The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING THE ARIZONA INFORMANT
______
HON. GREG STANTON
of arizona
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, August 24, 2021
Mr. STANTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate the Arizona Informant on 50 years of excellence in reporting on our state's most important issues. Since its start, the paper's motto has been: ``98% of Our News You Won't Find in Any Other News Media in Arizona,'' and it's delivered on that, shining a light on members of our community. For five decades, the paper has chronicled stories of Black Americans. It has reported on the importance of African American representation in Arizona politics, racial disparities in the criminal justice system, the need to improve policing in communities of color, and the stories of resilience throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. But most importantly, it has documented the history, successes, and leadership of African Americans in our community.
The newspaper was founded by Cloves Campbell, Sr., Arizona's first Black state senator, and his brother Charles Campbell, a respected and accomplished educator. They knew firsthand that the press of the '50s and '60s rarely told the full story on any issue affecting communities of color that seldom came across the newswire. Too often, mainstream media coverage of Black Americans focused mostly on large Civil Rights demonstrations. Those stories usually covered the events themselves and rarely took the time to tell what happened after these influential demonstrations, nor the work of Black Americans whose brave and courageous actions made those events possible. As they lived through this history, Cloves and Charles realized they could tell these stories better themselves--and so they did.
In 1971, with just $1, Charles and Cloves bought the Arizona Informant and transformed it into the paper we know now. Today, as much of Arizona and national media suffer from shrinking readership, the paper is seeing growth, boasting 100,000 weekly readers. The Arizona Informant remains Arizona's only Black-owned weekly newspaper. The paper also uses the influence of its non-profit foundation, the Arizona Informant Foundation, to provide and develop valuable resources and opportunities to help build and bolster Black and African American communities in Arizona.
For 50 years, the paper has successfully captured the history of our community--bringing important issues and voices into the spotlight. As our country continues to see disparities in the Black community and communities of color, we are reminded that we need outlets that see and embrace their identity, as members of the community they cover, not as a ``bias'' but as an asset to report the truth. Journalism needs more outlets like the Arizona Informant who not only do quality journalism but do so with newsrooms that reflect and empathize with the communities and issues they carefully cover.
The Campbell brothers and the Informant remind us that diversity is essential, not only to the success of journalism, but to the success and vibrancy of our community. Their spirit lives on with Cloves' son, Cloves Campbell, Jr., who has followed in his father's footsteps and continued his legacy of journalistic excellence as publisher of the newspaper.
I thank the Arizona Informant for being a pillar of our community. Congratulations on 50 years of reporting with integrity and diligence on the issues that matter most to Arizona. Here's to the next 50 years and beyond.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 150
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