The New York Amsterdam News and its historic headquarters have never been merely a newspaper and a building. They have always been living institutions, guardians of truth, engines of empowerment, and sanctuaries for Black and Brown voices too often excluded from the national narrative. Through fearless journalism and groundbreaking storytelling, the Amsterdam News has stood as a beacon of accountability and possibility.

Today, the Amsterdam News Educational Foundation is carrying that legacy forward, reimagining this iconic Harlem landmark into a dynamic national center that honors our past while shaping the future.

The Amsterdam News’ 118 year legacy of moral courage is legendary among Black newspapers.  December 6, 1922 front page headlines thundered against the Ku Klux Klan, condemned the defeat of the Dwyer Anti-Lynching Bill in Congress, and uplifted Black leaders who gathered in Europe to expose the racial terror endured in the United States. It was the first publication to print the words of Malcolm X and among the very few news outlets willing to defend the truth in the case of the “Central Park Five,” now rightly known as the Exonerated Five.  And break the national story that Trump had “deep faked” Black participation at his election rallies.

Because of this uncompromising commitment to justice, the Amsterdam News and the Amsterdam News Educational Foundation are deeply trusted by Black and Brown communities in New York City and across the nation. That trust is the bedrock upon which this bold new vision stands.

We are profoundly honored by the extraordinary support of the Mellon Foundation’s Humanities in Place and Public Knowledge programs, which are funding the planning and archival phases of reimagining this historic Harlem institution. And deeply grateful for the 304 and counting individual donors to date who have given as founders to date – making this dream possible.  “The Archives and Library of the Amsterdam News constitute what is one of the most substantial and still-to-be explored information resources of its kind (Black history) in the United States today.” – Winthrop Archival Services

Additionally, we are deeply grateful for the incredible efforts of our award-winning Black architects Angel Ayon and Jerome Haferd, nationally acclaimed for their visionary approach at the intersection of historic preservation and contemporary design. 

At this pivotal moment, reimagining the Amsterdam News headquarters is not simply about preserving a historic building. It is about strengthening a trusted institution, reclaiming narrative power, and ensuring that Black truth, history, and imagination continue to inform, and transform, the future.  Honored to be In the slipstream of Harlem’s blossoming 125th Street Arts & Cultural District, this “Citadel of Black Truth” will digitally and physically secure the ongoing preservation of Black culture and history.

WHY YOUR GIFT MATTERS

Thank you for your tax-deductible support of this vital initiative. Your secure gift, made by credit card, PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, or check, moves this vision forward. You or whomever you designate will be recognized as a “Citadel of Black Truth” Founder in perpetuity.

Every contribution matters. Gifts like yours build momentum, signal broad community belief, and help unlock critical foundation support bringing us closer to an international-caliber community media center rooted in history and built for generations to come.