Draft:The Florida Tattler
 | Draft article not currently submitted for review.
This is a draft Articles for creation (AfC) submission. It is not currently pending review. While there are no deadlines, abandoned drafts may be deleted after six months. To edit the draft click on the "Edit" tab at the top of the window. To be accepted, a draft should:
It is strongly discouraged to write about yourself, your business or employer. If you do so, you must declare it. Where to get help
How to improve a draft
You can also browse Wikipedia:Featured articles and Wikipedia:Good articles to find examples of Wikipedia's best writing on topics similar to your proposed article. Improving your odds of a speedy review To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags. Editor resources
Last edited by Qwerfjkl (bot) (talk | contribs) 23 days ago. (Update) |
 | This is the sandbox page where you will draft your initial Wikipedia contribution.
If you're starting a new article, you can develop it here until it's ready to go live. If you're working on improvements to an existing article, copy only one section at a time of the article to this sandbox to work on, and be sure to use an edit summary linking to the article you copied from. Do not copy over the entire article. You can find additional instructions here. Remember to save your work regularly using the "Publish page" button. (It just means 'save'; it will still be in the sandbox.) You can add bold formatting to your additions to differentiate them from existing content. |
The Florida Tattler[edit]
The Florida Tattler was a twentieth century African American owned and operated newspaper based out of Jacksonville, Florida. The paper (also called The Fla. Tattler) commenced publications in 1934 under Taylor & Son Printing Co. It was founded December 1st, 1934[1] by Porcher L. Taylor, Sr. with the assistance of his son, Porcher L. Taylor, Jr. The publishing office was located at 614 Broad Street, Jacksonville, Florida.[2] The publication circulated on a weekly basis. Its price per copy ranged from two cents upon its inception, to five cents during its final publications. The Florida Tattler was funded at least in part by community sponsors such as the Alcazar Cafe on 612 Broad Street, and Robert Smith's Shoe Shine Parlor on 791 West Ashley Street.[2]
Content[edit]
Florida Tattler was self proclaimed as "Jacksonville's Only Negro Weekly"[3] and served primarily "Duval, Nassau, and adjacent counties"[3]. In addition to Porcher L. Taylor, Sr's role as publisher-editor, Taylor collaborated on the publication frequently. The paper read primarily as a gossip column. Multiple editions display open letters and op-ed pieces from the community. The paper addresses topics ranging from lists of fellow community members' travel itineraries to news of the Alabama Scottsboro Boys. The paper slogan, seen in the June 29th, 1935 edition, is "Sees all, tells all"[4]. The slogan is reflective of the wide ranging reporting, advertising, and promoting. While there was no written direction that The Fla. Tattler was intended for women, advertisements within the available editions suggest that the niche progressively included primarily women. In the September 29th, 1945 edition the cover titles read "Rev. Morris Writes An Open Letter. Soldier Throws Wife Out Window."[3] The advertisement space beneath the cover stories promoted Groff Hosiery Co. located at both 104 Broad St. and 825 Davis St.[3] In addition to hosiery, a supplementary ad displayed a call to "Buy War Bonds First"[3]. It was common to see tonal variations, like the previous example, within the writing. Overall, the content of The Florida Tattler followed the trajectory for the Black community in Florida and the southeast region of the United States at the peak of the Jim Crow era.
Final Days of The Florida Tattler[edit]
Resources available online contain conflicting dates as to when The Florida Tattler ceased publications. Readex archive database shows the last available paper dated to September 29th, 1945.[3] An interview abstract of Porcher L. Taylor, Jr. conducted by thehistorymakers.org claims that the paper ended in 1964 upon the passing of Porcher L. Taylor, Sr.[5]
The Taylor Family[edit]
In addition, the interview abstract provides that entrepreneurship within the Taylor family started well before Taylor, Sr. founding The Florida Tattler. Taylor, Jr.'s discusses how his paternal grandfather was also committed to entrepreneurial endeavors[5]. Taylor, Sr. Taylor, Jr. "worked as a typesetter and a pressman until 1943, when he joined the U.S. Navy and spent three years on tour in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Honorably discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces, he was able to enroll at Tuskegee Institute with support from the Army’s G.I. Bill."[5] Taylor, Jr. enlisted in the Tuskegee Institute Reserve Officer Training Corps, the precursor to the Tuskegee Airmen[5]. Overall, the family had a history of amplifying their voice to support their values of community, faith, social justice and service.
| Format | Newspaper, Gossip Column, Community Tabloid |
|---|---|
| Founder(s) | Porcher L. Taylor, Sr. |
| Publisher | Taylor & Son Printing Co. |
| Staff writers | Porcher L. Taylor, Jr. |
| City | Jacksonville |
| Country | United States |
References[edit]
- ^ Florida Tattler, vol. 1, no. 15, 1 Dec. 1934, p. [1]. Readex: African American Newspapers.
- ^ a b Florida Tattler, vol. 1, no. 15, 1 Dec. 1934, p. 2. Readex: African American Newspapers.
- ^ a b c d e f Florida Tattler, vol. 12, no. 35, 29 Sept. 1945, p. [1]. Readex: African American Newspapers.
- ^ Florida Tattler, vol. 2, no. 21, 29 June 1935, p. [1]. Readex: African American Newspapers.
- ^ a b c d “Col. Porcher Taylor, Jr.’s Biography.” TheHistoryMakers, The History Makers, 15 Sept. 2012, www.thehistorymakers.org/digital-archive/col-porcher-taylor-jr.