ST. LOUIS — Several weeks ago, a co-worker of mine at KSDK “5 On Your Side" first chatted with me about something I have often thought about during my journalism career.
“Hey Robert, a couple of managers and I have been talking about you and the skills and talents you bring to the station and to the community. We discussed the possibility of you expanding your talents as a journalist, as a writer, as a member of the community and so what do you think about the idea of writing a column for The St. Louis American?”
I immediately was honored, humbled and thrilled about it!
The little boy inside me started dancing and jumping up and down.
The journalist in me said this would be a chance to finally birth “Roto.” That’s one of the nicknames I call myself.
Several years ago, a former news manager of mine actually dubbed me “Roto on the Go.” It was a cool compliment, a pat on the back, a push to keep dashing into the community and digging for more exclusive, insightful, thoughtful, solid stories for the station.
I really liked the sound of it, and now it’s become a powerful voice inside me that I take along my journalistic journey every day.
After weeks of reflecting on the myriad of advantages of writing a column for The St. Louis American including: a chance to broaden my connections in our community, expand my news audience, help strengthen the partnership between KSDK-TV 5 On Your Side and The St. Louis American, educate, enlighten and touch more people through my articles, explore countless topics, inspire students and aspiring journalists to follow their dreams, make my family and loved ones proud and many more, I decided to say yes!
Moreover, I flashed back to two powerful trailblazers who paved the way for me to even put words to paper and now create my own column.
They are my heroes: Jamaican-born John Brown Russwurm, Bowdoin College’s first African American graduate and only the third African American graduate from an American college.
Russwurm’s co-founder, Samuel Eli Cornish, was born in Sussex County, Delaware, and was a graduate of the free African school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He also founded the first Black Presbyterian church in Manhattan in 1822.
I am shining light on their monumental achievement of establishing Freedom’s Journal, the first African American owned and operated newspaper in the United States.
Many people today may not know this, but the newspaper was published weekly in New York City from March 16, 1827, to March 28, 1829.
The year it was founded was the same year that slavery was abolished in New York state by a group of Black men in New York City.
Historians also tell us after publishing for six months, Cornish resigned, and Russwurm became the unique newspaper’s sole editor.
Stop and think about that. That was 196 years ago!
The two journalistic giants made history on many fronts.
Of course, my heart explodes with joy at the awesome opportunity to share with you what I call “my introductory article” to my “Roto on the Go” column for The St. Louis American.
This month marks the 95th anniversary of The St. Louis American’s commitment to “serving, empowering and advocating for equity in St. Louis.”
We, as African Americans as people, as a community, should applaud, cherish and salute the countless writers, photographers, editors and many others, past and present, who despite the odds, persevered and made it happen.
Today, the strong, dedicated soldiers are still telling the important, necessary stories.
Stories, that often times, can only truly be told by African Americans.
Now, an ever-curious little boy—who grew up in the Walnut Park neighborhood in north St. Louis, fell in love with reading, writing letters, book reports, scrolling imaginary words in the air, always had a yearning for learning and talking to people—has been blessed by God to go for his dream to become a successful broadcast journalist, speaker, mentor, soon-to-be author and now a columnist for The St. Louis American.
Just writing that line humbles me and brings a huge smile to my face.
Thank you Bryce Moore, my KSDK 5 On Your Side co-worker and my bosses at the television station for believing in me, connecting with my dreams and pushing me.
Thank you again Mr. Russwurm and Mr. Cornish for blazing the trails for me and scores of other journalists. “Roto” carries you both in spirit, as I go.
Finally, thank you to my hometown fans for following me for years on TV, and now, thank you for picking up The American each week and embracing this new columnist.
Please, send me your ideas, comments and suggestions.
We have endless local, national and international topics to explore each month.
Robert Townsend's column appears each month in The St. Louis American, a weekly newspaper serving the African American community of St. Louis. Reach Robert by email at rtownsend@ksdk.com.