Robert. C. Maynard was a trailblazing journalist who defied odds by becoming the first Black owner of a major newspaper on this day in 1983.
Maynard’s miraculous journey from high school dropout to becoming the editor and owner of The Oakland Tribune began with him chasing his dreams in the 1950s. Born June 17, 1937 in Brooklyn, New York to immigrant parents from Barbados, Maynard discovered a love of writing early on.
At 16, inspired by his love of courtroom reporting, Maynard dropped out of high school and began working for the New York Age, a former African-American news weekly. Maynard then reported for the Afro-American Newsin Baltimore before landing his first major job working for Pennsylvania’s York Gazette and Daily in 1961.