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John H. Sengstacke
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<p>John Herman Henry Sengstacke (November 25, 1912 – May 28, 1997) was an American newspaper <a href="/facts/Publisher/7g01YeYG">publisher</a> and owner of the largest chain of <a href="/facts/African-American/pTgcAdo8">African-American</a> oriented newspapers in the United States. Sengstacke was also a civil rights activist and worked for a strong black press, founding the <a href="/facts/National_Newspaper_Publishers_Association/F94LPhF1">National Newspaper Publishers Association</a> in 1940, to unify and strengthen African-American owned papers. Sengstacke served seven terms as president of the association, which by the early 21st century had 200 members. </p><p>A nephew of newspaper founder, <a href="/facts/Robert_Sengstacke_Abbott/f74wRbgv">Robert Sengstacke Abbott</a>, Sengstacke was Abbott's designated heir to take over the <i><a href="/facts/Chicago_Defender/TnS5vmng">Chicago Defender</a></i>, which he did after his uncle's death in 1940. Sengstacke also published the <i><a href="/facts/Michigan_Chronicle/g4IAykJ2">Michigan Chronicle</a></i> in <a href="/facts/Detroit/S84s4PGo">Detroit</a>; the <i><a href="/facts/Tri-State_Defender/6sbBk8dG">Tri-State Defender</a></i> in <a href="/facts/Memphis%2c_Tennessee/DwtMHq1I">Memphis, Tennessee</a>; and acquired the <i><a href="/facts/Pittsburgh_Courier/5zu4jSwm">Pittsburgh Courier</a></i> in 1966, re–opening it the next year as the <i><a href="/facts/New_Pittsburgh_Courier/MInWoY0c">New Pittsburgh Courier</a>.</i> Sengstacke worked with President <a href="/facts/Franklin_D._Roosevelt/HtG9vMQv">Franklin D. Roosevelt</a> to have African-American reporters admitted to presidential press conferences. He pressed for opportunities in the <a href="/facts/United_States_Postal_Service/1Je8qAHF">United States Postal Service</a> for African Americans. One of Sengstacke's major political goals was to desegregate the armed forces. President <a href="/facts/Harry_Truman/2E2LmMoB">Harry Truman</a> supported this goal, naming Sengstacke to the commission he formed in 1948 to integrate the military. Sengstacke died in 1997 at age 84. In 2000, he was posthumously presented with the <a href="/facts/Presidential_Citizens_Medal/ldG7sQIL">Presidential Citizens Medal</a> by U.S. President <a href="/facts/Bill_Clinton/x5mwYkVh">Bill Clinton</a>. </p>