doi:10.7916/d8-6pbz-r572Oral history interview with Percival Leroy Prattis, 1971Prattis, Percival Leroy, 1895-1980oral historiesmixed materialJournalism--Social aspectsJournalistsEditorsJournalism--Political aspectsAfrican Americans--Civil rightsAfrican American pressAfrican American journalistsPittsburgh (Pa.)United States Race relationsPrattis, Percival Leroy, 1895-1980Chicago defenderPittsburgh courierIn his 1971 interview with Henry La Brie, Percival L. Prattis discusses his path to becoming a journalist and provides an overview of the black press from its inception in 1827. He also discusses the differences between the white and black press, the role of the black press in the community as well as its role in assimilating black citizens into American society and sensitizing white Americans to the conditions of black Americans. Prattis shares his thoughts on his contributions to the field of journalism; black ownership of black newspapers; and changes in the black press in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He shares his thoughts on what the absence of the black press would mean for American society, the establishment of a national black press, and the role of black newspapers in the lives of black Americans.