Bruce, John Edward

"Born a slave in Piscataway, Maryland, John Edward Bruce (1856-1924) went on to write for, edit, or found an astonishing number of periodicals ... After winning freedom with his mother in 1860, Bruce received sporadic schooling in Connecticut and Washington, D.C., including several months at Howard University. In 1879 he founded his first paper, the Argus. The coming years would see him found four other papers, edit two more papers and two magazines, and write as a correspondent for over twenty black-owned papers and for prominent white-owned papers as well"--Publisher's description.

John Edward Bruce, journalist, historian, editor and co-founder of the "Association for the Study of Negro Life and History."

Born a slave in Maryland in 1856, Bruce and his mother settled in Washington, D.C. after being freed from slavery. Bruce was self-educated, his formal education was minimal, however, he was well read and wrote prolifically on various political and cultural subjects.

In 1874, Bruce became a general helper for the "New York Times" Washington office and also began writing for black newspapers. For over fifty years he wrote for more than twenty black newspapers, and some of his columns appeared in white newspapers such as the "New York Times" and the "Washington Evening Star." His articles also appeared in black publications in England, the West Indies and West and South Africa.

One of the earliest black nationalists, and militant journalists, Bruce extolled the virtues, beauty and heritage of the black race, urged avoidance of integration, and demanded full equality with whites. He was known by the pseudonym, "Bruce Grit," which he adopted while writing for the Cleveland "Gazette" and the "New York Age."

An editor before he was twenty-five, Bruce founded the "Argus," a weekly newspaper in Washington D.C., 1879; the "Sunday Item," 1880; and the "Washington Grit," 1884. He was editor of the "Republican" of Norfolk, Va., 1882; assistant editor of the "Commonwealth" of Baltimore, Md., 1884; and associate editor of "Howard's American Magazine" from 1896 to 1901. Around 1900 he settled in Albany, New York and later in New York City and Yonkers (N.Y.). He co-founded the New York City "Chronicle" in 1877; the Yonkers "Weekly Standard" in 1908; and edited the "Masons Quarterly" in New York City.

In 1919, Bruce joined the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) and became a regular columnist for the UNIA's newspaper "Negro World." Bruce was also a popular speaker, the author of two books--"Short Biographical Sketches of Eminent Negro Men and Women in Europe and the United States" (1901) and "The Awakening of Hezikiah Jones" (1916) and many pamphlets. In 1924 Bruce died and was eulogized by more than 5,000 UNIA members, foreign dignitaries and Freemasons.

Journalist, historian.

Born into slavery, Bruce was a militant writer for the black press on political, economic and social issues, black history and personalities, and counted among his friends and associates many of the prominent black educators, intellectuals, writers and activitists of the time.

Bruce secured his first job with a newspaper, "The New York Times" in 1874, as a general helper in the Washington correspondents's office. That same year he became a correspondent for African-American newspapers, writing for more than twenty American newspapers as well as black publications in England, Jamaica, the West Indies, and in West and South African over the years. His articles also appeared in such white newspapers as the "Boston Transcript," the "Washington Evening Star," "The New York Times," the "St. Louis Globe-Democrat," and the "Buffalo Express."

Bruce founded the "Argus," a weekly newspaper in Washington, D.C. in 1879, and the "Sunday Item" in 1880. In 1882 he was editor of the Norfolk, VA, "Republican", and in 1884 he was assistant editor and business manager of the "Commonwealth" of Baltimore, MD. and founded the "Washington Grit" in Washington, D.C. His famous column "Bruce Grit" appeared in 1884 in the Cleveland "Gazette" and the "New York Age." And, from 1896 to 1901, Bruce was associate editor of "Howard's American Magazine."

In addition to his journalistic endeavors, Bruce also published two books, "Short Biographical Sketches of Eminent Negro Men and Women in Europe and the United States" (1910) and "The Awakening of Hezekiah Jones" (1916), and many pamphlets. He worked with T. Thomas Fortune in the Afro-American League and the Afro-American Council in the 1890's. And, with Arthur A. Schomburg and others he organized the Negro Society for Historical Research in 1911, for the promotion and preservation of black history.

Journalist, historian. Born into slavery, Bruce was a militant writer for the black press on political, economic and social issues, black history and personalities, and counted among his friends and associates many of the prominent black educators, intellectuals, writers and activitists of the time.

Bruce secured his first job with a newspaper, "The New York Times" in 1874, as a general helper in the Washington correspondents's office. That same year he became a correspondent for African-American newspapers, writing for more than twenty American newspapers as well as black publications in England, Jamaica, the West Indies, and in West and South African over the years. His articles also appeared in such white newspapers as the "Boston Transcript," the "Washington Evening Star," "The New York Times," the "St. Louis Globe-Democrat," and the "Buffalo Express.".

Bruce founded the "Argus," a weekly newspaper in Washington, D.C. in 1879, and the "Sunday Item" in 1880. In 1882 he was editor of the Norfolk, VA, "Republican", and in 1884 he was assistant editor and business manager of the "Commonwealth" of Baltimore, MD. and founded the "Washington Grit" in Washington, D.C. His famous column "Bruce Grit" appeared in 1884 in the Cleveland "Gazette" and the "New York Age." And, from 1896 to 1901, Bruce was associate editor of "Howard's American Magazine.".

In addition to his journalistic endeavors, Bruce also published two books, "Short Biographical Sketches of Eminent Negro Men and Women in Europe and the United States" (1910) and "The Awakening of Hezekiah Jones" (1916), and many pamphlets. He worked with T. Thomas Fortune in the Afro-American League and the Afro-American Council in the 1890's. And, with Arthur A. Schomburg and others he organized the Negro Society for Historical Research in 1911, for the promotion and preservation of black history.