By Special to the Daily World
The Atlanta Daily World is the city’s oldest continuously publishing Black-owned newspaper, and one of its oldest Black-owned businesses. It has been serving the community since Aug. 5, 1928. Founded by W.A. Scott II, it became the nation’s first Black-owned 20th century daily on March 12, 1932. Through the years, it has remained family-owned and operated. It now publishes once a week, on Thursday, and can be read daily online at www.atlantadailyworld.com.
In its 83-year history, the newspaper has reported on the vast and growing African-American population in the metropolitan Atlanta region. It also has a rich history of community service and leadership. Following the untimely death of founder W.A. Scott II in 1934, C. A. Scott — one of the brothers of the founder — became editor and general manager. Scott continued in this role for an unprecedented 63 years. In August 1997, M. Alexis Scott — granddaughter of the founder — was elected publisher, president and chairman of the Board of Directors of Atlanta Daily World, Inc. The family-owned corporation is currently managed by a five-member board of directors made up of two generations of Scott Family members.
In addition to its heritage, the newspaper became a brand in 2009 when it partnered with the joint venture of Atlanta Retail Management and Areas to open three “Atlanta Daily World” newsstands at the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. It is the first and only Black-owned media outlet to have its name on any airport newsstand in the United States.
The Atlanta Daily World has been in the forefront of many campaigns to improve the community. In the 1940s, the newspaper was the first Black publication to receive credentials
to cover the White House and the Congress. Being a daily was a requirement for credentials. The paper in conjunction with the National Newspaper Publishers Association hired a correspondent who covered Congress and the White House for all Black newspapers in the nation.
In addition to its coverage, the paper led voter registration efforts; challenged the all-White Democratic Party primaries in the 1940s; raised funds to defend and acquit a young Black father falsely accused of rape; and served for nearly 40 years (1968-2007) as the media sponsor with the Georgia Association of Educators of the statewide contest in the popular, national Scripps-Howard Spelling Bee. The paper sponsored an essay contest with Camp Best Friends from 2000 to 2007 that provided cash and computers to youth; and from 2000 to 2007 it conducted Bike Atlanta, a bike ride to benefit charitable organizations in the city. The newspaper also raised thousands of dollars over 60 years for its former program called the Christmas Cheer Fund for needy families.
The newspaper and its publishers have received numerous business and community service awards. In 2008, the Atlanta Daily World was inducted into the newly established Business Hall of Fame by the Atlanta Business League. In 2004, the paper received The President’s Award from the Atlanta Branch NAACP; in 2003 the newspaper and The Scott Family received the Media Award from The Concerned Black Clergy of Metropolitan Atlanta at its 20th anniversary celebration. The paper received the 2002 Atlanta Regional Minority Media Firm of the Year Award from the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency, and the 2002 National Minority Media Cornerstone Award from the same agency. The World also received the 2002 Media of the Year Award from the Georgia Conference of NAACP. In 2001, the paper received the Media of the Year Award from the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus.
In 2001, the paper was a finalist in the Family Business of the Year Awards Program of the Cox Family Enterprise Center at Kennesaw State University. The paper was recognized in the small-business category for nearly tripling its revenues in the prior three years.
In 1980, the National Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi, named the paper a “historic site in journalism” for its development and distribution of a chain of more than 40 weekly newspapers during the 1930s.
For this and other pioneering efforts, the newspaper’s founder has been inducted into two journalism Halls of Fame — at Howard University in 1980 and at the University of Georgia in 1996.
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