“The people must know before they can act, and there is no educator to compare with the press.”
These were the words penned in 1892 by journalist and civil rights activist Ida B. Wells. Wells was a Black woman who, at the time, saw the violence and oppression being done to Black people in the United States and knew she needed to get the information to the public. She understood that knowledge had the power to inspire people to act and push back against terror. Her work documented the brutality of lynchings of Black Americans in the post-Civil War era. Wells used her skills of investigation, research, and writing to put a spotlight on the lynchings of Black Americans, choosing to push back against the silence and narrative that the racial terror was not happening.
It is when looking at the history of groundbreaking journalism, such as Wells’s, that we can understand how the press—in holding those in power accountable and keeping their readers informed—goes hand in hand with progress and social change. This is why it is necessary to have a free press that is protected from the intimidation and censorship that often comes about from those in power who wish to keep working people uninformed. There have been times throughout history and around the world where this freedom of the press has been under grave attack, putting in peril one of the pillars of society that holds those in power to account.
We are currently in those times.
In recent years, there have been growing attacks on press freedom to dissuade journalists from carrying out their work. There has been a rise in authoritarianism threatening free speech and the future of the news industry. It has included FBI raids into reporters’ homes and journalists being assaulted by government agents while covering the growing demonstrations calling for an end to ICE raids.
These attacks have gone hand in hand with the agenda of the current White House administration under President Donald Trump, which is determined to rewrite history as they see fit. A history that ignores the atrocities of the enslavement of Black people in this country, the existence of members of the LGBTQ community, science, and other topics that help give the full, vivid, and complex picture of our nation.
The press stands as one of the major obstacles to tyranny, which is the reason why it is often one of the first to be attacked as fascism grows. Especially independent media that is not beholden to corporate interests.
In its over 100-year history, the People’s World has amplified the voices of working people on the front lines of resistance and struggle. We’ve also made it a priority to report on and analyze the moves by capitalists—and the government officials in their pockets—when it comes to exploiting the working class. We cut through the so-called “objective” corporate media noise that is often used to sow fear and apathy in their audiences. And we do this through presenting the facts, the truth, because there’s no reason to spin anything when the reality of working people speaks for itself.
We’ve covered the growing movement to get ICE agents off the streets. We’re on the ground, highlighting the voices of residents speaking out against the onslaught of big tech trying to impose dangerous AI data centers in the community. We’ve covered topics dealing with the still very real threat of nuclear war and the climate crisis. There are many topics that those in power would like to keep in the background and have workers ignore. People’s World makes it a priority to cover them all.
But we need your help to continue to do so.
The People’s World 2026 fund drive is underway, and we need your help to raise $140,000 by May 1.
People’s World is a daily news publication with a small staff and the support of contributors across the globe. We’re not beholden to corporate interests, which means we—with pride—appeal to our readership that has helped to keep us going for decades.
The financial support you give keeps our journalists in the streets, covering the town halls, protests, and public hearings. It makes it so we can continue to report the truth in the face of a regime that would rather feed you lies. That’s no small task, but it’s one we champion and want to continue to do.
There are many ways you can take ownership of the fight for truth and independent media with People’s World.
Donate today or become a monthly sustainer. We’ve also brought back the People’s World May Day Greetings Book, celebrating working-class heroes and historic wins for labor and democracy. Supporters can even host events in their areas to raise funds for the publication while building community.
We can’t do this alone, but with your continued support, thankfully, we’ve never had to. The success of our publication has been made possible by the support of our readership and allies, because we all know just how high the stakes are, and in this moment of political turmoil, we can’t afford to be unprepared.
Onward!
Sincerely,
Chauncey K. Robinson
Associate Editor of People’s World
We hope you appreciated this article. At People’s World, we believe news and information should be free and accessible to all, but we need your help. Our journalism is free of corporate influence and paywalls because we are totally reader-supported. Only you, our readers and supporters, make this possible. If you enjoy reading People’s World and the stories we bring you, please support our work by donating or becoming a monthly sustainer today. Thank you!
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