An historical look at the birth of the Drum Newspaper in Tangipahoa Parish

Eddie Ponds
Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell

During my interview with Eddie Ponds, I asked him about how the Drum Newspaper was developed. He said he and his wife Carrie attended Southeastern Louisiana University to hear Julian Bond, a leader in civil rights, politician, social activist, author, and professor. As his eyes glanced around the room, he didn't notice any press.

Julian Bond founded the organizations: Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and Southern Poverty Law Center. As a matter of fact he could not recall seeing it mentioned in the local press. He and his wife discussed the matter further after the event. His wife suggested he start his own newspaper to make a change. 

There have been over 40 years since then, and The Drum Newspaper is still covering African American news throughout Louisiana's Southeast Parishes. When I asked Eddie if he had any older issues I might be able to review, he replied that he had. He had editions as far back as the development of the newspaper. The news archives sounded like music to my ears, and I couldn't wait to explore them. The newspaper holds a piece of African American history that cannot be found anywhere else in Louisiana FloridaParishes. Many of the photographs Eddie used in the early editions of the newspaper were taken by him. The black and white photographs he took were developed in his darkroom.

The Drum Newspaper Publisher  Eddie Ponds
Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell

We discussed the possibility of contacting the Center for Louisiana Studies to start a collection in memory of Life over the delicious dinner he and his daughter Sharon prepared. The collection would consist of 30 years of history. As a genealogist and local historian, I'm aware of the importance of this collection for researchers, students, historians, and scholars learning about the history of African Americans, whose rich and notable history was disregarded and undocumented. 

Ponchatoula Colored School's article provided me with a lot of information I hadn't previously seen. A number of black educators as well as one of the school's principals were named in this article. In response to the blog post, I received several phone calls. In their calls, the callers indicated that they had learned something about the school. history through reaching the electronic reprint. During integration, much of the history of colored schools was destroyed. Throughout Tangipahoa Parish, it is difficult to find the history of black schools. It is quite impressive how much of the history of the O.W. Dillon School was preserved in Kentwood, Louisiana.