When Dr. Calvin W. Rolark Sr. and his wife, Wilhelmina J. Rolark, published the first edition of The Washington Informer on October 16, 1964, they were not only witnesses but also active participants in historic national and local movements advocating for civil rights, social justice, and D.C. Home Rule.
In 1963, they joined the thousands who gathered at the National Mall for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in August. That year, they also grieved over the assassinations of Medgar Evers, NAACP field secretary in Mississippi, in June, and President John F. Kennedy in November. Additionally, they were steadfast advocates and foot soldiers in the ongoing fight for D.C. Home Rule.
In 1964, the year The Washington Informer was founded, their peers, including Marion Barry, Stokely Carmichael, Walter Fauntroy and so many others, participated in Freedom Summer and countless protests which led to a significant increase of Black voters in Mississippi and significant civil rights advances across the country, including D.C. They applauded President Lyndon Johnson for signing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and celebrated the ratification of the 24th Amendment, which abolished poll taxes in federal elections — a major barrier to African American voting rights. They also supported African American business owners and professionals, along the Florida Avenue and U Street corridors, which were the epicenters of Black economic power in D.C.
With so much happening, it was Dr. Rolark’s vision to create a publication that would keep local residents informed and highlight the issues and individuals working on behalf of the Black community. With $500 donated by his wife, an activist lawyer, and the help of a close friend who hand-drew the newspaper’s original masthead, the first issue of The Washington Informer rolled off the presses of a printer in LaPlata, Maryland. Dr. Rolark personally drove the 1,000 copies back to D.C. and distributed them to barber shops, beauty salons, churches, Safeway stores, and by mail to subscribers who paid $10.
The Washington Informer is still here 60 years later, following the passage of the baton from my father that now rests in my hands. When asked how we’ve managed to publish for this long and how we continue to do it, I always answer the second question first: Prayer. There’s no better explanation for how we’ve survived the hard times, such as the passing of Dr. Rolark on October 23, 1994, and thrived through the good times, of which there have been many.
The Washington Informer was born out of the civil rights movement, and its mission remains to “inform, inspire, educate, and empower the Black community by providing news and information about issues that matter to them.” The publication strives to remain relevant and impactful while serving as a trusted source that aids our readers in making informed decisions affecting their daily lives.
Our staff is keenly aware of the challenges facing media organizations nationwide, from shutdowns to massive layoffs. We, too, face attacks from high places that challenge the trustworthiness of our work. However, we are journalists, and we are committed to upholding the principles of our profession because we know what’s at stake.
We are the Black Press, and we are deeply proud of it. Our legacy traces back 197 years to the founding of Freedom’s Journal, the nation’s first Black-owned newspaper, on March 16, 1827. Today, we stand among over 200 Black-owned newspaper publishers in the National Newspaper Publishers Association and with 10 legacy Black-owned newspapers through Word In Black.
As the publisher of The Washington Informer, I am deeply grateful to every writer, photographer, distributor, advertiser, subscriber, and all who have contributed to our longevity, growth, and sustainability over the past 60 years. Most importantly, I want to thank those who pray for us, who keep us in their thoughts, and who uplift us as their favorite newspaper.