Leon H. Washington Jr.

Leon H. Washington Jr. (c. 1907 – June 17, 1974) was an American newspaper publisher. He was the founder and first publisher of the Los Angeles Sentinel, an African-American newspaper in Los Angeles, California.

Leon H. Washington Jr.
Bornc. 1907
Kansas City, Kansas, U.S.
DiedJune 17, 1974
Pasadena, California, U.S.
Alma materWashburn University
OccupationPublisher
Spouse(s)Ruth Brumell

Early life

Washington was born circa 1907 in Kansas City, Kansas.[1] He attended Washburn University.[2]

Career

Washington began his career in journalism by working for several newspapers.[1] In 1933, he founded the Sentinel, an African-American newspaper in Los Angeles.[1][3] He quickly built a reputation as an activist among the Black community in Los Angeles. Knowing the reach the Sentinel had with African-American readers, Washington ran the "Don't Spend Where You Can't Work" campaign in the newspaper during the Great Depression to encourage readers to fight for their rights and demand fair treatment.[4] Washington also published reports to shed light on the discrimination and racism against African-Americans in Los Angeles.[4] By 1974, it had a circulation of 50,000.[3]

Personal life and death

Washington married Ruth Brumell, a photographer.[2]

Washington died June 17, 1974, in a Pasadena, California, hospital after a brief illness.[1][3] He was survived by his wife, who took over as publisher of the newspaper; his mother, Blanche; and two sisters, Juanita Goodman and Barbara Flory.[1]

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References
  1. "L.H. Washington, Sentinel Founder, Publisher Dies". The Los Angeles Times. June 18, 1974. p. 27. Retrieved April 26, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Washington Jr., Leon H. (1907-1974)". BlackPast.org. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  3. "Leon H. Washington, black publisher, at 67". The Baltimore Sun. June 20, 1974. p. 13. Retrieved April 26, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Sides, Josh (2003). L.A. city limits : African American Los Angeles from the Great Depression to the present. Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 30–31. ISBN 9780520939868. OCLC 56025293.


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