doi:10.7916/d8-h2xb-rs91Oral history interview with Robert M. Ratcliffe, 1971Ratcliffe, Robert Moral historiesmixed materialAdvertising--NewspapersJournalism--Political aspectsJournalistsAfrican Americans--Civil rightsAfrican American pressAfrican American journalistsPittsburgh (Pa.)United States Race relationsRatcliffe, Robert MPittsburgh courierHenry G. La Brie's 1971 interview with Robert M. Ratcliffe begins with an overview of the narrator's experience with the black press. Ratcliffe then discusses the black press sensationalist reputation and the successes of the black press in integration and failures related to advertising. They discuss how the black press has changed, how it differs from the white press, and the specific ways it has helped African Americans. They then discuss the differences between the content of black newspapers in the North and South, with the coverage of the Emmett Till case as an example. Ratcliffe explains why there are relatively few black dailies and makes predictions about the future, including the prospects of a national black news service. The interview concludes with discussions of how black newspapers are financed, the most important section of a black newspaper, and the question of whether the mainstream press has become more representative.