While Chip Dolfi was producing an Afro-Centric, nationally televised show for women that focused on making smart life choices, he came upon several articles housed in the dwelling of a Boston-based historian. Knowing immediately the articles needed to be compiled in a more appropriate format, he and his team stepped in to spearhead the project.
Now the largest publisher of Primary Source Black History in the United States, the African American Historical News Journal is a compilation of newspaper articles and firsthand accounts of our nation’s history. As Chip is quick to point out as his team travels and talks to folks across the country, he always begins by saying The Journal is NOT Black History, it is American History.
“The title is just to draw attention to the information,” he adds. “It’s a very salient point and one we strive to get out to others. My own inspiration is about broadening my knowledge of American History! We have a saying, ‘if you don’t know the whole story then you don’t know the real story, and if you don’t know the real story then you don’t know the whole story of the founding of our country.’ The articles contained on these pages are part of the real and whole story.”
Currently a collection that spans coverage in many areas – entrepreneurs and inventors, politicians and statesmen, athletes and actors, war heroes and heroines – four more planned editions will highlight each of these areas exclusively.
“We also donate 50% of our gross revenue from the journals to support organizations that contribute to education, job creation, and health and well being, primarily in the African American community,” Chip shares. “Our goal is to raise $1 billion over the next five years – that would be 20 million books a year. That money will go to the aforementioned areas, as well as to the HBCUs.”
“What makes the content of ‘The Journal’ so important is that the information is not widely known, largely because it is not widely taught in our schools,” shares Chip. “Information regarding the important impact of African Americans to the founding of our country is a story all should know. We feel it’s imperative that all of us, as Americans, know the entire story of the founding of our country.
The Journal is available in both soft cover and hard cover editions – and both make a perfect gift!
“When we did our research for this edition, we culled many newspapers, articles, books and published works from the early 1700s up until 1956,” Chip adds. “Whenever possible, we preserved the actual newspaper articles and included them in our pages. Other times, we transcribed the content of the newspapers word for word. This process is critical to the compilation as we must read the words as they were written, without the bias of any editorial influence. We want you to not only read the articles, but to put yourself into the time periods, as well – read it as though you were living the news at the time.”
Chip hopes the information shows young men and women that they can truly make a difference.
“We hope this historical information teaches them that no obstacles are too big to overcome, and we hope it motivates all to look deeper into the stories of the men and women who made a difference before them.”
For more information on raising awareness about African American impact on US history, for fundraising and to order your copy of The Journal, visit historicalnewsjournals.com, email [email protected] or reach publisher Chip Dolfi at 843.816.4560 in Cornelius, NC. Follow them on Instagram @Africanamerican.newsjournal.