{{Short description|American journalist (1903–1976)}} {{Infobox person | name = Cecil Newman | image = Cecil_Newman_1965.jpg | alt = | caption = Cecil Newman in 1965 | birth_name = Cecil Earl Newman | birth_date = {{birth date|1903|7|25}} | birth_place = Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|1976|2|7|1903|7|25}} | death_place = Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. | resting_place = Lakewood Cemetery | years_active = | known_for = ''Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder'' | occupation = Journalist<br />Civic activist | other_names = | notable_works = | spouse = Launa Q. Newman }}
'''Cecil Earl Newman''' (July 25, 1903 – February 7, 1976) was an American civic leader and prominent businessman in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was the editor and publisher of the ''Minneapolis Spokesman'' and the ''St. Paul Recorder''.
He was a member of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, a union that made major strides against segregation in the 1930s and 1940s, before the modern Civil Rights Movement.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Sanna |first=James |date=2008-07-15 |title=Twin Cities Daily Planet: Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder turns 75 |url=https://www.minnpost.com/perspectives/2008/07/twin-cities-daily-planet-minnesota-spokesman-recorder-turns-75/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250207001604/https://www.minnpost.com/perspectives/2008/07/twin-cities-daily-planet-minnesota-spokesman-recorder-turns-75/ |archive-date=2025-02-07 |access-date=2021-01-05 |website=MinnPost |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Early life == Cecil Earl Newman<ref name="obit">{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-minneapolis-star-newman-9-feb-1976/179477047/ |title=Newman |date=1976-02-09 |newspaper=The Minneapolis Star |page=13B |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2025-08-22}}{{Open access}}</ref> was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on 25 July 1903. Growing up, he sold newspapers and worked in the offices of the ''Kansas City Call'', the city's Black newspaper.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2007-09-30|title=African American Registry: Cecil Newman, a Minnesota legend. . .|url=http://www.aaregistry.com/african_american_history/1030/Cecil_Newman_a_Minnesota_legend|access-date=2021-01-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930031343/http://www.aaregistry.com/african_american_history/1030/Cecil_Newman_a_Minnesota_legend|archive-date=2007-09-30}}</ref>
== Career == Newman moved to Minneapolis from Kansas City in 1922.<ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=11 February 1976 |title=Cecil E. Newman: A spirit of patient civility |page=1B, 4B |work=Minneapolis Star |url= |access-date=}}</ref> He began working as a porter in the railroad industry. He applied to work for mainstream papers in the Twin Cities, but was denied due to his race. He began working for the Black paper the ''Northwestern Bulletin'' and was a freelancer for the ''Chicago Defender''.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Bergin |first=Daniel |date=2021-06-15 |title=Newman, Cecil (1903–1976) {{!}} MNopedia |url=https://www3.mnhs.org/mnopedia/search/index/person/newman-cecil-1903-1976 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250806204838/https://www3.mnhs.org/mnopedia/search/index/person/newman-cecil-1903-1976 |archive-date=2025-08-06 |access-date=2025-11-17 |language=en}}</ref>
He took over as editor of the ''Twin Cities Herald'' about 1927 and published the ''Timely Digest'' in 1932.<ref name=":0" /> In 1934, Newman became editor and publisher of the ''Minneapolis Spokesman'' and the ''St. Paul Recorder''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Burnside |first=Tina |date=2017-07-26 |title=African Americans in Minnesota {{!}} MNopedia |url=https://www.mnopedia.org/african-americans-minnesota |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250901025357/https://www.mnopedia.org/african-americans-minnesota |archive-date=2025-09-01 |access-date=2021-01-05 |website=www.mnopedia.org}}</ref> Both papers covered local and national news, entertainment, and social and church affairs. Newman also wished to speak to white readers and advertisers to further equity and inclusion. Prominent Black leaders and authors such as Era Bell Thompson, Gordon Parks, and Carl Rowan wrote for his papers early in their careers.<ref name=":2" /> Newman was one of four black publishers in the Twin Cities, along with author Walter R. Scott, Mary Kyle of the Twin Cities Courier, and Jeanne Cooper of the Twin Cities Observer.<ref name=":02">{{Cite news|url=https://aaregistry.org/story/walter-scott-sr-born/|title=Walter Scott Sr., Publisher born|access-date=2026-02-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251127011923/https://aaregistry.org/story/walter-scott-sr-born/|archive-date=2025-11-27|work=African American Registry|language=en-US|url-status=live}}</ref>
Newman believed in using his papers to further civil rights. This led to a confrontation with the local beer industry, as following the 1933 repeal of Prohibition, Newman called for a boycott of local breweries (including Hamm's) as they refused to employ any African Americans. During World War II, he advocated for African-American access to jobs at local munitions plants. In the 1960s, he pushed the newly-arrived Minnesota Twins to desegregate their spring training housing.<ref name=":2" />
In 1948, Newman became the first Black president of the Minneapolis Urban League.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-16|title=Cecil Newman: Pioneer Editor and Publisher of the Minneapolis Spokesman and St. Paul Recorder|url=http://blackthen.com/cecil-newman-pioneer-editor-publisher-minneapolis-spokesman-st-paul-recorder/|access-date=2021-01-05|website=Black Then|language=en-US}}</ref>
Newman had close and powerful political connections, including with Hubert Humphrey, who invited Newman to join him on the national stage after the 1964 presidential election. However, Newman wished to stay in Minnesota. Over the years, he claimed a connection to every Minnesota governor since the 1920s, including a friendship with moderate, business-minded Republicans like Wheelock Whitney Jr.<ref name=":2" />
== Legacy == After Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis was blocked by construction of a Kmart at Lake Street, a one block long, one-way street was added in order to allow north bound traffic from 1st Avenue South to get over to Nicollet; it was named Cecil Newman Lane.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Luke |first1=Amanda |title=Who Influenced Hubert Humphrey? |url=https://www.lakewoodcemetery.org/2018-02-19-who-influenced-hubert-humphrey/ |access-date=24 May 2024 |work=Lakewood Cemetery |date=20 February 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Pan |first1=H. Jiahong |title=City's plan to rebuild Nicollet Avenue receives mixed reactions |url=https://spokesman-recorder.com/2024/03/11/nicollet-avenue-restoration-input/ |access-date=24 May 2024 |work=Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder |date=12 March 2024}}</ref>
The ''Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder'' (the ''Minneapolis Spokesman'' and the ''St. Paul Recorder'' merged in 2000<ref name=":1" />) is the oldest continuously operated Black newspaper and possibly longest-lived Black-owned business in Minnesota. In 1958, it moved to 3744 Fourth Avenue South. In 2015, the ''Spokesman-Recorder''' celebrated its eightieth anniversary and its building was designated a historic landmark.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Burnside |first=Tina |date=2017-02-01 |title=Southside African American Community, Minneapolis {{!}} MNopedia |url=https://www.mnopedia.org/place/southside-african-american-community-minneapolis |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250702233222/http://www.mnopedia.org/place/southside-african-american-community-minneapolis |archive-date=2025-07-02 |access-date=2021-01-05 |website=www.mnopedia.org}}</ref> Historic issues of the paper are available to access online as part of the Minnesota Historical Society's digital newspaper hub.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Burnside |first=Tina |date=2021-05-30 |title=‘Super cool’: Minnesota’s oldest Black-owned newspaper puts its archive online |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2021/05/30/minnesotas-oldest-blackowned-newspaper-puts-its-archive-online |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250512014728/https://www.mprnews.org/story/2021/05/30/minnesotas-oldest-blackowned-newspaper-puts-its-archive-online |archive-date=2025-05-12 |access-date=2025-11-17 |work=MPR News |language=en}}</ref>
== Personal life == Newman was married to Launa Q. Newman. The length of 4th Avenue South between 36th Street and 42nd Street was named in her honor as "Launa Q. Newman Way".<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Historical Significance of the E. 38th St. Corridor and South-Central Minneapolis |url=https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/city-council/ward-8/ward-8-priorities-and-projects/38th-st-corridor-and-south-central-minneapolis/ |access-date=2021-04-28 |website=City of Minneapolis |language=en}}</ref>
Newman died on February 7, 1976, at his home on York Avenue in Minneapolis. He was interred at Lakewood Cemetery.<ref name="obit"/><ref>{{Cite web|title=Cecil E. Newman, Headed Minneapolis Black Weekly|url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1976/02/08/452215872.html?pageNumber=47|access-date=2021-01-05|website=timesmachine.nytimes.com|language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Newman, Cecil}} Category:1903 births Category:1976 deaths Category:Businesspeople from Minneapolis Category:Businesspeople from Kansas City, Missouri Category:Burials at Lakewood Cemetery Category:20th-century American non-fiction writers Category:20th-century American businesspeople Category:African-American history of Minnesota Category:African-American history in Minneapolis–Saint Paul