African American Newspapers This link opens in a new windowRich with first-hand reports of the major events and issues of the day, including the Mexican War, Presidential and congressional addresses, Congressional abstracts and business and commodity markets this enormous collection of African-American newspapers contains a wealth of information about the cultural life and history during the 1800s. It also contains large numbers of early biographies, vital statistics, essays and editorials, poetry and prose, and advertisements, all of which embody the African-American experience.