Sojourner was a feminist periodical that evolved from a small Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) women's newspaper to a national forum for feminist analysis of news, opinion, and the arts, as well as women's creative writing and poetry. By the 1990s, Sojourner prided itself as a vital link for the feminist community, including those marginalized women who were on welfare or incarcerated. Although there was a loyal readership, Sojourner experienced financial challenges throughout its history. The newspaper would see a steady decline in advertisers and subscribers, and by 2002 discontinued publication.
The following provides a brief history of Sojourner :
September 1, 1975Female students and staff of an MIT women's group publish the first issue of Sojourner: Voices from the MIT Women's Community. MIT Chancellor Paul Gray provides $1700 in seed money to produce the eight-page tabloid. The mission of the newspaper aims to bring together and disseminate information to MIT women about women-related groups, events, and activities on campus. Early issues include a range of topics from women in science to advertisements for the MIT wives club.December 1975Seed money for the publication runs out after the first three issues. Sojourner begins supporting itself exclusively through subscriptions, donations, and advertising from inside and outside the MIT community.January 1976Sojourner volunteers begin distributing the paper outside of MIT at feminist establishments such as New Words bookstore and Bread and Roses restaurant.Sojourner hosts a Boston conference for women in the printed media.Summer 1976 A Board of Directors and an editorial staff operate Sojourner while readers submit content. Editorial decisions are made by the Editorial Board, which is comprised of the directors and staff.Outside interest in the paper increases as efforts expand its reach beyond campus and broaden the scope of its content. "MIT" is dropped from the masthead. Sojourner works to generate enough income to keep the paper independent of outside funding. Although there continues to be free distribution of the publication on the MIT campus, subscriptions are encouraged and efforts aim to widen the advertising base to bring in additional funding. September 1976Circulation of Sojourner is doubled, partly due to free distribution on campus and in local women's centers. November 1976Sojourner applies for tax-exempt status but is denied. Without tax exemption by the IRS, they are not able to apply for grants to cover production costs, such as buying typesetting equipment.February 1977Understaffing and lack of funding cause Sojourner to temporarily cease publication for one month.Staff devise a restructuring plan, creating two separate entities: one non-profit and the other for-profit. The newspaper would be profit-making, and thus eligible for loans and investments from the community. The non-profit would be devoted to training people in newspaper publishing skills. Staff present the reorganization to the community through a live call-in program, "The Majority Speaks," on WTBS (88.1 FM), as well as through a meeting at MIT.April 1977Sojourner acquires three new advertising representatives, a business manager, a New England distributor, and new staff members for typesetting, layout, and other newspaper responsibilities.The Latimer Foundation, which advises minority businesses on expansion, advises Sojourner to raise approximately $7,000 for capital investment in hopes that this money will help pay staff. Sojourner also solicits this funding from readers.1977 MayJuly 1977CambridgeCambridgeWLVI-TV (Cambridge)Cambridge PondCambridge City Reservoir DamCambridge City HallDwambazi BridgeMcCrea Bridge CampgroundCambridge Public LibraryWCEM-AM (Cambridge)Cambridge College at SpringfieldCambridge United Methodist ChurchBuddy Bridges CampCambridge Isanti High SchoolCambridgeTambo BridgeCamps BridgeCambridge Springs High SchoolCambridgeRed Bridge CampgroundCambridge Bible ChurchWombridgeCambridge City HallCambridge-Byesville Industrial ParkMassachusettsMassachusettsSojourner moves to an office space at 143 Albany Street in Cambridge and plans an open house to celebrate on June 22. It reincorporates as a for-profit Massachusetts business corporation and begins to raise funds through the sale of stock.January 1979Greater BostonGreater Cornerstone ChurchFormosan Presbyterian Church of Greater HoustonGreater Bethel Apostolic ChurchGreater Progressive Baptist Church of HoustonGreater Emmanuel Apostolic TempleGreater Cornerstone Baptist ChurchIslamic Society of Greater HoustonGreater Life Apostolic ChurchGreater Cornerstone Baptist ChurchRayne Greater First Apostolic ChurchGreater Emmanuel Apostolic Faith Church (historical)Good News Baptist Church of Greater HoustonGreater Tried Stone Baptist ChurchMakkah Masjid of Greater HoustonGreater Bethelehem Temple Apostolic Faith ChurchGreater Life Apostolic ChurchGreater Cornerstone Baptist ChurchGreater Emmanuel Apostolic ChurchGreater Faith Temple Aspostolic ChurchGreater Grace Apostolic ChurchGreater Bethlehem Temple Apostolic Holiness ChurchIslamic Society of Greater HoustonGreater Bethel Star Apostolic ChurchNew EnglandNew EnglandNew England SettlementMilitary Museum of Southern New EnglandNew England Power Number 4 DamPhoenix House of New England - Phoenix Academy MaineNew England College of OptometryNew England Rehabilitation HospitalStat Ambulance Service of New EnglandNew EnglandNew England Executive ParkNew England Quilt MuseumNew England BuildingHVDC Quebec-New England - Des Cantons Grounding ElectrodeHVDC Quebec-New England - Nicolet Static Inverter PlantNew England CreekNew England ParkBest Western New England InnNew England MineNew England HallPrimary Colors Childrens Centre of New EnglandBest Western New EnglanderHVDC Quebec-New England - James Bay Static Inverter PlantNaval Health Clinic New EnglandSubmissions and subscriptions increase, with 40 percent coming from the Greater Boston area, 30 percent from New England, 30 percent from other parts of the country, and a small percentage from overseas.Sojourner employs two paid staff members including an editor and an advertising manager. Volunteer editors focus on different sections of the paper (e.g., poetry, photography, news, events calendar). A volunteer production manager coordinates staff doing layout, typesetting, and proofreading.1984 NovemberDecember 1984To focus on the newspaper's financial stability, Sojourner voluntarily suspends publication with its December 1984 issue.Sojourner sets a fundraising goal of $40,000 to be raised through donations, pledges, subscriptions, and events, in order to obtain more paid staff, a reserve fund, staff benefits, a subscription promotion, and a gain in monthly income.March 1985Sojourner returns to publication after the financial goal is met. They hire additional staff, provide health benefits, establish a cash flow, do a subscription promotion, and create an emergency cash reserve. They also continue to do events to supplement funding.October 1985More paid staff is hired including a full-time associate editor, half-time advertising representative, typesetters, and production staff.1990Sojourner moves to new offices at 42 Seavern's Avenue, Jamaica Plain.1994Sojourner begins publishing the Women's Business Directory. The first issue is only two-pages in length and distributed within Sojourner's 1994 Community Guide. The directory will continue to expand and eventually be available online and published separately.September 1995Sojourner celebrates its 20th anniversary.The newspaper launches a campaign to try and raise $125,000; it also launches a new section in the newspaper called ArtsEtc.Aunt Lute Books publishes Frontline Feminism: Essays from Sojourner's First Twenty Years. Edited by Karen Kahn, Sojourner's lead editor for the previous eight years, it includes over 100 articles representing the wide-ranging issues addressed in Sojourner since its inception.May 1996Sojourner develops a web presence and starts an e-mail account.October 1996Sojourner creates the non-profit Sojourner Feminist Institute, a tax-exempt organization whose educational mission includes publishing Sojourner. Non-profit status of the Institute allows donors to make tax-deductible donations. The newspaper can now apply for grants and receive donations of equipment. November 1997Sojourner starts three new columns: the Dot & Flo advice and opinion column; WelfareBeat, a column dedicated to promoting feminist organizing against welfare reform; and Media Watch.March 1998Sojourner launches the Feminist Sustainer Campaign. It includes a $100,000 fundraising goal to increase readership and payments to writers (above the current payment of $15), as well as to replace outdated office equipment, hire a fundraiser/promotions coordinator, and a part-time coordinator for Sojourner Feminist Institute's training program for young women journalists.Summer 1999Sojourner inaugurates the Inside/Outside: Sojourner's Women in Prison Project. This program involves regularly covering issues about women behind bars and the criminal justice system. Sojourner also manages a pen pal listing for women inside prison, which appears in all subsequent issues.November 1999Sojourner produces a resource guide for women prisoners. The small booklet is free to all women prisoners and includes contact information for over 200 groups and publications that support women in prison, lesbians behind bars, women with AIDS, and mothers separated from their children by incarceration.20002001Sojourner celebrates its 25th anniversary. Staff coordinate a kick-off reception on October 15, 2000, as well as a 25th birthday benefit dance on May 5, 2001.September 2002The Board of Directors of the Sojourner Feminist Institute determines that it can no longer financially sustain Sojourner. The newspaper ceases publication.From the guide to the Records of, Sojourner, (inclusive), (bulk), 1920-2004, 1975-2002, (Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute)