The Crisis

The Crisis
Cornelius Marion Battey · Public domain · source
Title	The Crisis
Editor	W. E. B. Du Bois (1910–1934), Roy Wilkins (1934–1949), James W. Ivy (1949–1966), Henry Lee Moon (1967–1974), Warren Marr II (1974–1981), Fred Beauford (1981–1984), Jayme Coleman Williams (1984–1992), Donna Brazile (1992–1993), Ida E. Lewis (1993–2000), Victoria L. Valentine (2000–2007), Jabari Asim (2007–2017), Lydia R. Diamond (2017–2021), Michele Norris (2021–present)
Frequency	Monthly
Category	Political magazine, literary magazine
Company	NAACP
Founded	1910
Founder	W. E. B. Du Bois
Country	United States
Based	Baltimore, Maryland
Website	https://www.thecrisismagazine.com/

The Crisis is the official magazine of the NAACP and one of the oldest continuously published periodicals by and for African Americans in the United States. Founded in 1910 by scholar and activist W. E. B. Du Bois, it has served as a vital platform for reporting on racial injustice, advocating for civil rights, and showcasing African American intellectual and artistic achievement. For over a century, its pages have documented the struggle for equality and shaped the discourse of the civil rights movement.

History and founding

The magazine was established in November 1910, a year after the founding of the NAACP itself. W. E. B. Du Bois, a founding member of the organization and the only African American among its initial executives, conceived of the publication as a vehicle to present "the facts and arguments which show the danger of race prejudice." He served as its editor-in-chief for its first 24 years. The name was inspired by James Russell Lowell's poem "The Present Crisis," reflecting Du Bois's view of the era's racial tensions as a pivotal moment. Initial funding was precarious, with Du Bois often covering printing costs from his own salary. The magazine's first office was in New York City, operating out of the NAACP's headquarters. Its early issues combined sociological data on lynching and disfranchisement with editorials demanding political and social reform.

Role in the civil rights movement

Throughout the 20th century, *The Crisis* functioned as the intellectual and journalistic arm of the civil rights struggle. It reported extensively on landmark events and injustices, from the Red Summer of 1919 to the Scottsboro Boys case, the Brown v. Board of Education decision, and the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The magazine's coverage provided a counter-narrative to the mainstream white press, offering in-depth analysis and mobilizing its readership for action. It consistently advocated for federal anti-lynching legislation, the end of Jim Crow laws, and the protection of voting rights through legislation like the Voting Rights Act of 1965. By giving a national platform to the work of the NAACP and other groups, it helped coordinate strategy and build a sense of shared purpose within the movement.

Editorial stance and key figures

Under Du Bois, the magazine's editorial stance was unapologetically militant in its demand for full civil rights and social equality, often placing it at odds with more accommodationist viewpoints like those of Booker T. Washington. After Du Bois's resignation in 1934, leadership passed to Roy Wilkins, who later became the NAACP's executive secretary. Subsequent editors, including James W. Ivy and Henry Lee Moon, maintained a focus on political reporting and advocacy, though the tone sometimes moderated during the mid-century. In later decades, editors like Jabari Asim and current editor Michele Norris have continued to bridge the magazine's historic mission with contemporary issues of racial justice, police brutality, and mass incarceration. The editorial board has historically included prominent figures from the Harlem Renaissance and later the Black Arts Movement.

Impact on literature and the arts

*The Crisis* has been instrumental in fostering African American literary and artistic talent. Du Bois used the magazine to launch the careers of many writers associated with the Harlem Renaissance. He published early works by Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Jean Toomer, and Zora Neale Hurston. The magazine also featured the artwork of Aaron Douglas and published reviews and essays that defined the cultural politics of the "New Negro." It sponsored literary contests that discovered new voices. This commitment to the arts continued with support for writers of the Black Arts Movement and beyond, treating cultural production as integral to the project of liberation and self-definition.

Circulation and readership

At its peak under Du Bois in the early 1920s, circulation reached over 100,000 copies per month, an extraordinary figure for a minority publication at the time. Its readership was primarily among the African American community, including educators, clergy, professionals, and activists. Circulation fluctuated throughout the century, often reflecting the tempo of the civil rights struggle—spiking during periods of heightened conflict and activism. The magazine has faced financial challenges and changes in publication frequency, but it has never ceased publication. Today, it continues in both print and digital formats, seeking to engage a new generation concerned with issues of systemic racism and equity.

Legacy and influence

The legacy of *The Crisis* is profound. It is considered a foundational institution in African American journalism and thought. By providing a sustained, independent record of the fight for equality, it created an invaluable historical archive. The magazine influenced the development of other important Black publications, such as *Ebony*, *Jet*, and *The Root*. Its model of combining activism, news, and culture established a template for ethnic advocacy press in the United States. As the house magazine of the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization, it remains a symbol of the ongoing struggle for justice and a testament to the power of the printed word in social change.