Viola Bradford started working at The Southern Courier when she was 14. On July 26, she will celebrate the newspaper's 60th anniversary with the culmination of a years-long effort to put a marker at the newspaper's former office on Commerce Street.

A group of Harvard University journalism students formed The Southern Courier in 1965 to document the Civil Rights Movement. The newspaper covered Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi and worked to recruit people from the area to report.

Bradford's work with the Courier led her to a career in journalism. She earned five degrees, including a doctorate from Howard University. She taught journalism at Alabama State University for about five years. The Southern Courier offered important coverage from 1965 to 1968.

“The Southern Courier didn’t just report the news—it disrupted the silence,” said Hardy. “It dared to tell the truth about the South from the people living it. At Alabama Values, we carry that same spirit. We’re a grassroots communications organization, using narrative to tell the stories others try to bury. Honoring the Courier is personal—it reminds us that truth-telling has always been a tool of resistance.”

The Southern Courier photo archives—over 10,000 images, including iconic photos of Dr. King—were donated by Peppler to the Alabama Department of Archives and History. The complete newspaper collection is housed at Tuskegee University.

About Sankofa Servants, Inc.:
Dr. Bradford s Founder of Sankofa Servants, Inc. is a community-driven organization dedicated to preserving cultural history, promoting justice through education, and empowering future generations through service and storytelling.

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