This week we turn the spotlight on another local publication, celebrating the centennial of the Louisiana Weekly, which since 1925 has covered stories of interest to New Orleans’ Black community.

The newspaper published its first issue on Sept. 19, 1925, as the New Orleans Herald. It was founded by C.C. Dejoie Sr. and O.C.W. Taylor to fill what they perceived as a void in local news coverage for Black New Orleanians. At the time, Dejoie was managing his family’s life insurance company and Taylor was an educator in New Orleans public schools.

The newspaper’s original offices were in the Pythian Temple building on Loyola Avenue. After the first two issues, the paper changed its name from the Herald to the Louisiana Weekly. According to the Amistad Research Center, after just one month in business, the newspaper had 4,500 subscribers.

Throughout its existence, the Weekly has provided a critical source of information for people of color and remains an important historical record for its coverage of the integration of the U.S. armed forces, school desegregation, the local founding of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and other key moments.

According to the Weekly, after C.C. Dejoie Sr.’s death in 1971, the role of publisher went to his son C.C. Jr., who held the role until 1993. He was followed by his younger brother, Henry Dejoie Sr., who held the position until his death in 2007. Today the paper is published by Henry Dejoie’s daughter, Renette Dejoie Hall. In addition to its print editions, the Weekly publishes stories on louisianaweekly.com.