Publisher of The Carolina Times dies, possibly marking the end of the historic paper
Kenneth Edmonds, the publisher of The Carolina Times, died Saturday, possibly signaling the end of a historic newspaper that has been informing and advocating for African Americans in Durham and North Carolina for nearly a century.
Edmonds was 66.
Edmonds, of Durham, was the grandson of Louis E. Austin.
Austin purchased a publication in 1927 and transformed it into The Carolina Times, which became one of the most powerful voices for black North Carolina during a time of intense racial segregation, The News & Observer has reported.
Austin, an activist and community leader, died in 1971 and other family members took over the paper that he used as a mouthpiece of the civil rights struggle.
The Carolina Times was the most important African-American newspaper in North Carolina, and it was often distributed across the state and to the rest of the South, said Jerry Gershenhorn, a professor of history at North Carolina Central University who wrote the book “Louis Austin and The Carolina Times.”
“Louis Austin was the voice of the black freedom struggle, I would say, in the state of North Carolina,” Gershenhorn said in 2017.
Edmonds took over the paper in 2002 after his mother retired, said Andre Vann, a friend of Edmonds and N.C. Central University’s archivist. The paper isn’t available online, but is sent to about 6,000 addresses weekly.
Under Edmonds, the weekly newspaper continued covering events, deaths and sports and offering editorials for the black community, Vann said. It covered topics that are often overlooked by other publications.
Reluctant to take over
Edmonds was initially somewhat reluctant to take over the family business because he wasn’t sure of the challenges of taking on that enterprise,Vann said. But he recognized how important it was to have a voice in the community and to represent that community in Durham.
“The challenge of going into the lives of individuals and helping sort of use the newspaper weekly to help tell those stories is a powerful story within itself,” Vann said.
Edmonds donated copies of the paper to African-American churches, Vann said.
“‘People need to have their stories told, and they need to read about them, ‘” Edmonds would say, according to Vann.
The Carolina Times is one of about seven remaining African-American newspapers in the state, Vann said.
Last issue?
Edmonds’ son, Christian Edwards, said the newspaper’s April 18 issue will likely be its last.
“The Carolina Times will end with Kenneth Edmonds,” said Edwards, 39. “That was his baby. It meant the world to him, and he wanted to see it through.”
Retired state Rep. H.M. “Mickey” Michaux said that when Edmonds took over the newspaper he was relieved the family tradition would continue.
Michaux said he hopes the paper that served as a voice for the black community and inspired similar papers across the state can be saved.
“Maybe somebody is in the market to for a good local newspaper that will be able to carry on what The Carolina Times” started, he said.
Omar Beasley, chairman of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, said the loss of the newspaper will be huge for the community, including those who picked up the publication each week at church on Sunday.
“It will be a devastating blow,” Beasley said. “It has been a mainstay in Durham for a very long time.”
Respiratory issues
Edmonds was a strong-willed but gentle and encouraging father who inherited Austin’s passion for the paper and its mission, his son said.
“He just wanted to make sure that everyone was treated fairly with equality and also to fight for justice,” Christian Edwards said. “A man that stood for something.”
The job was seven days a week and often required 14-hour days. His son said Edmonds often worked from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., then woke up in the middle of the night to do more.
“He used to say, ‘We all have 24 hours in a day. It is what you choose to do with your 24 hours that makes a difference,’” Edwards said. “He chose every bit of that 24 hours for something that he believed in.”
Edmonds died at his home, Christian Edwards said, and funeral plans are being finalized.
Edmonds had health issues, including respiratory issues that worsened over time, his son said. Edmonds told his son about a week ago that he was going to Duke University Hospital to get tested for COVID-19, but Christian Edwards said he doesn’t know whether his father ever did get the test.
Edwards said his father has been so busy for so long, and now finally has time to rest.
“He gave a lot to The Carolina Times, and more importantly he gave a lot to the people of North Carolina” and the people of Durham, his son said. “‘He left nothing on the table.”
This story was originally published May 3, 2020 at 6:06 PM with the headline "Publisher of The Carolina Times dies, possibly marking the end of the historic paper."
