The Twin-City American (Minneapolis, Minn.; St. Paul, Minn.) 1899 Browse the title

The Afro-American advance (Minneapolis, Minn.; St. Paul, Minn.) 1899-1900 Browse the title

Identifying itself as "An independent race journal, devoted to the interest of the colored race," the Twin-City American was a four-page, seven column newspaper published weekly in St. Paul and Minneapolis from April to May of 1899. J.M. Griffin served as the paper's editor and proprietor. Following the May 18, 1899 issue, the Twin-City American merged with the Colored Citizen [non-extant] to form the Afro-American Advance.

Formed by the merger of the Twin-City American and the Colored Citizen [non-extant], the Afro-American Advance began weekly publication from its offices in Minneapolis in May of 1899. Claiming a circulation of over 15,000 in its inaugural issue, the four-page, six-column newspaper promised that it would be "devoted to the local and national interests of the colored race, especially those of the race who live in the northwest, particularly of the Twin Cities." The Afro-American Advance published at length on the topic of race relations in America, advocating for increased education and upward mobility among African Americans. Strongly Democratic in its politics, the paper endorsed a straight party ticket during elections. Unique to the paper were its periodic front-page feature articles on "Prominent Minnesota Afro-Americans." Joseph C. Reid, formerly the head of the Colored Citizen, was president of the Afro-American Advance, with J.M. Griffin, the former editor and proprietor of the Twin-City American, joining as the paper’s manager. McCants Stewart, also of the Twin-City American, served as business manager. It is not known exactly how long the Afro-American Advance remained in publication, but the Minnesota Historical Society’s holdings of the paper end with the November 17, 1900 issue.

See more: Minnesota African American Newspapers