The Messenger magazine, an independent publication, was established 1917 by labor activist A. Philip Randolph and economist Chandler Owen, with support from the Socialist Party. The magazine quickly gained attention for its advocacy of socialism and its embrace of the “New Crowd Negro,” a term used to describe black intellectuals and political leaders who challenged established figures such as Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois.
One of the key aspects that set The Messenger apart was its opposition to United States participation in World War I. The magazine also advocated for armed self-defense by black individuals against white mobs and lynchers, a stance that drew significant attention and controversy. As a result, the United States government labeled The Messenger as “radical,” with the U.S. Justice Department going as far as to claim it was “the ablest and the most dangerous” of all the publications it investigated in 1919.
However, as the political landscape shifted in the early 1920s, The Messenger distanced itself from its earlier radicalism. With the decline of the Socialist Party and a more conservative atmosphere in the United States, the magazine shifted its focus towards promoting black worker unionization and opposing Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). This shift coincided with a change in editorial leadership, as Chandler Owen departed in 1923 and A. Philip Randolph went on to establish the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSPC).
Under the new editorial leadership of George Schuyler and Theophilus Lewis, The Messenger underwent further changes. The magazine began celebrating black entrepreneurship and aligning itself with the mainstream labor movement. New sections such as “Business and Industry” and a sports page were added, along with content aimed at women and children. By 1925, The Messenger had become the official organ of the BSPC, incorporating union news and commentary into its pages.
In addition to its focus on labor issues, The Messenger also became a platform for promoting black art and artists. The magazine featured articles on black culture, and theater, and showcased works by prominent writers such as Langston Hughes and Georgia Douglas Johnson. The publication’s interest in the Harlem Renaissance was particularly evident during Wallace Thurman’s brief tenure as a fill-in for George Schuyler in 1926. Despite these shifts and developments, The Messenger faced financial challenges and was ultimately forced to cease publication in 1928 when the BSPC could no longer sustain its funding.
The legacy of The Messenger magazine lives on as a testament to its early advocacy for socialism, its support of the “New Crowd Negro,” and its role in promoting black entrepreneurship, labor rights, and artistic expression during a pivotal period in American history.