a penny was

•wasted, and the company moved from red to black, making $ 500 the first month and $ 1, 000 the next.

No one was allowed to be late or lazy. "If anyone came in late, he just sent them home, " said Bea Pringle, business manager of Sepia Publishing Company. ^ To date, tardiness is unheard of .

"Isn't that something with a whole operation of women? " laughed

Levitan.

He raised Mrs. Martin's salary from thirty dollars a week to thirty-five a week and the other salaries from eighteen dollars a week to thirty dollars a week. He whipped the company into shape, though he had his employees frightened, and was making money out of a company that had seen relatively little success.

In ninety days, as agreed, Levitan prepared to sell his newly found company. He told Mrs. Martin, "You said ninety days and ninety days it is. " He offered the company to a friend who immediately agreed to buy for $ 15, 000. However, later Levitan cancelled the verbal negotiations because his employees had begged

^Statement by Mrs. Beatrice Pringle, business manager of Sepia Publishing Company, 1220 Harding Street, Fort Worth, Texas, June 22, 1972. Further footnote references in this chapter are omitted. 45 him to stay. 'They looked so stc. What else could I do? " asked

Levitan. Even though Levitan had been tough on his employees, they begged him not to leave. "He was mean but he was so kind," said

Mrs. Martin.

A natural-born gambler, Levitan entertained thoughts of a strong publishing empire with mental anticipation and challenge. His gambling nature and his love of big business inspired Levitan to stay, but his need to help others probably was the convincing factor in his remaining head of the World Messenger Printing Company.

Once Levitan decided to stay, he poured money into the pub- lishing plant and took the helm as publisher. He is now in his twenty- first year and admits that it is his life and that he loves it dearly.

Levitan: Publisher

"I'm not a journalist and this isn't journalism. It's a busi- ness and I'm a businessman, " said Levitan firmly. But twenty-one years on the magazine have made him a publisher whether he approves or not.

Changes were the key to the first year of Levitan's reign.

"I began throwing big money into it. I spent $20, 000 on little presses, started getting four colors on a one-unit press, gave them big bonuses--cars and fur stoles--let. the employe es have a week for 46

Christmas vacation, and then I watched it grow . . . like Topsy,"

Levitan related.

Although Levitan did not write an explicit policy, he felt the purpose of the magazine was to show progress of the Negro and to encourage rathqr than discourage them. "I wanted the magazine to prove that there is something to look forward to in this country and really at that time there wasn't too much. They were in a hell of a shape," he said.

Levitan explained that at first his employees were afraid of him. He wore khaki clothes and was a large, rough-looking individual who peered over their shoulders as they worked, giving advice and pointing to errors.

"I am neither a crusader nor a philanthropist. I am a busi- ness man who tries to operate on a firm and fair basis. These people are taught to operate in the same way," he explained.

He changed the name of the publishing company to Good Pub- lishing and later referred to it as Sepia Record Publishing Company.

This name was eventually changed to Sepia Publishing Company, and at present the Sepia and Good are used interchangeably. In January,

1953, he changed Negro Achievements to Sepia, and The World's

Messenger to Bronze Thrills. 47

He lectured his small staff on policies and changes in the

magazine, showed them what to do to make the magazine better, sub-

scribed to publications they could study, bought everyone a desk dic- tionary, and weeded out poor services previously used by Negro

7

Achievements. "Most of those news agencies had canned stuff.

We didn't need it," said Levitan.

They hired Nathan Katz as their advertising agent and looked to advertising as a means for revenue.

'1 just followed the basic principles of business: You either

cheat or pay honestly. Do people right and do yourself right. That's

all," he said.

Levitan's philosophy has earned him millions of dollars and

respect. Not only does he consider business deals sacred, he also

considers friendships dear. To point out his feelings on both these

aspects of life, Levitan recited a poem he learned as a child, about

a business deal two friends make, titled Hans and Fritz: Two dykers who lived side by side Remote from the world, its de seat in its pride On pretzels and beers their spare moments were spent and The fruit of their labor was peace and content. Now Hans purchased a horse of a neighbor one day and lacking a part of the gelt here money as they say, Hans made a call upon Fritz to solicit a loan to help him pay for that beautiful roan. 7 Calvin's News Agency and Independent Press Service were two services Levitan dismissed. 48

Fritz kindly consented the money to lend* And gave the required amount to his friend. And, said in his own simple language to quote» "I tink it 'tis better we makes us a note," The note being drawn in their primitive way, "I Hans borrows from Fritz $ 50 today." "Now who holds dat, " says Fritz. "I holds it, " says Hans "and then I will know that I owes you dat money.1 "Say Fritz dat is so." Well, time did elapse, as they did agree--Hans paid back the money and from the debt he was freed. "Now, who 'olds it" says Hans "dis note." "I holds it," says Fritz "and din I will know, dat you paid me dat money--Says Hans --Dat Is So. ^

Despite Levitan's morality in business, some viewed his endeavor skeptically. When people heard about the Levitan deal, the usual comment was "Levitan, you're crazy. You can't teach a Negro anything. And. another thing, they don't even like you, " recalled

Levitan. Through the first years of business, Levitan accepted criti- cism and listened. But, in the end, he always told these critics the same thing:

I can understand them not loving us because they've been the underdog so long. They've been at a disad- vantage. There's nothing about us that they would love or like. Now, as far as their mental capacity and the ability to learn to produce, I'll tell you a thing. I didn't think the Lord would have dispensed brains according to color., I did think certain people are endowed with certain peculiarities due to racial habits according to what they went through, but I didn't think the actual brain mattered.

8 Levitan recited this orally and it was taped in interview. However, no source can be found. 49

He felt his staff was smart inherently, and that because of their persecution and problems they had become "a fox who had been shot at many times. "

Levitan's faith in hi3 staff allowed him to make changes with- 9 out reservation until gradually the circulation of Sepia and Bronze

Thrills had risen from 18, 000 to 200, 000 by 1954. ^

Levitan began enlarging the building his second year. He air-conditioned it, got some new equipment, and enlarged the plant.

The old World Messenger plant went from 3, 000 square feet to 30, 000.

It now includes eleven restrooms, printing-packaging-shipping ware- house, office supply, editorial offices, business offices, art offices, plate-making rooms, color processing rooms, and a cafeteria where employees receive their meals free.

"From beginning to end, the magazine is produced here," said Levitan with obvious pride. With two million dollars invested in his company, his pride seems natural.

The building at 1220 Harding St, is a red brick, one-level, one-block edifice, and no where from the outside can one see a Good 9 According to Levitan, the circulation slowly rose about two years after he assumed ownership.

^These figures were found in shipping orders and not from ABC. Levitan did not have circulation audited until about three years after he bought the old World Messenger Company. 5(

Publishing or Sepia Publishing sign. "We don't need it," said Levitan..

"This company is the people. It could be making a lot more, but the important thing is it gives these people a respectable job and they produce."

Production has always been an important part of Levitan's life.

He has been producing success and respect from contemporaries and peers since age nine, when he sold newspapers in Detroit by sneaking from his home at night.

Born in L'Anse, Michigan, to JRachael and David Levitan,

Levitan was named after George Washington. "My mother was from

Russia and she saw how it was, the illiteracy and persecution, and she was a great American citizen, " said Levitan.

Having dropped out of school after nine grades, Levitan earned an education far beyond his years. Experience was his diploma and it helped earn him money, success, and happiness more than many college degrees.

Levitan received a "classical" education from books he knew were used in schools. "I learned enough to get by with the really educated, " he commented. He finally had gained more than enough to get by. He gained a mind filled with facts, figures, and trivia which his memory holds until the appropriate moment. At that 51 moment, it is not unusual for Levitan to spout lines of poetry,

11 encyclopaedia facts, and quotations of great men.

At age fifteen, Levitan was a lumberjack in Northern Michi- gan. When sixteen, he returned to Detroit and opened a bicycle shop with a sewing machine repair shop in the rear and a locksmith repair shop in one corner. At twenty-one he came to Texas "to see what was going on and I never returned."

When the depression came, Levitan had it "real, real

rough." He hauled gravel and manure around Fort Worth, and

learned to make the most of whatever came his way.

In 1940 Levitan went into the plumbing supply business, did

well, sold out, and was preparing to retire when Mrs. Martin knocked

on his door to tell him about The World Messenger Publishing Company.

Later, he bought the Well Machinery and Supply Company in an unusual

business deal as reported in the Fort Worth Star Telegram April 7,

1963:

It could only happen in Texas. George Levitan, who operates Good Publishing Company, dabbles in oil wells and has a finger in various other- enterprises, stopped in at Well Machinery & Sup- ply Company at 2901 Shotts in the Bailey Industrial Dis- trict Friday. Wanted to buy a hoist for his printing plant.

1 ^plant observation made from June 12 to July, 1972. 52

As he completed the purchase, Tom Griffin, local manager for the Worthing!on Company, told him that this would probably be his last item purchased there. Worthington, he said, was about to move the plant from Fort Worth. Worthington had acquired it some 10 years ago in a deal in which it also purchased its Calmet Meter Division here. "The h-~ you are!" exclaimed Levitan. "Why?" "Well," Griffin said, "Worthington's not inter- ested in oil well supply, his interest here is in water meters." "Gosh," said Levitan, "I hate to see a good com- pany like this move out of town. I'll buy the darned thing." And he did. The same day he wrote the check completing the deal. ^

Levitan, a story in himself, was also an inventor and a

"wheeler dealer." As a kid he made sails for wagons and sold them.

"They'd go like hell," he laughed.

He sold lemonade on a street corner like many children do on hot summer days, the only difference being that his stand brought in a profit. He also sold foreign stamps, and, regardless of the work involved, Levitan was a straight shooter in all of his dealings.

A good example of Levitan's prudence is the story of

Levitan maintaining high standards during prohibition:

Abe and Joe Moss had a rum business during pro- hibition and they approached Levitan congenially about using his garage in the back of the bicycle shop.

12 The Fort Worth Star Telegram, April 7, 1963, Sec. 4, p. 2. 53

Levitan gave a firm "no. " The next approach by Abe and Joe was not so nice. "We're moving in, " they stated positively. Levitan stated just as positively that he did not want to be a gangster. "Just what are you going to do about it? " they demanded. Pulling a small gun from his coat, Levitan replied to the two burly types, "Well, I'll just shoot the both of you. "

Levitan never went into the booze business, probably, because no one cared to offer him another proposition.

Dealing fairly has caused many people to approach Levitan for aid in the black community. Mrs. Martin said,

He is such a nice man; he'd help just about anybody. At one time, I had to see some of the organizations first. One time, a black group wanted a hundred dollars to clean up one of their cemeteries. Why, that's silly. If they're good citizens, they could clean it up themselves.

I sent them away and others.

It was not that Levitan was a man easily fooled. In reality, quite the opposite was true. However, his generosity and Midas heart always went out to the societal underdog.

Levitan's toughness as a businessman causes people to fear him at times. By demanding quality, he challenges his people to use their heads as if the greatest sin were to make a mistake from care- lessness and from lack of thinking. "He's so mean, but he's so nice 54 13 too. It's such a surprise," said Clarisse Munroe, business

secretary.

His is an office in which one could spend days and nights

without becoming bored. At age sixty-seven, his day lasts eight to

twelve hours, with strenuous transactions transpiring, with problems

occurring in his businesses, and with responsibility heavier than most

men ever know. Yet Levitan laughs easily in a variety of ways.

Walking into his office, one faces red and black double cur-

tains patterned with bucking horses which act as the background for 14 an antique clock and two antique statues of men. Two six-foot desks

partially fill the book-lined room. Telephones, tape recorders,,

cameras, and a closed-circuit television unit are only some of the

materials surrounding him.

Somewhere in the office is Tiger, Levitan's dog. Black and

small, with perky ears, Tiger follows Levitan about loyally, "sings"

for visitors, and at times goes into barking fits if someone does not

please him. Everyone says "good morning" to Tiger and usually

asks if he's seen Blackie, a neighborhood dog. 13 Statement by Clarisse Munroe made in interview, June 27, 1972. She is the business secretary of Good Publishing Company, 1220 Harding St. , Fort Worth, Texas. 14 Levitan made his desk from long strips of wood and it is usually piled high with important papers, letters and joke books. ' 55

One object in the office which baffles Levitan is the organ which he plays spasmodically. "Isn't this funny? I don't understand this thing. I just sit down and my fingers start playing. If I think about it, I can't play," he said.

Levitan, full of surprises, will try anything once. He lives big and he plays hard. Levitan allows no boredom. From his desk,

he may push a button on a pair of eye glasses which spout water and have windshield wipers, or shake one's hand with a shocking buzzer.

It is not an oddity for him to stroll through the Good Publishing

offices getting laughs.

He knows how to "turn a buck," but Levitan must rank high

in spending money for personal enjoyment. Levitan flashes his

Texas residency with a pair of cowboy boots studded with diamonds:

price $ 15, 000. He has six cars, most of them red and sporty.

However, among his subdued transportation is the company's creamy

white Rolls Royce.

During the Christmas season he treats the "winos" who live

around Good Publishing to breakfast in his cafeteria and then hands

out crisp dollar bills.

In contrast, Levitan cannot stand extravagance if it involves

what he considers to be waste. At the entrance of the cafeteria. 56 line in his plant is a sign which reads in bold black letters: Return no food. And no one returns food.

He likes ball games, the theater, and boxing. Enjoying travel, he stated that one of his favorite places is Las Vegas. His greatest enjoyment, though, next to his work, is his family and close friends.

People in general fascinate him no matter what their station in life is.

His repertoire of stories is filled with acquaintances, employees, and contemporaries.

He related a story about one Christmas when he gave an auto- mobile to a black woman who had taken care of the large Levitan house and cooked the meals there for years. She hugged his neck and thanked him, but the real thanks came several days later. She walked into his den and looked at him very closely. "You know, Mr. 15 Levitan, you must be real rich. "

Levitan roared with laughter as he told the story. "She just never thought about it before. I was just another guy."

Levitan appreciates wit and intelligence, admires stamina and stability and respects independence and conscientousness. He examines others carefully and listens closely to what they say.

Rarely is his first impression wrong of those he meets.

^"*Story comes from plant observation, June 21, 1972. Levitan walked through, laughing as he remembered it. 57

As shrewd as he is hardheaded, Levitan is loved by his employees whose work records are long. They don't think of him as white, because "that just isn't an issue," said Bea Pringle, business manager for Good Publishing. Nor do they think of him being any older than they are, though he exceeds most by twenty years. "If he ever says 'now listen here, I'm older than you,1 we say now wait a minute,Mr. Levitan," said Mrs. Pringle.

Levitan knows his employees, cares about them, respects them, and expects a tremendous amount of work from them. He gets work and affection in return.

Good Publishing is "good" because publisher Levitan has set the goal of getting out a magazine to sell, put faith in his employees, 16 and created 11 one happy family. n

16 This title was used often by Levitan, Pringle and Munroe to describe the staff at Good Publishing Company. CHAPTER IV

1950-1959: DECADE OF CHANGE

Publisher Levitan recognised the need for change in Negro

Achievements, but he did not choose to redesign the publication in haste. "Gradually, I wanted to work with the people and I wanted them to get to know me. I couldn't just uproot all they were familiar with. They knew more about it than I did, " said Levitan.

Negro Achievements' staff members continued the magazine as they had under Blackwell; therefore, during Levitan's ninety-day trial period, relatively little change was apparent. However, after 2 Levitan decided to keep the magazine, some changes in management of the plant and in the look of the publication became noticeable. For instance, the September, 1951, issue carried a three-dimensional,

^Statement by publisher, George Levitan, in an interview on July 24, 1972, in the Good Publishing Offices, 1220 Harding St. , Fort Worth, Texas. A second interview with Levitan took place on October 27, 1972. Throughout the remainder of this chapter his statements at these interviews are quoted and discussed without further footnoted attribution.

When Levitan made a definite decision to keep the publica- tion, the August, 1951 issue was skipped in order to organize the publication's format, to offer brief training to the editorial staff, and to make changes involving advertising and mechanics.

58 59 green-and-black box on the front cover with the title printed in it, and the cover photograph was of a football player superimposed over the nameplate and bottom dateline.

This change, like many of the first changes made under

Levitan, was in appearance rather than in content. Content change was to come slowly as Levitan learned about the business of journal- ism.

The November, 1951 issue of Negro Achievements used art work in the table of contents to advertise the World Messenger Publica- tions. Also, the first notice of application for entry as Second Class

Mail appeared,

Decorations and ornaments were used too much in the Novem- ber, 1951 issue, as well as a more lenient make-up style. Circles, stars, and boxes were methods used to frame articles and pictures; other techniques, new to Negro Achievements, were lines and 50 per cent intensity screens to separate different items on the same page^

Headlines, instead of being straight above the story, were positioned at various angles, usually slanting towards the right-hand corner.

The most obvious change was in advertising. Cartoons appeared often in advertisements boosting the publication, with the exclamatory word, "Look!" in boldface type. Levitan began pushing for more subscriptions, and in November, 1951, the magazine offered a 60 special subscription price which was fifty cents lower than the previous three-dollar price for one year.

Dollar signs and the headline reading "Need Money?" were set in reversed type in an attempt to entice readers to become agents to sell Negro Achievements. Included in this November, 1951 adver- tisement was an inquiry blank which was also a new means to get response from readers. Another advertisement in the same vein was set in 24-point reversed tvpe, reading "Agents Wanted!"

Most unusual of all the changes in Levitan's Negro

Achievements was the inclusion of full-page, half-page, and fourth- page advertisements of plumbing supplies in the November, 1951 issue. Sinks, lavatories, pop-up drains, and bath sets were shown as bargains at Cut-Rate Plumbing Supply owned by George Levitan.

These ads were the first true indication that the magazine had changed hands. Three Cut-Hate Plumbing ads appeared in the

November, 1951 issue but did not reappear in later issues^

Although the greatest number of changes evidently appeared between December, 1951 and September, 1952, so few issues have survived from the fifties, it is difficult to determine exactly when specific changes were made. ^

3 Only one issue survives from 1952 and it is the September issue. Other issues of the early fifties are scattered, consisting of only two or three copies from each year. 61 ft

The September, 1952 issue of Negro Achievements was so much changed in appearance and content that there were very few similarities between it and earlier issues.

Most drastically altered was the cover, which changed from two colors to four colors and whose nameplate was restyled.

Previously, subheads under the nameplate read True Stories,

Romances, and Achievements of the Negro Race. The new subhead read The Progress of the Negro People beneath a restyled name- plate. The nameplate, Negro Achievements, went to two colors with

"Negro" styled in thin yellow Bodoni type and "Achievements" in lower-case white script. The underline, The Progress of the Negro

People, was done in a red sans-serif type, in capital letters.

For the first time in Negro Achievements' history, art was used on the cover, rather than photography. A greater variety of type was used than before, and the publication achieved the look of a better-quality magazine.

The paper stock was changed from a newspaper grade to a glossy stock, which also improved the magazine's appearance. The 4 change of stock also permitted better picture reproduction.

4 Although the glossy stock was a heavier weight, Levitan applied and his request was accepted and entered for second-class matter, September 20, 1951, at the Post Office of Fort Worth, Texas, under the Act of March 3, 1879. 62

"I liked the feel of the new paper better. ... It looked better and that's what we worked on first," said Levitan. Develop- ing a new look was among the first steps Levitan took in making a. new, more suitable product, but it was not his last.

Format changed acutely and so did the content. A "Table of Contents" was added on page one instead of on the inside cover as it had been before. Also, the contents were categorized. The first topic was the main news topic of the month, which also was related to the cover content. For instance, the cover was art of a Negro soldier and the first topic of the content was the War Front.

Other categories of the content in the September, 1952 issue included Entertainment, Departments, Sports, People, Achievement,

Features, War Front, and Home Front.

' 5

Under War Front were three items: "Hero of Hill 543,"

"Captain Green, Icebound, " and "Picture of Achievement.11 Puzzling is the fact that though the heading War Front applied to the first two

stories, it did not apply to the third story, which was about four

Negroes who had achieved various honors. 5 "Hero of the Hill, " Negro Achievements, IX (September, 1952), p. 2. (Throughout the remainder of this chapter the Septem- ber, 1952 issue will be discussed with textual reference to the title of the article and references to this issue will be cited as Ibid, with the appropriate page number.) 63

The first two stories, however, were written with more expertise than previous Negro Achievement articles; they were void of typographical and grammatical errors, and they were journalisti- cally satisfactory as news-features. Poignantly done was "Hero of

Hill 543, " which told of Sgt. Cornelius H. Charlton, who died in a

Korean battle and was later honored with the Congressional Medal.

The story included a letter, boxed within the story, from the young man's mother to the editor. Titled "Letter from a Hero's Mom," it was printed exactly as written. Despite the obvious non-standard

English, it revealed the feeling of a Negro mother who had lost her son in the war.

Our son Cornelias begged me to let him enlist when he was 15 but I had him to wait until he was 17 then I sign for him. He was a good boy never drink, smoked, nor swear. He loved sports such as horseback riding, bicycle and balling . . . never was sick. Heal- thy and strong and brave and smart. We all miss him sol can not write this letter without crying all so proud of him.

Levitan made it clear that a.lthough changes were made in

Negro Achievements, the purpose of those changes was not to sugar- coat the reality of Negro life.

Under the Entertainment section of Contents of the September,

1952 issue were "Double Dynamite, " "Meet the Top Models, "

"Entertainment Topics," and "Porgy and Bess Reborn." All arti- cles were newsworthy because they covered prominent Negroes in the 64 news. "Double Dynamite" covered Ruth Brown, a blues and bailada singer, and Dorothy Dandridge, a singer of popular rock and roll.

"Meet the Top Models" discussed a top advertising agency in New York which solicited Negro women explicitly. The article disclosed the pay to be fifteen dollars per hour.

"Entertainment Topics" of the September, 1952 issue

included items on stage, movies, radio and television, and records.

The wide range of entertainment topics fit under the subheading "Cur-

rent beat notes from Broadway to Hollywood, in the world of acting,

singing, dancing, and music." Such entertainers as Duke Ellington

and The Ink Spots were featured in this section. A few "unknowns"

appeared, but not in nearly the same number as had appeared in pre-

vious Negro Achievements.

"Porgy and Bess Reborn," probably the best of all tha enter-

tainment articles, was an in-depth feature on the new cast and the

performances of "George Gershwin's Great American Opera of

Catfish Row, in the Summertime Carolina heat, . . . revived for

tour of Europe and U.S.A."

Although Levitan did not particularly care to stereotype the

Negro in his publication, he recognized the many contributions of

Negroes in the field of entertainment. "Sure the Negroes had rhythm,

but they did other things too. Emphasis had to be in other fields to 65 make readers aware that Negroes could do things other than jive," he asserted. Consequently, the amount of space devoted to enter- tainment was cut in comparison to earlier issues.

Falling beneath the topic "Departments" were "Letters to the Editor, " "Editorials,11 and "Our Cover." Editorials, resumed for the first time since Blackwell had.dropped them in late

1948, were of high quality on significant and interesting topics. In the September, 1952 issue editorials were "Cicero Riot Book Firmly

Being Closed,l! "Pity the Poor Porker, Patty!" and "Civil Rights

Can Swing Elections. "

Lightly written was "Pity the Poor Porker, Patty!" which told the story of colored pigs being banned in Ireland because "the

colored ones tend to make the appearance of pork look spotty and

less desirable." The editorial ends with this clincher: "Perhaps

the NAACP of Ireland should be formed (National Association for the

Advan cement of Colored Pigs, of course)."

Although Levitan does not recall who wrote editorials during

this period, he commented that many of the magazine's pieces came,

in the beginning, from news releases sent to the publishing house

from various services. Later, however, the existing staff undertook

approximately 90 per cent of the editorials. The other 10 per cent

was done by assignment. These writers were often black, but not 66 necessarily so. Levitan's philosophy in Sepia or Negro

A c hi eve me lit s had no color line. "Whoever did the best [got the

story]. You learn after a while, you know,11 said Levitan, Equality was practiced in the Good Publishing Firm and, according to Levitan,

each man or woman was paid what they were worth when, and only when, they proved themselves.

The stories earned for the writers varied amounts ranging from $ 100 to $ 500 and up, depending on quality and readership inter-

est. However, Levitan admits that very seldom did a free-lance writer get lucky enough to have a story accepted which had not been

requested.

In the Sepia office are files which contain the names of con-

tributors for all five magazines, and the file is used to solicit writers

on specific stories.

The "Sports" section of September, 1952 issue was con-

tinued from the original Negro Achievements, but it, too, was

designed in a more sophisticated style. Under Sports were "Ole

Man Satch, " "Sports and Players, " and "Texan Buddy Young. "

Titled "Sports Profiles," the article on Leroy "Satchel"

Paige was done in excellent feature style. Concise and complete, it

did not glorify and praise Paige unduly just because he was a Negro,

but, rather, gave an account of his achievements and of his & 67 personality. An excerpt of the article reads?

He was considered "old and washed up" in 1948, when he joined the Indians late in the season to help their push to a pennant. He was thought of as a gate- draw rather than as an effective pitcher. After all, baseball old timers could remember Paige and his monarchs storming around the country- back in the days when there was a Republican President.

The only mention of Paige even being a Negro is in one sentence of the article: "He joined Bill Veek at Cleveland, the fourth Negro to

enter the majors."

Negro Achievements' major content change is seen at this point. No longer would the Negro be set upon a pedestal just because

of his color. In the new publication, the Negro would earn his

place in print.

Practically every sporting event was covered under "Sports and Players," with emphasis on the sports in season.^ However, brief one-to-two paragraph items were written about athletes and

sports events. For instance, one item in this section reads:

James "Suitcase" Clarkson has been spending this summer riding the train. If he forgets his team- mates' names once in a while it's because he's never sure which team he's on. For instance, in June, Clarkson made four train trips between the Boston Braves and the Milwaukee

6 In the September, 1952 issue, baseball, boxing, football, and basketball were the main sports covered. 68

Brewers, Each time he reached Boston he was benched , . . and sent back in a couple of days.

In sports, as well as in other areas, the Negro reader was kept informed about his race in many areas, serious and not so serious. Under the topic "People" in the contents, articles listed were "NAACP Convention," "Urban League Report," and "They

Get Technical." Mainly feature-news articles, these articles touched on working Negroes aiding society. The article "They Get Technical" was about the Washington Tech High School, which listed a "varied program of trades —-froxn radio to roof repairing--besides its regular academic curricular." Not rebellious or indignant in tone, the

NAACP story gave high points of the 1952 convention, a few feature

items from the convention, and business of the convention. One typi-

cal paragraph reads:

For the most part, formal sessions were devoted to an evaluation of Civil Rights and a guide to political action this crucial election year.

Levitan's idea of a good publication was not one which fought

for anything or demanded anything from anyone. He chose to have

his publication inform and entertain, and whatever he had to do to

perform these two functions of journalism, he would do.

The absence of true stories confirms this Levitan philosophy.

He did not deny that true stories had their place, but he refused to have 69 them in Negro Achievements. "Entertain by giving them something

good, some real achievement," Levitan often said.

As Levitan pumped money into Negro Achievements, he also financed a magazine solely for "true stories" and named it Bronze

Thrills. "Sure, you can't take something hot out of a magazine.

They love this kind of thing, But, this kind of article just was ridicu-

lous here," said Levitan, pointing to an old Negro Achievements'

story. Levitan contended that the "true stories" were not true

achievements.

Levitan, however, did have his staff include as many achieve-

ment stories as possible. Under the heading "Achievements," in the

contents of September, 1952 issue were "Make Way, Mr. Jordan," a

story about a Negro man from Brooklyn who was a lawyer, a politician,

a judge, a social worker, a student, and a grocery store owner. Also

in this category were "Doctors Have Day," "Brotherhood Boost, "

and "Achievements Salutes."

"Doctors Have Their Day" discussed the sixty-sixth annual

session of Lone Star Medical Association and the "Brotherhood Gets

a Boost" told of an integrated San Francisco church congregation.

Under "Achievements Salutes" were brief articles about a Missouri

veterinarian, an Arkansas optometrist, a Tennessee lawyer, and a

Louisiana author. 70

The new Negro Achievements of September, 1952 covered not only groups of Negroes but also individual Negroes, and this

content partially compensated for the lack of true stories.

Although some categories did not appear to be clear-cut, the

publication's effort to organize the reading material undoubtedly aided

the reader. Beneath the content heading "Features" were "The

Church," "Negroes in the News, " and "Cartoons by Turner."

Other than the cartoons, this section consisted of achievement stories.

However, they were written in feature style.

The cartoons were light and comical, Levitan's idea without

a doubt. Although this feature item of "Cartoons by Turner" dis-

played several cartoons, other cartoons were intermittently placed in

other areas. Laughter is part of Levitan's personal philosophy, and

jokes, cartoons, and other funny-type fillers began appearing in the

magazine. One filler placed in the middle of otherwise serious mater-

ial was written in joke form:

"I didn't say that all lawyers are crooks," said the doctor, "but you'll admit that your profession doesn't make angels of men." "No," retorted the lawyer, "You doctors have the best of us there."

"The Home Front," yet another category in contents, was

aimed at the woman reader. Topics were "Cook's Nook," "House-

hold Scrapbook, " and "Beauty Corner. " All had definite appeal to 71 the housewife, but not necessarily to the Negro housewife, as did columns in previous Negro Achievements,

Levitan entertained no idea of appealing to the Negro as a

substandard reader, but neither did he choose to create a dreamworld above their heads. Articles in the changed Negro Achievements were

earthy, practical, and realistic.

Editing the publication during 1952, the main year of change, was an editorial board headed by Adelle Jackson Martin as managing

editor. "During the first year, we learned together. Of course, I

knew what had been done. He [Levitan] knew what would stay, what 7 would go," said Mrs. Martin.

Mrs. Martin had "learned the ropes" under Blackwell as a

curious, persistent teenager. Blackwell depended on her services so

much that when he died she could not let the magazine die. "That's

when I found Levitan," said Mrs. Martin.

Through the 1950's Mrs. Martin remained a pillar of the

publication. She sometimes led and at times she followed. But, in

February, 1953, Levitan changed the name of Negro Achievements to

Sepia Record. From this point on he became a strong leader of the

publication.

^Statement by Adelle Jackson Martin, ex-managing editor of Negro Achievements in a telephone interview made July 24, 1972. Further footnote reference in this chapter is omitted. 72

Sepia Record

The change to Sepia Record signaled the obvious overall change in the magazine's content and make-up. Levitan commented that after he had been publisher of Negro Achievements for about a year, he realized the name did not fit the content. The reason was. that Levitan had overhauled Negro Achievements to the point where it was not the same magazine, and, therefore, he could not keep the same name. He studied other Negro magazines and attempted to put his publication in the proper perspective. He wanted to do something different that would sell. Making money remained top priority; yet he wanted to give the Negro something he did not have--an all-round publication designed to entertain and to inform. Sepia Record fit the role.

The February, 1953 issue was the first to carry the new name plate which read Sepia Record, Formerly Negro Achievements.

Record was set in approximately eighteen-point type-, whereas Sepia, set in an art type of approximately 144 points, remained the primary title. Sometime between August, 1954 and 8

November, 1954, the Record was dropped and the magazine has carried only Sepia since then. 8 The last issue available carrying the nameplate Sepia Record was July, 1954, and the first issue available carrying only Sepia was November, 1954. Publisher Levitan could not recall the exact month of the change, but said it was probably September. 73

Levitan felt a one-word logo was easier to remember, catchier, and better than a name strewn all over the front of a publi- cation. "More class, you know," he said.

The name plate proved to be the first of many noticeable changes in the magazine and its change was the beginning of a finer example of Negro journalism.

Sepia Record even for its short period of life in 1953 and

1954 produced most of the major changes maintained in Sepia. Most obvious of alterations in the April, 1953 issue was the cover which went from a dull two-color to a brighter four-color. Levitan ran the new cover through the one-unit press four times.

The cover also began featuring celebrities, pretty girls, and 9 provocative titles, such as "Trouble in Las Vegas," "How to 10 11 Make a Dame," "Hottest Negro Nightclub," 'The Girl with the

9 "Trouble in Las Vegas," Sepia Record, X (April, 1953), cover one.

^"How to Make a Dame," Sepia Record, X {February, 1953), cover one.

"Hottest Negro Nightclub, " Sepia Record, X (March, 1953), cover one. 74 12 13 Magic Hips," "Are Older Women Sexier? " and "The Shake 14 Shake Girl.,!

Two regular titles appeared on each issue of Sepia Record*

They were "Exposed!" and "True Murder Mystery." "Exposed!" stories usually revealed a scoop. Examples of such scoops were 15 16 "Men Who Dress Like Women," "They Live by Night," and 17 "After Hour Clubs." Under the "True Murder Mystery" heading were startling stories. For instance, "The Case of the Brutal 18 19 Baby Killer," "The Pentagon Murder Case," "The Girl in the

12"The Girl with the Magic Hips," Sepia Record, XI (February, 1954), cover one.

^"Are Older Women Sexier?" Sepia Record, XI (April, 1954), cover one. 14 "The Shake Shake Girl, " Sepia Record, XI (November, 1954), cover one. 15 "Exposed! Men Who Dress Like Women, " Sepia Record, XI (December, 1954), cover one. 16 "Exposed! They Live by Night, " Sepia Record, XI (January, 1954), cover one. 17 "Exposed! After Hour Clubs," Sepia Record, XI (March, 1954), cover one.

^®"The Case of the Brutal Baby Killer," Sepia Record, XI (July, 1954), cover one. 19 "The Pentagon Murder Case, " Sepia Record, XI (June, 1954), cover one. 75

20 71 Gravel Pit," and 'He Almost Preached His Victim's Funeral" were some of such shockers.

Titles were not the only objects used to "spice up1® the cover. Models, posing in bathing suits on boats and beaches, appeared frequently.

Levitan felt that if the magazine looked better it would sell better. According to Levitan, sales improved immensely, going

22 from around 38, 000 to 45, 000 in 1955. More newstand copies were sold, because the magazine was competing with other top Negro publications in outward appearance. However, the cheesecake philo- sophy did not allow it to compete with top magazines in content.

But Levitan's goal to reach a more middle-class segment of the black population was being reached.

The content was just as radically altered as the cover. How- ever, the change from Negro Achievements' content to Sepia Record 20 "The Girl in the Gravel Pit, " Sepia Record, XI (April, 1954), cover one. 21 "He Almost Preached His Victim's Funeral," Sepia Record, XI (March, 1954), cover one. 22 One statement of ownership was found, required by The Act of Congress, but circulation was not stated because "this infor- mation is required from daily, weekly, semiweekly, and triweekly newspapers only." Negro Achievements, X (January, 1953), 2. 76 «• content occurred more gradually than the cover, and, therefore, this

change is not as sharply recognized.

The Table of Contents maintained its same headings, but

other topics were added. Sepia Record, beginning in June, 1953,

added the Expose heading, the National Front, Specialities, and True

Romance headings. Sepia Record, 1954, heralded the True Detective

Murder Mystery, which substituted for the True Romance section.

The National Front, a heading including Negroes in the news

and Negroes in nation-wide events, helped balance the sensational

headings of "True Romances" and "True Detective Murder Mystery."

Had it not been for stable news under "National Front" and "People,"

the magazine could have reverted entirely to a sensational, cheap

publication. Levitan saved Sepia from this particular fate by begin- 23

ning other publications which acted as outlets for the cheesecake

philosophy, including sensational coverage of sex, movie stars, and

crimes.

Still, Levitan did not protect Sepia entirely from some sexy,

sensational photos, stories, and advertisements. Throughout the 23 Bronze Thrills was the forerunner to the old World Messenger and was advertised as early as September, 1952, in Negro Achievements. Later, Jive was born and was first advertised in February, 1953 Sepia Record. 77

7 A fifties, Sepia, The Kandy Size Picture Magazine, capitalized on sensational pictures and stories and suggestive advertising.

In a self-promotion campaign of January, 1956, a back-cover advertisement read as follows: "It's Hot--It's Terrific--It's

Sensational--Larger Pictures--A "Life" Magazine in the Negro

Field."

The New Sepia

The "bigger, newer Sepia, " which claimed to be wider and taller than before, was advertised to appear first in February, 1956.

However, only one copy of 1956 is available and it is the January issue. Showing the new size for the first time was the January,

1957 issue. Sepia measured nine-by-twelve -and-one -half inches, an odd size, smaller than Life and Ebony, and was printed on a glossy- coated stock instead of the dull, absorbent stock used in the past.

Since the new stock was not absorbent, the color reproduction was improved immensely. There was a cleaner, glossier finish.

24 The Handy Size Picture Magazine subtitle was added in January, 1954, beneath the major nameplate. It was dropped in 1955, shortly after Record was dropped from Sepia, probably in November, 1954. It should be noted here that copies are missing from the shelves of the Good Publishing Storehouse between July, 1954, and November, 1954. 73

Also, the nameplate again changed to mimick Life magazine's logo. Sepia was done in white, heavy-weight san-serif type against a red five-by-two-inch block background. Yet, only four months 25 later the striking logo was dropped, and the size of the publication was changed again.

On the new thirteen-by-ten-inch publications, the same size as Ebony and Life, the red and gray nameplate stretched across the entire top front. It had a dimensional appearance and white stencil- type letters. The magazine maintained this logo throughout the rest of the fifties.

According to the publisher, Levitan, he and the staff liked to

"experiment." He said, "You never know what sells , . . got to try it. It won't work if you don't just do it. And we did it all the time.

That's the way these people learned this business. That's the way I learned it. Some things work. "

Also, as Levitan improved the publication, the plant, and 26 the newly named Good Publishing, obtained new presses and type- setters. Fascinated by the printing-publishing business, Levitan was 25 June-July, 1957 issues nameplate was changed. 2 6 Levitan said the name seemed "appropriate," "right." He changed the name July, 1952. 79 always ready to acquire better machinery in order to improve his- magazines. By the latter part of the 1950's, Sepia looked as good as other major publications, Negro and white alike.

Content through the fifties stabilized enough for an estab- lished formula to be seen by 1956. Entertainment and sensational- ism directed towards the lower-middle class Negro achieved the

Sepia niche. Yet the most progressive changes occurred in 1957.

From 1957 to 1959» the publication even more firmly established itself in the Negro market. 'I was more conversant, " explained Levitan,

"more involved in business. All the changes were mine really.

Things would just pop in my head."

Levitan read more and tried harder. He saw the potential of Sepia and decided to expand it. "For selfish reasons, really, I wanted it to be better. I mean, I could have one decent magazine I could show. This is George Levitan's," he said.

In January, 1957, Levitan was well on his way to publishing 27 the "decent" Sepia. Sepia took a turn for the better when Ben

Burns, a white Jewish man of Ebony fame, began contributing to the publication. Originally, Ben Burns had been the catapult of Ebony. 27 Sepia's format maintained sensationalism, but to George Levitan, decency was sensational, quality material prepared in a professional way and not true-story type material. 80 »

He had created for them a sensational format which put theirs in greener fields. Only when publisher John H. Johnson decided to go to a straighter format did Burns decide to leave. According to Levi- tan, Burns was never really "hired" at Sepia. He was a contributor.

In the staff boxes, however, from January, 1957 to December, 1958

Burns was credited with the title of editor. Although Burns was not in fact an editor, his influence was undeniable. He was a professional with a flair. "When Burns turned in stories, he also suggested layout and picture use. These ideas were always accepted and Levitan urged him to say more.

"We took, his ideas, of course. He was a learned man, a scholarly man. He's a high-class gentleman, a newspaper writer.

He went to college. Mainly, he was best when the material was hot--

sensational. He was good for the magazine, " said Levitan, speaking

of Burns.

Burns left an indelible mark on the publication in the fifties,

although his tenure was short.

In January, 1957, the content form changed. Topics were

dropped and individual titles were used. A cover explanation was an

addition on the content page, and advertisements were not as abundant

as in previous issues. For the first time notice of Audit Bureau of

Circulation (ABC) was seen in Sepia. "The other magazines didn't 81 need it, bat Sepia did . . . the ABC gave it more class, you know,"

said Levitan.

The January, 1957 issue also featured 'In Next Month's

Issue," which told on the contents page about the number-one story

for the next month. This item acted as a teaser to readers to buy

the next issue.

Examples of the 1957 content prove the magazine was an

instrument for entertainment in the sensational vein; yet, it was also

leaning towards more quality, educational articles. The January,

1957 issue featured such articles as "The Biggest Racket of Them

All, " which told Negroes that installment plan buying had one out of

every four Negroes hopelessly in debt and always at the mercy of

finance companies; in contrast to this story were such titles as "Sexi-

est Man in Harlem," "How to Become a Night Club Singer," and "I

Fbund God in Prison.11

In the area of entertainment, Sepia told its readers about

Negro name stars such as Sugar Chile [sic] Robinson and Wilt

Chamberlain.

The content was varied during 1957 and 1958, with only a

few sensational pieces. "The Bloodiest Murder of the Year" was

featured on the June-July, 1957 issue cover as "Extra: Murder:

Chicago's Brutal Easter Sunday Head-Chop Killing. " It told vividly 82 in words and pictures the story of the Chicagoan who had chopped off the head of his lover with a hunting knife after she sneered at his love- making ability. He then carried the head six blocks to a tavern to have a beer before dumping the head in a trash basket. Sepia multi- plied the horror of the grotesque story by showing the bloody head in the trash can and the headless body soaked in running blood.

Other stories displaying milder sensationalism were "How

I Fight Off Those Male Wolves on the Road, "Streetwalker to 29 30 Preacher," "Why More Negroes Are Going Astray, " "Female ,331 32 Impersonator's Ball," "Crime Photographer," and "The Fine 33 Art of Snake Dancing."

? 8 Ruth Brown, "How I Fight Off Those Male Wolves on the Road," Sepia, V (May, 1957), 26. 29 Georgia Mae Jackson, "Streetwalker to Preacher," Sepia, V (October, 1957), 40. 30 "Why More Negroes Are Going Astray," Sepia, V (October, 1957), 7. 31 "Female Impersonator's Ball," Sepia, V (February, 1957), 54.

^"Crime Photographer," Sepia, VI (February, 1958), 30.

33nrphe Fine Art of Snake Dancing," Sepia, VI (May, 1958), 53. 83 ?

Even as Sepia proved its ability to startle, more apparent was its ability to inform the lower-middle class Negro population. 34 Such articles as "Black Jews of Israel, " "Great Moments in 35 36 Negro History," and "Honest Truth about Birth Control" were of an informative nature.

As the fifti.es drew to a close, the formula was clear. It consisted of sensational news, startling medical discoveries, gossipy entertainment features, and achievement articles about Negroes who had made good.

The formula for Sepia was much like the old formula of

Negro Achievements with one main difference. Sepia staffers were more progressive in copyreading, in their writing technique, in their color reproduction, in their photography, and hi their subject matter.

Sepia's formula was gradually growing away from the old tirade of

Negro Achievements.

After Burns left in December, 1958, the magazine took a nosedive as far as innovative layout and design were concerned. Even

"^"Black Jews of Israel," Sepia, VI (March, 1958), 22. 35 "Great Moments in Negro History," Sepia, VI (April, 1958), 50.

^Booker Bradley, "Honest Truth about Birth Control," Sepia, VI (May, 1958), 72. 84 though John Howard Griffin of Black Like Me fame took over the title of editor, the flair of the fair-haired child, Burns, was gone. Burns left Sepia as a contributor in order to begin his own business in public relations.

However, the absence of Burns did not keep Sepia from thriving during 1959 and the succeeding years. The format, basically the same, kept sales up and maintained Sepia's image. The year 1959 brought color to the inside pages of Sepia, brought about a change of 37 staff, and brought back a categorization of content again-.

Sensational coverage of Negro happenings remained. Exam- 3 8 pies are "Big Bust Boom, " which showed repulsive pictures of 39 open breast cancer, "Decency Versus Sin City," and "Is Too Much 40 Sex Ruining Athletes? "

The only real difference in 195 9 from 1958 was the lack of creative make-up. Basically, the magazine remained the same. 37 May, 1959's staff box was altered with many new names of contributors and associate editors. 38 Eddie Roceo, "Big Bust Boom," Sepia, VII (January, 1959), 14. 39 Dan Burley, "Decency Versus Sin City," Sepia, VII (July, 195 9), 28. 40 "Is Too Much Sex Ruining Athletes?" Sepia, VII (July, 1959), 64. 85

Advertising certainly was not raised to a higher standard.

Items for curling hair, straightening hair, coloring hair, bleaching skin, and darkening skin were advertised along with many medical cures, such as royal jelly to insure longer life and aids to relieve alcoholism. Erotic items were seen advertised, such as Jayne Mans- field lingerie, a bottomless girdle, French nude pictures, and honey- moon love drops. Other items advertised included men's hats, ladies' dresses, guns, high school diplomas, shoes, jobs, genuine stuffed alligators, records, and radios. Name products were not seen.

Levitan said his low circulation kept him from soliciting top product advertisements and added, "Besides, we're big enough.

Why be the richest publisher in the graveyard?"

Yet, Sepia was competing in the Negro market and Sepia was making money.

The fifties initiated publisher George Levitan into the busi- ness, created a salable publication for the hard-to-reach lower-

middle class Negro market, and paved the way for greater things. CHAPTER V

THE 1960'S AND COMING OF AGE

Although the fifties brought the most change to Sepia in typographical format and in basic content, the sixties brought maturity to the otherwise adolescent publication..

The January, February, and March, 1969 issues carried such stories as "Space Age Opportunities, " "Battle Men on the Home

Front," and "Washington: All Negro by 1961?" The quality of con- tent in I960 was on a higher level than ever before. Photographic quality and printing reproduction improved. The publication looked better and was better.

Still, the magazine needed two additional features which it lacked. First, the quality of advertising needed to be greatly improved, and, second, some type of original quality series or story was needed to break on Sepia's pages. Publications need some type

of distinctive story or series to become well-known, either a gimmick

86 87 1 similar to the Burt Reynolds farce in Cosmopolitan, April, 1972, or

something truly innovative.

Though advertising never improved consistently during the

major part of the sixties, Sepia obtained the distinctive series to

mark its journalistic life. John Howard Griffin, an occasional

contributor to Sepia, approached Levitan early in 1958 with an idea that was to make Sepia a better Negro publication. Although neither"

of the men had enough foresight to predict the impact of the idea,

bothkiew it would be big. In the final analysis, the best of all other

end results was that this idea improved the reputation of the publica-

tion. Instead of bemg considered a cheap Negro magazine, it began

to be recognized as having some depth.

Saga of John Howard Griffin

Publisher Levitan first met John Howard Griffin in the early 2 fifties, through a Jewish organization which urged Levitan to help

The "farce" on Cosmopolitan's pages was a gimmick used by the magazine to entice readers to buy the publication. The gimmick was a fold-out in the April, 1972 issue of Burt Reynolds, movie actor, almost «ude. Major magazines such as Newsweek wrote about the event and the impact it had on Cosmopolitan's future. The event was covered by newspapers around the country and other mass media. This feat helped earn the magazine the reputation of being a liberal, "with- it" women's publication.

^John Howard Griffin was unavailable for interview due to an illness and also because he has another book in progress and is under a strenuous schedule. However, information on Griffin was revealed by Levitan and through the magazine Sepia. 88 c them by giving Griffin employment. "I was not sure at first ... a 3 blind man? I asked incredulously," said Levitan.

But Levitan hired him and later realized that Griffin was serious about his job and was earnest about writing. Before meeting

Levitan, Griffin had written The Devil Rides Outside, a book published in 1952,which was well received by critics and the public alike. ^

Levitan initially helped Griffin for his blindness but not for his talent. However, in the late fifties approximately ten years after meeting Griffin, Levitan did not care why he had hired him, but only that he had. Griffin proved to be an asset to the publication.

In 1958, Griffin miraculously gained his eyesight back and, according to Levitan, began taking a new perspective of the world about him. After regaining his eyesight, Griffin began writing more then he ever had in an attempt to polish his style. "He was a fine

3 Statement and general information obtained from George Levitan, publisher of Sepia magazine in The Good Publishing office, October 27, 1972. Throughout the remainder of this chapter his statements at this interview are quoted and discussed without further footnoted attribution. 4 In a short piece about John Howard Griffin in the April, I960 issue of Sepia, it is written that this novel earned him "inter- national reputation." Also,, the critic Maxwell Geismar in his American Moderns said, "For sheer talent, power and virtuosity of craft Griffin ranks very high among the new writers, but he has deeper powers than these." 89 writer and he used his talents to a great advantage. He was smart 5 and he had varied experiences,11 said Levitan.

In late October or early November of 1958, Griffin took his idea to Levitan. Griffin proposed turning himself black, venturing into the Deep South to experience life as a Negro and writing about these experiences for Sepia. "The man always looked for purpose in his life. When he told me he wanted to be a Negro, I thought 'You're crazy mister' but it wasn't enough for this man to empathize with the

Negro ... he wanted to be one, " explained Levitan.

Levitan was not pleased about Griffin's ambitions. He felt the venture was dangerous and foolish. "The magazine was important, but so is life," Levitan remarked. The idea was too risky even for a gambler like Levitan. But Griffin did not give up, and his persis- tence paid off. Levitan said he insured the writer for $ 100, 000 and sent him on his way.

Griffin telephoned or wired his stories to Sepia when necessary. He was sent money by publisher Levitan,who, after the proposition was under way, was even more uneasy in knowing Griffin was his responsibility. 5 John Howard Griffin has among his "varied experiences" the study of medicine, psychiatry, and musicology. He is considered an authority on the Gregorian chants. Sepia, IX (April, I960), 12. 90

Still, no matter how worried Levitan was about the venture, he knew instinctively the story was big. Sepia capitalized on the

Griffin venture, and after reviews of the book (Black Like Me) were published, it became obvious that the magazine had crossed the line that separated mediocrity and prominence.

In March, I960, the first preview of the Griffin saga was revealed to Sepia readers. The piece was titled, "White Man

Experiences Life as a Negro in the Deep South, " and it fell under the Next Month's Issue category on the content page. It read:

Never has any publication dared to print a story so bold, so unbelievable as Griffin's tour of the Black Belt. Sepia is proud to accept the dare. You don't need a space helmet and a rocket ship to visit another world John Howard Griffin, famous author of "The Devil Rides Outside," and other novels, did it with a note book, pencil, a sun lamp and guts. A lot of guts ! Griffin's story is yours to begin in April Sepia when we run the first of a five-part series on Griffin's discoveries--hate . . . fear . . . sadness . . . cat- fishead stew . . . illicit love. There is another world inside the one we live in. It is a world within a world and Griffin traveled its high- ways, alleys and trails, exploring it in sunlight and in darkness. From New Orleans . . . Rampart Street . . . French Market . . . dingy, steaming hotels ... he hitch-hiked, walked and rode buses through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia--the Deep South. Griffin's story is true--every shocking word of it--and its publication will shake the country. There will be angry cries from some who recognize themselves in his story . . . the pretty, and hateful, ticket seller in the New Orleans bus terminal . . . the surly bus 91 e driver who refused to let Negroes leave the bus to use the toilet on the Hattiesburg ran . . . the white mart who will reca.ll picking up a hitch-hiker between Mobile and Montgomery, Ala. , and telling him how he "went for colored gals." They will remember Griffin, shocked and unbe- lieving as they recall the tall, husky "Negro" with glasses and shaven head. John Howard Griffin is not a Negro. He is white, of white parents. But he was curious to learn first- hand of the Southern Negro's life. That is why a sun lamp contributed to his story. How he became a "Negro," lived, worked, ate, laughed, suffered in the bayous, back alleys and bright lights of the Deep South, Griffin has made one of the finer contributions to American literature. Read how John Howard Griffin "crossed over" from white to black. It starts in April Sepia. We pro- mise it will leave you gasping.

The first story in the series was one at which to gasp. The

cover of the next month's issue in April, I960 was dramatically done.

It showed five scenes of Griffin as a black man done in black and white. In color was a close-up shot of the white Griffin. Under

each close-up was a cutline which read, "John Howard Griffin--

fwhite)" and "John Howard Griffin-- (Negro). " The cover title read,

"Searching for Truth--Fie Found It. "

The story in the April, I960 issue was dramatic, startling,

and well written. Griffin took the reader into his experiences and

led the reader into his thoughts. At one point, he wrote:

Though the night was cold, sweat dampened my body. This also was new. It was the first time this Negro had ever perspired. I thought it vaguely 92

illuminating that the Negro Griffin's sweat felt exactly the same on bis body as the white Griffin's. As I had suspected they would be, my discoveries were naive ones, like those of a child.

After part one appeared in April, 1969 as the lead story, the May through October issues featured the series as secondary.

It was publicized on the cover of each of the issues but was not the lead story.

Each new part of the story revealed experiences of Griffin, and in each story, at least one climactic event occurred. For instance, the June issue cover headline read, "I opened the truck door and found myself staring at the cold steel of a shotgun, " while the August, I960 issue's feature headline read, "What happens to

John Howard Griffin, white man turned Negro, when he stops to rest in a dismal, Alabama ditch?"

Before the seventh and last story of the series appeared in the October Sepia issue, the September, 1961 issue advertised it with the headline "BOOM!" The piece read:

When the impact of John Howard Griffin's mas- querade as a Negro burst around the world, thousands upon thousands heralded him as a courageous humani- tarian. But in the eyes of the bigots, he had committed the unpardonable sin, he had betrayed his race. In this age the coin of man is minted with two sides, while thousands from the North and South praised Grif- fin, the bigots screamed their contempt. The peace of understanding was punctuated by threats of violence. A few prejudiced citizens of Griffin's hometown used 93

the anonymity of darkness to hang him in ' effigy. Griffin lit the fuse on the powder-keg of racial prejudice, read the full story of the resultant explosion in the October issue of Sepia.

The impact was evident from the response the Sepia office received. Levitan said the office received well ever four hundred, letters during the Griffin series from readers and critics. Griffin capitalized on this result by writing an interesting, climactic last story to the series. In the last part of the series, which appeared in October, I960, Griffin tied up the writing venture with a story titled "Praised and Damned. "

He answered in the last story questions about how southern whites felt, how his family felt, how the world reacted, how foreign reviewers reacted, and whether he would do it again. This last story of the series was well done and articulate. The story ended, but a strong change of attitude towards Sepia began in that the innova- tive articles earned respect for the otherwise little-regarded publica- tion. The fact that nationally known advertisers began to buy space for their products was indication that Sepia was no longer considered too minor to advertise in.

John Howard Griffin left Sepia towards the end of 1961.

Levitan commented that Griffin was not ever really hired as such 94 but was a contributor who worked closely with the publication and the

staff box only titled him as editor.

After Griffin's story had had its impact in Sepia, Griffin

compiled his story into a 176-page book titled Black Like Me, which

was published in 1961. Shortly after the release of the book,

reviews began to appear in several prominent magazines.

Critic L. E. Lomax of Saturday Review wrote in the

December 9, 1961, issue:

This was not a stunt; this was not a lark carried. out by a free-lance writer in search of a story. . "Black Like Me" is a moving and troubling book written by an accomplished novelist. Though slender, this volume is a scathing indictment of our society.

Booklist carried a review in its October, 1961 issue which

read in part:

In describing his encounters with Negroes and whites Griffin not only reveals the depth of the gulf sepa- rating the races in the South but conveys the psycholo- gical impact of being inside someone else's skin. . . . For all its despair the book is rooted in courage and conviction that there must be communication between black and white.

Dan Wakefield, book reviewer of the New York Times Book

Review , commented in the October 22, 1961, issue of his publication

Black Like Me was "a brief, unsettling, and essential document

of contemporary American life." Another critic, R.J. Gleason, of 95

The San Francisco Chronicle of October 27, 1961, said a imply K

"This is strong stuff."

The only adverse review came from The New York Herald-

Tribune Books of October 15, 1961, which said, "The best that can be said is that Mr. Griffin's book represents an interesting journalis- tic experiment that does not yield its full promise," This reviewer contends that "the idea that a white man must live a Negro's life to understand his problems disregards the capacity of the white man

. . . to see through the evils of oppression and discrimination."

Many nationally acclaimed publications sought to review the book and in a few of the reviewer's summations, it was noted that the series appeared first in Sepia magazine. ^ According to Levitan, the Good

Publishing offices were swamped with phone calls and reviewers wishing to discuss the series on radio and talk shows with members of the Sepia staff. Often people came by the offices to see if Griffin were there.

Sepia of the Sixties

The June, 1961 issue celebrated Sepia's tenth anniversary and the celebration was well-deserved.

The New Yorker review of Black Like Me said, "This book, part of which appeared in the Negro magazine Sepia, is a journal account of that experience." The review was written October, 1961. The fact that Sepia was recognized by major publications for the John Howard Griffin episode was testament to the progress Sepia had made publicly. 96

According to Levitan, because of the series the circulation, increased. 10, 000 in I960 from figures taken in 1958, making Sepia's new circulation approximately 50,000. The kinds of advertisements also improved. In the June, 1961 issue large national advertisers such as Pond's Facial Cream and Schlitz Beer appeared.

A sixteen-p&ge spread was done about the Sepia staff and plant in the anniversary issue. It included pictures of each staff member, the physical plant, the publisher at his twelve-foot desk, and even the dog sitting at a typewriter. The article briefly told the story, of Sepia's birth and growth and praised the staff, as does Levi- tan at every chance. "The people make this place go," said Levitan.

"They always have and they always will . . . just the people. Suc- cess cannot be attributed to anything else," he contended.

In the front part of the June, 1961 anniversary issue is one of the rare pictures of publisher Levitan, and, even more rare, is a short piece written by him:

A million dollars is a lot of money. And little did I think ten years ago I would have invested in, of all things, a publishing business. Neither did I think that my executives of this company would be Negroes - - as such things just were not done "Down South. " My friends told me that it would not work. Being a hard-headed guy, who came up off the streets, I was curious to see if it would work, and it did. And these same people who prophesied the doom of my venture are now our biggest boosters, even to the point of wanting to invest in this company--my company and my Negro friends who built it.- 97

The net result of all this is Sepia magazine. This is our pride, because well we know that it is beyond doubt, the finest Negro publication in the world today.

In his short piece, Levitan attributed the success of Sepia to pride. From the editorial staff to the cafeteria staff, almost all with work records of over ten years believe in their work, Levitan wrote.

If one other aspect of Sepia besides the John Howard Griffin story contributed to making Sepia successful, it would be Levitan's staff.

Levitan often said, "They not only pulled themselves up by their bootstraps . „ , they made their bootstraps. "

An article in the June, 1961 Sepia explained one aspect of

Sepia's staff training. The article explained,

Since none of the employees had formal training in journalism, the company paid a journalism professor from Texas Christian University to hold classes for all employees who were interested, at company expense. Also, classes in photography were given.

Staff members, instrumental in making Sepia what it was in the sixties, were John Howard Griffin, with the superficial title of editor; Ben Burns, editor; Adelle Jackson Martin, editorial director;

Eunice Wilson, associate editor; Travis Wilburn, associate editor;

John Pitt, cameraman; Edna Lacy Turner, subscription department clerk; Leoma Wheat, art editor; Constance Feaster, office manager; and Beatri ce Pringle, manager. Others important in the making of

Sepia were Mike Medrano, plate maker, and Zack Creamier, pressman. 98

Most of the key people of the fifties and sixties are the same key people still putting out Sepia. However, Ulysses Rivers came to Sepia in 1959 and now is the Copy Editor.

Sepia in I960 started again with the Life-like nameplate of a red box with the title Sepia done in tall, white Bodoni type. Not only was the nameplate Life-like, but also the entire publication was similar to Life--only the audience it appealed to was different.

Advertising in the sixties did not maintain a consistently high standard. Only occasionally did Sepia secure top advertisers. Dur- ing the early sixties top companies which advertised their products included Norforms (contraceptives), Smirnoff vodka, Polaroid, Coca-

Cola, and Emko (contraceptives).

In the February, 1964 issue, Sepia in a self-promoting type of advertisement said,

Advertising Is Secondary. Our magazine is full of interesting articles. With us, advertising always has been of secondary importance—our readers are- foremost. We give you a comprehensive picture of the Negro in world events.

Articles in the sixties were not as sensational as in earlier year's issues, but some "hot" material was maintained in the Sepia formula. For instance, in 1962, such titles appeared as "Bloody 99 4 5 Saturday Night in Chicago" and "A Sure Way to Birth Control. n

One 1962 cover featured a provocative young woman scantilly dressed, and the story was titled "California's Most Beautiful

Wcrrsen.

In the Septembers 1963 issue, as in many issues of Sepia, a pretty woman donned the cover. The related story was titled

"Beauty in Negro Women." J Other scintillating titles were "An Amazing Ape Man, 8 "Shocking: Teenagers and Venereal Disease, " "The Cassius Clay <> 10 Marital Bout, " ' "Homosexuals Get Help at Church, " "A Million

Men Sexually Impotent by 1982? "Man Shot Twice Through the

4 "Bloody Saturday Night in Chicago," Sepia, XI (August, 1962), 30. 5 "Emko: A Sure Way to Birth Control," Sepia, XI (Novem- ber, 1962), 28, ^"California's Most Beautiful Women," Sepia, XI (October, 1962), 24. 7 "Morroca's Amazing Ape Man," Sepia, XIV (June, 1965), 16, 8 "Teenagers and Venereal Disease, " Sepia, XIV (July, 1965), 68. 9 "Bell Rings for Cassius, This Time in Court," Sepia, XIV (August, 1965), 8. ^"The Church and the Homosexual," Sepia, XVI (June, 1967), 68.

^"Will A Million Men Be Impotent by 1982? " Sepia, XVI (June, 1967), 62, 100 12 13 Heart Lives to Tell About It," "Mini-skirts and Morals," "Sex 1A 15 in Prison, " "Sinister Sex from Outer Space," "Expose! Crime 16 Pays for Dishonest Chiropractor," "Grave Digger Turns Grave IT IS Robber," and "Beauty Contest for Homosexuals."

More articles appeared which showed empathy with the Negro movement, though the magazine could be called anything but a protest publication. Sepia moved cautiously toward controversial Negro stories. They did not take stands on racial incidents, for instance, but rather reported them without opinion.

T° see Sepia's format, content, and philosophy, one may examine the January, 1962 issue which carried two lead articles.

12"I Died Three Times," Sepia, XVI (September, 1967), 8.

13"Mini-Skirts and Morals," Sepia, XVI (November, 1967), 40. 14 Sex in Prison," Sepia, XVI (December, 1967), 8.

^"Sinister Sex from Outer Space? " Sepia, XVII (May, 1968), 68.

^"Who Says Crime Doesn't Pay," Sepia, XVII (July, 1968), 20. 17 "Grave Digger Turns Grave Robber," Sepia, XVII (November, 1968), 60. 18 "Homosexual Beauty Contest, " Sepia, XVII (December, 1968), 34. 101

One was about Chubby Checker and his new craze dance, the twist; the other was a story titled, "The Negro After 99 Years of Freedom."

Essentially, the magazine was for entertainment, but Sepia would not let the reading public forget that it was a Negro publication. Several examples in issues of the sixties show entertainment first, and Negro culture second. If the sixties accomplished anything, it was the definite development of a formula which was based on an "entertain- ment first" formula.

No matter how many entertaining articles appeared in Sepia, the magazine still informed the Negro reader with educational articles.

In June, 1963, Sepia's top two stories were "America Trains First

Negro Spaceman," and "Are We on the Verge of an Interracial

W a r? " There were four entertainment articles in this same issue, titled "Work Out With Jackie Wilson," "Hollywood's New Breed,"

"The Magnificent Martinique," and "Peg Leg Bates and the Harlem

Globetrotters."

The year 1964 brought few changes to Sepia; however, political stories appeared more frequently than before. The lead story in February, 1964 was about the assassination of President

John F. Kennedy. The June, 1964 top story was about Carl Rowan, director of the United States Information Center. That issue also carried an article about Negro athletes and their civil rights. The 102 6

August, 1964 issue had three long articles featured on the cover involving politics. They were titled "Negroes Who Seek to Be

United States President," "Civil Bights : Filibuster Ended, " and

"New York: City of Fear, Whites Ready to Leave." From these articles in 1964 issues, it can be seen that Sepia was timely.

Perhaps 1964 was a politically oriented year for Sepia, because it was not only an election year, but also the year of the pas- sage of the 1964 Civil Bights Bill. An examination of the 1964 issues of Sepia also tells something about the publication. Whether it was an entertaining organ or an informative organ, it was timely. Later issues of the sixties were entertaining as well as informative. "An,

Amazing Ape Man" was one of the lead stories of June, 1965, along with a feature on the love-affair rumors of Diahann Carroll and Sidney

Poitier. Also, in the issues of September and October of 1965 were more sensational stories, such as "Color Line Killed in Bunny

Clubs," "The Bare Facts: Stripper Tells All." Yet, in the next month's issue of November, 1965 was the serious and starling news report about "Bloody Riots in L.A."

Sepia's formula was not only entertaining articles or just informative articles. However, during one month one particular type of story would appear, either feature or news. The inconsis- tency of its formula, in the final analysis, was its formula. Each 103 month the magazine would hit hard on one particular segment of

Negro life. That segment might be about a black politician or a black caucus in Congress, or it might be about a brutal murder or the confessions of a black chorus girl. Sepia's formula has remained stable through the sixties ?.nd into the seventies. Current articles,

entertaining and informative, fill the Sepia pages in an effort to

satisfy the Negro reader. Most noticeable are the lack of sensational articles meant to stax-tle, and more professional layout and typographi-

cal design.

Typographically, the publication was improved. The 1967

issues had better color reproduction because of publisher Levitan's

"experimentation" with innovative press equipment. He acquired

new equipment in his press room and became much more aware of the

physical appearance of the magazine. Paper stock improved to a

glossier finish, and type faces looked better than in the past. Black

ink was blacker and the reds were truer. In Sepia, typography-

improved and never regressed to poorer days.

In format, a few changes were made. The contents section

changed in that the "Coming Next Month" was enlarged with additional

color and additional story and photo credits. The staff box was

spread across the entire bottom of the contents page and was set in a 104 larger type. The cover explanation added a picture of a miniature 19 cover. This change was kept through the sixties.

Internal format changes included going from a title index to a categorical index similar to the one used in the fifties. The cate- gories in contents section were "Sepia Specials," "Politics,"

"Human Interest," "Entertainment," and "Departments," In some 20 21 issues "Religion," "Sports," and "Race Relations" were added.

Under "Departments" fell the regular columns of the publi- cation, which were "Letters to the Editor," "People Who Make the

World Go Round, " "Book Reviews, " "Just Ask Me," "New Products,"

"Sound Off," "Fashions," "Mood for Food, " "Record Review, "

"Broadway Chatter," "Our Men in Vietnam," "Behind the Scenes in Washington, " and "Sepia Round Up. "

All of the regular columns included Negroes in particular, whatever the topic. Though many covers and stories involved whites, the columns usually did not bring any other race into foeus.

19 Sepia, XV (January, 1966), 4. 20 No particular pattern can be seen, but spasmodically Sepia's categories would be added or deleted. 2! Sepia, XVII (January, 1968), 4. 105

In 1969, the price of Sepia went up from thirty-five cents to fifty cents per copy, and to compensate for this increase, the maga- zine seemed to try to pack even more stories into its same eighty-two pages. Instead of featuring the usual two top stories on the cover, up to ten might be headlined on the cover.

For example, the July, 1969 issue featured "Black Unions,

White Unions," "Ghetto Medicine,11 "Lou Rawls, " "Clown Power, "

"Tea and Racism," and "The Kind of Women Black Men Go For."

In the same vein ran the cover of its September, 1969 issue which advertised "Long, Hot Summer," "Birth of Militants, " "Gandhi,

Non-violence and the Black Man," "The Swinging Soul of O. C, Smith,"

"Black Artist Tom Feeling," 1Th.e Plight of Black Orphans," and

"Future Fashions of John Weston. "

Though many topics were outlined for Sepia readers, the cover did not appear crowded. The magazine itself did not contain any more articles than before the price changed, but the quality of the - more minor articles seemed improved. No explanation is given for the slight improvement noticeable in the more expensive Sepia except that, as Levitan explained, "Maybe, subconsciously, the staff wanted to give the readers more, and, if that couldn't be done, they'd make better whatever they did give them." 106

Later in the sixties, Sepia somehow possessed a satisfaction with the status quo, similar to the lull after a storm*

Sepia obtained most of its material in the sixties from string reporters and free-lance writers who were contracted to write certain pieces.

Gradually, during the sixties, the magazine's circulation rose. Circulation claimed in the January, 1968 issue was 109, 000 for all of the Good publications, but Levitan said Sepia had risen to approximately 52,000 from 50,000 in the early sixties. More people were picking Sepia up from the stands as a new discovery in

Negro literature. The editorial staff of five people based in Fort

"Worth, Texas, at the home office was overworked and pressured to keep the publication at the same peak it achieved before Griffin's departure at the end of 1961. "They could have done it if they just had

Sepia, " said Levitan, "but they were also getting out four Other magazines: Jive, Hep, Bronze Thrills, and Soul Confessions, " The publication had grown beyond its personnel's capacity. "We just got too big. We wouldn't allow ourselves to go down, and we, physically, couldn't go up," explained Levitan. As early as in the February,

1964 issue, Sepia wrote about itself, "More and more people are

reading Sepia. . . . Sepia is the best buy on the magazine market today. We have our old regular readers and hundreds of new readers who 107 are discovering' Sepia every month. "

Levitan, faced with the decision of employing new people, began his search for someone capable and with experience in the black publication's market to edit Sepia of the seventies. CHAPTER VI

CONCLUSION

Publisher Levitan's search for a new editor for Sepia lasted through 1970. In 1971, an editor was found, but he was not new to the publication. He was the same Ben Burns who had so skillfully edited Sepia in the fifties,

Levitan had confidence in the man and urged him to rejoin.

Sepia. Ben Burns was involved in his own public relations firm, but decided the Sepia job would be a well-paying and challenging situation that he could tie in with his own business in Chicago. The challenge

L/evitan put to. Burns was to improve the style of Sepia and raise the circulation. Improvement was obvious soon after Burns took the editor's job, although, like many of the other titles awarded at Sepia,

Burns, working in Chicago^ was not an actual editor. He was on the editorial board, also composed of the home office editorial staff of

Edna K. Turner, Travis D. Wilburn, and Eunice J. Wilson, who put

Sepia together after the material for it was gathered. However,

Burns was the idea man for Sepia, and his work was that of editor-in- chief.

108 109 »

Regardless of his title. Burns supplied the leadership which Sepia of the seventies needed. The magazine's circulation jumped to 65, 000 in 1972 from the 51, 000 stated by Levitan for the

late 1960'S. TO many magazines, this circulation meant little com-

petition since larger Negro publications boasted circulation figures

in the hundreds of thousands. However, the quality of Sepia was

enough to make it a strong competitor with renowned Negro publi-

cations such as Ebony.

In the April, 1971 issue "Editor's Notebook," the hopes

and goals of Sepia in the seventies were revealed by Burns. He wrote,

If readers get the impression they bought the wrong magazine this month because this issue of Sepia appears quite different in format and content, then the editors 'are gratified indeed. Beginning with the April issue, we are starting a major overhaul operation on the magazine that will continue for some months as we develop new ideas in presentation and makeup, concept and contents to revamp this publication completely. Aside from steps to upgrade the printing quality- and introduce more modern type faces in coming months, major attention will be devoted to delivering a magazine that encompasses some of the finest writing and outstand- ing photos on the most significant happening in black America. With the addition of outstanding new editors, our goal will be to create a black magazine to make black Americans proud. It is our ambitious hope to make Sepia an excit- ing forum for provocative ideas, a place to display proudly black accomplishments as well as to expose racial hypo- crisy. We may not necessarily approve some of the controversial articles which are already being drafted by 110

outstanding authors on assignment from us, but wo will publish what we believe is relevant to the everyday life of blacks in this land of ours, this America belongs to its black people no less and perhaps more so than to most whites since most blacks have an ancestry hare in America far longer than most whites. We have a rich and noble tradition here and it is worth fighting for and protecting. We are Americans without any restrictive qualifications--and that we intend to uphold. While we can and do remember our proud African heritage, we still call America our home, our pride and our future. If America has its faults and tres- passes, its horrors and even terrors at times, as blacks we will strive ceaselessly for change to make America what it should rightfully be. One thing we feel it should not be . . . violent. Violence is the way of those very questionable Americans who are the racists in our midst. Neither racism nor violence can really cope with evil; .both indulged in by any race simply beget more racism and violence. With that editorial note, we set forth on our journey-- to create a new Sepia. We may perhaps stray from our stated goal at times and perhaps progress will never be swift enough, but we would ask your indulgence, your comments, your suggestions and your support as we move ahead.

Though Sepia may not have written its editorial policy or its philosophy before as a magazine, both policy and philosophy had been evident. Being an advocate of peace, Sepia refused to condone violence in any Negro struggle. Thus, this non-violent attitude has been its trademark in news and feature articles. But, the audience this publication attempts to reach is well defined and different from the audience more intellectual Negro publications reach. It is designed to appeal to the small segment of lower middle-class Negroes. Ill

Roland E. Wolseley, professor of journalism at Syracuse

University, wrote in his recently published hook on black journalism,

" . . , it [Sepia] holds an important place since it reaches a substan- tial group in the black communities and has a somewhat different 1 formula than do the other . . . firms."

Wolseley also stated about Sepia that "superficially it looks like any picture magazine, and, while less substantial than Ebony in content, has more substance than its outward appearance would 2 indicate." Among the substance Wolseley referred to were such topics as book reviews, Washington news reports, and historical and biographical pieces "calculated to engender pride in black accom- 3 plishments."

Wolseley noted that John H, Johnson, owner of Ebony, con- * sidered Sepia very little competition because the circulation and adver- tising gap between them is so great. However, he also admitted that

Ebony had vanquished all of its rivals except Sepia, "which, therefore 4 has accomplished something in being able to survive." He

1 Roland E. Wolseley, The Black Press, U.S.A. (Ames, 1971), p. 118. 2 Ibid., p. 123. 3 Ibid., p. 125. 4 Ibid. 112 attributed Sepia's success to a formula which, he says,

. . . is to be less sensational than its companion maga- zines, to be timely, to offer a variety of content, and to avoid high costs by doing comparatively little color printing, by using inexpensive printing paper, and little promotion, and to venture cautiously into fundamental social issues.

Wolseley, in the above paragraph, defined the formula which helped take Sepia from meager beginnings as a superfluous publication titled Negro Achievements to its present status as a respected Negro journal.

However, to continue in any type of leadership, Sepia must upgrade its technical production by using a more expensive grade of paper and by adopting more professional make-up techniques. This change will be difficult because Levitan's financial success has been dependent upo'n inexpensive production of all his magazines. But professionally, Sepia must move up technically to keep up with other publications.

Although Sepia's content possesses depth, its advertising is not generally of high quality. The magazine must solicit a higher grade of advertising in order to progress further. The quality of advertising which Sepia now runs degrades its content and keeps the upper-middle class Negro from subscribing, although the content

"Ibid. 113 $ could very well satisfy the reading appetite of the upper-middle class

Negro.

Levitan contends that a higher grade of advertising was once the aim of the Sepia staff, but the attempt to obtain such advertising was thwarted because of Sepia's slightly sensational format, "Adver- tisers just didn't feel their products would go in our type of pub lie a - tion, " said Levitan.

Also, for Sepia to remain a progressive Negro publication,

it must stage other journalistic feats similar to the John Howard

Griffin story in order to renew its image in the mind of the reading

Negro public. But, where does Sepia venture from here? What will

the rest of the seventies hold for the publication?

Publisher Levitan, having suffered a health setback in late

1971, has given the future of his two-million-dollar publiehing house

much thought. He would like to enlarge and enlist bright, young

people to carry Sepia even further. He would like to find someone-

even to take over his job; or, if this hope cannot be realized, he would

like to sell out.

If Levitan holds ownership and finds the right people to man-

age his magazine, Sepia could become an even more prominent front-

^Statement by George Levitan, publisher of S££ia^Publish- ing Company, 1220 Harding St., Fort Worth, Texas, June 9, 1972. 114 rurrnei' in itss field. If he sells, Sepia's future will be in lirnfeo, for who else could take up what George Levitan began? APPENDIX

PHOTOGKAPHS 116

KSHKNOEII ftu 1.1ft II INO < OMI- ANY* rt'» LI CATION . MAGAZINE FOR EVERYBODY Foahirine All True Negro Stories* Consisting r^ Negm Accomplishments, Love, Roma*

,UGUST ISSUE 1947

S WFP

IN THIS ISSUE APPEARING IN THE SEPTEMBER iSSUF. HKR PERSONAL DECEPTION . p<« a m ERRORS IN LIFE A STRANCE 9T0KY OF HOO-DOOiS^i THE WANDERERS FRAIL RETTtW OF THE NEWS THE UNDEfU OVE* REPORTER SWEffnNG IN THE BREEZE MATRIMONIAL i OLIMN WHAT THE STARS TEIX FOR YOU WHO'S WHO WF THE PEOPLE SPEAK THEATRICALS AND Ml SK

Photograph 1.--Horace J. Blackwell, Founder of the fore- runner to Sepia, Negro Achievements, originally publishea this 11 X 17-inch tabloid newspaper to inform and educate the Negro people by telling them JItrue stories5* of the race. This size, begun in 1946, was changed in October, 1949, for the practical reason that it was too difficult to get it to stand on the magazine racks. 117

AZINE FOR EVE ODY Featuring <»«*o ni p I i ts h in

IN THIS ISSUE PICTURES FROM SAMUEL HUSTON COLLEGE, AUSTIN, TEXAS

,iU- "i ?*"

SEPTEMBER. 19511

Photograph 2. - -The September, 1951 issue was one of the first published under new owner George Levitan. However, since he was a newcomer to the publishing business, he kept the publication as it had been previously for a ninety-day trial period, making very few changes. The nameplate was done in green and black, as was the title box featuring the cover story. lis

I IW1I1 i SEPTEMBER, 19 I I If 11 yzcJUeve^f ^ NEGRO PEOPLE

*2* j;

Convention

wptna a »t*

Photograph 3.--By September, 1952 George Levitan, pub- lisher, had changed the magazine by going to four-color cover, art work, and a newly-styled nameplate which read The Progress of the Negro People instead of A Magazine for Everybody. Content began having more depth. 119

FKIIHUAKY 1958 m 9 IrlvPiViWTP I [ (BJJACIUCVEMENTS

25 Cents RECORD mm

I w

THE DOMINOES

Fiction - Features Photos Fashions

Photograph 4. --Sepia Record, Forinerly Negro Achievements was first on the market February, 1953. George Levitan, publisher, changed the name because "Negro Achievements didn't fit . . . too much that couldn't be categorized under this name, " he said. 120

SEPIA

-CUMBER. 1954

V Strict. V»ra Francis A0T True Murder Mystery; , •, *. Case Of The Girl In The Swamp

Photograph 5. --In December, 1954, the word Record was dropped from the logo and the publication became Sepia, the name it carries to present date. 121

HARLEM

liMZ

Photograph 6. - -Sepia mimicked the Life logo in the later 1950's with Sepia done in white with a red block background. January, 1957 was the issue showing the change from an 8-1/2 X 11-inch size to an odd sized 9 X 12-1/2-inch size. However, the new size was short-lived and by 1958, the publication was the same size as Ebony or Life, 10 X 13 inches. 122

APRIL, I960

Photograph 7. - -The sixties for Sepia were highlighted by the John Howard Griffin series which later was made into the book Black Like Me. The nameplate, "fancy" as publisher George Levitan called it, was red and gray alternately, with Sepia done in white. The April, I960 issue was the first to carry the Griffin story. 123

WILL SHE WIN AN OSCAR? t

Photograph 8. - -Sepia of the seventies has typographically and editorially improved since its meager beginnings in 1946. The nameplate has gone back to mimick the Life logo. 124

•

Photograph 9. --Publisher George Levitan poses with a "friendly cub" in one of his favorite restaurants. Taken in November, 1956, this picture typifies Levitan's sense of doing the "unusual." BIBLIOGRAPHY

Primary Sources

Negro Achievements, Fort Worth, Texas.: World's Messenger Publishing Company, available issues from June, 1947 to January, 1953.

Sepia Record, The Handy Size Picture Magazine, Fort Worth, Texas: Good Publishing Company, available issues from February, 1953 to July, 1954.

Sepia. Fort Worth, Texas: Good Publishing Company, available issues from November, 1954 to the present.

Secondary Sources

Books * Wolseley, Roland E. , The Black Press, U.S.A. : A Detailed and Understanding Report on What the Black Press Is and How It Came to Be, Ames, Iowa, The Iowa State University Press, 1972.

Articles

"Hoist Sought, Firm Bought, " Fort Worth Star Telegram, April 7, 1963, Sec. 4, p. 2.

Inte rviews

Levitan, George (Publisher), at 1220 Harding Street, on June 9, 1972, June 22, 1972, June 27, 1972, July 24, 1972, and October 27, 1972.

125 126

Martin, Adelle Jackson (Ex-managing Editor of Negro Achievements and Sepia), by telephone on July 24, 1972.

Munroe, Clarissa (Business Secretary of Good Publishing Company), at 1220 Harding Street on June 27, 1972.

Pringle, Beatrice, at 1220 Harding Street, on June 22, 1972.

Turner, Edna K, Lacy ("Leading Editor of Sepia"), at 1220 Harding Street on July 20, 1972.