Oral history interview with Ralph Matthews, 1971

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Name: Matthews, Ralph (Interviewee); La Brie, Henry G (Interviewer)
Title: Oral history interview with Ralph Matthews, 1971
Other Titles: Reminiscences of Ralph Matthews : oral history, 1971; Oral history of Ralph Matthews, 1971
Abstract: In this interview with Henry G. La Brie III, Ralph David Matthews discusses his education, career and training, mentors, and the status and purpose of the black press. Matthews reflects on the encouragement he received from William N. Jones to enter the newspaper business. He also describes the mentorship and training he received from Carl Murphy, publisher of the Afro-American newspaper chain, whe n Matthews was a student at Morgan. Matthews also shares his views on the reasons for Murphy's success in the newspaper business. He discusses his views on the differences between the black and white press, its focus and origins, the contributions the black press has made to the black community and American society, and its successes and the changes over time. Matthews also discusses his mentorship of Levi Jolley, who later took the helm of the Pittsburgh Courier.
Collection Name: Black Journalists oral history collection
Subjects: African American newspapers; Journalists; African Americans--Civil rights; Journalism--Social aspects; African American press; African American journalists; Baltimore (Md.); United States Race relations; Matthews, Ralph; Murphy, Carl, 1889-1967
Format: oral histories
Genre: Interviews
Date: 1971

Physical Description: sound files : digital preservation master, WAV files (96kHz, 24 bit); 44 pages
Note (Biographical): Ralph David Matthews (1904 - 1978) was born in Bel Air, Maryland. He attended Morgan Academy, graduating in 1924. Matthews began his career in the newspaper business in 1924 as a reporter for the Baltimore, Maryland based Afro-American. Throughout his career, he worked for the paper in Washington, D.C., Newark, Philadelphia, and New York before retiring in 1968 as Associate Editor of the Washington Afro American. During his more than fifty year career, Matthews covered politics, civil rights, and the Korean War. Locally, Matthews actively raised funds for the Children's Hospital through the New Faces Guild, was a founding member of the Capital Press Club, and a recipient of the Wendell L. Willkie Leadership Award. Matthews and his wife Inez had two children, Ralph Jr. and Shirley (Fonseca), and three grandchildren.
Note: Interviewed by Henry G. La Brie III on June 30, 1971.
Note (Provenance): Henry G. La Brie III Gift, 1975
Language: English
Library Location: Columbia Center for Oral History, Columbia University
Catalog Record: 11564086
Persistent URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.7916/d8-m5q1-sc33
Related URLs: Available digital content for this interview.