Often when I’m distributing copies of our weekly student newspaper, the Nubian Message, to students unfamiliar with our publication, I receive a familiar question: “Well, what is it?”
As I explain our mission, I find many students are confused or uncertain about why the paper exists. Students from a wide variety of backgrounds ask me all sorts of questions about what purpose it serves, or why students other than black students should be interested in reading the publication.
The Nubian Message arose from three major issues and events: The appeal for a free standing cultural center, a rally at Chapel Hill and offensive columns printed in the Technician. In fall 1992, black students had reached the peak of a many-years-long push to have the University administration build a free standing cultural center. The students insisted that the University had promised them a cultural center five years prior, but neglected its promise and left the students with a building annex instead.
In order to raise awareness about this broken promise, black students participated in a variety of meetings between themselves and faculty members. They also attended a rally held by UNC-Chapel Hill’s Black Awareness Council (BAC) that was also seeking a cultural center on its campus. This rally prompted students to further push the N.C. State University administration to act. In addition, black students also used a Student Government forum to vent their concerns about the proposed building and their existing space.
Much of the inspiration for Nubian Message came from, in particular, the contents of the Sept. 23, 1992 edition of the Technician. The newspaper published a column by Steve Crisp in response to the BAC rally in which he called BAC members “narrow-minded racist Ku Klux Blacks.” In the same issue was another column by a student Jeff Rom that called the students “terrorists.”
Many students were so upset by the columns that they burned that edition of the Technician in the Brickyard the next day. They also felt that Technician coverage of the Student Government forum was inaccurate citing that what was reported in the article was not what actually happened during the meeting.
Fed up with the misrepresentations, a student presented the need for a newspaper on campus that would give the African-American perspective on campus issues and events. Thus, the Nubian Message was born. First published on Nov. 30, 1992, the newspaper’s first editor, Tony Williamson, asserted “At N.C. State, one of our main concerns has been the unfair and unjust media coverage of the African-American community on this campus.” He also said “All we want is an equal voice on this campus, and with the Nubian Message, the door is open for us to have that voice. The Nubian Message has been created to represent the African-American community at NCSU totally, truthfully and faithfully.”
Today, the Nubian Message values that same purpose. It is important because it is an alternative newspaper that reports on events and issues from a different perspective.
Not only is it a way for students to learn more about African-American culture, but other cultures as well. It serves as a valuable resource for all students who are willing to read it, not just black students. The topics and events that we cover can interest all students and afford them a deeper look inside campus issues from students who may not otherwise be heard.
