Clarion Defender
The Clarion Defender was an African American run newspaper in Portland, Oregon. It operated from 1966 until around 1973 and was founded by Jimmy "Bang Bang" Walker. Its motto was, "Oldest Negro Publisher in the Northwest." The Northwest Clarion, initially published between 1943 and 1961, was revived under the direction of civil rights advocate and African American journalist Jimmy "Bang-Bang" Walker. In January 1962, Jimmy "Bang-Bang" Walker took an investment of $15,000 and founded, edited, and published the Northwest Defender. Five years later Walker took over the Northwest Clarion, which had suspended publication, and renamed it the Clarion Defender. The paper was alternately known as the Northwest Clarion Defender and New Northwest Clarion Defender. It was located at 1223 NE Alberta Street (Portland, Oregon). In addition to the Clarion Defender, the city also had the Portland Challenger (1952–54), the Portland Times (1918–20), and numerous other African American newspapers that lasted a year or less with a few dating back to the 1890s.The Clarion Defender focused attention on the impact of local issues on African-Americans and routinely used the newspaper to expose purported police brutality. In reaction to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Walker used the paper to express continued commitment to Dr. King's goals and non-violent approach to achieve them.
African American newspaper in Portland, Oregon
African American newspaper