New America (newspaper)

New America was the weekly newspaper of the Socialist Party of America (officially, the Socialist Party-Social Democratic Federation).

New America
FoundedSeptember 5, 1960 (1960-09-05)
Ceased publication1985 (1985)

The initial "prepublication issue" was dated Labor Day 5 September 1960 (1960-09-05). New America remained the official journal of the Socialist Party after it changed its name to Social Democrats, USA (SDUSA) in December 1972. New America ceased publication in 1985 (1985).

Publication history

Establishment

New America was established in the fall of 1960 with a "prepublication issue" dated on September 5, Labor Day. The "special introductory rate" for the weekly publication was $3.00 per year.[1] The official first issue of the publication, "Volume 1, Number 1," was dated October 18, 1960. Based in New York City, it touted itself as the "official publication of the Socialist Party-Social Democratic Federation.[2]

The initial editor of New America was Michael Harrington, a frequent contributor to Dissent, Commentary, and other political publications.[3] Contributors to the publication during its first year included Civil Rights activist Bayard Rustin, Socialist Party leader and frequent Presidential hopeful Norman Thomas, SP-SDF National Secretary Irwin Suall, anti-war activist David McReynolds, political scientist Seymour Martin Lipset, essayist James Baldwin, political historian Robert J. Alexander, AFL–CIO officer Tom Kahn, and novelist Upton Sinclair, among others. The paper also regularly reprinted cartoons by Jules Feiffer by special permission, material first published in the Village Voice.[4]

Typical issues of the early publication consisted of 8 tabloid-sized pages. The paper was copiously illustrated.

In its early years, New America gave significant coverage to the struggle of African Americans for civil rights and urged an end to nuclear weapons testing.

1960s

It published an extensive extract of the November 8, 1962 political trial of Nelson Mandela, the 44-year-old high ranking official of the African National Congress who was sentenced in a political trial to 5 years in prison — 3 years for "inciting people to strike" and 2 years for "leaving the Republic of South Africa without permission."[5]

The publication opposed Marxist–Leninism, particularly the Soviet Union.

Footnotes
  1. Introductory subscription form, filmed as part of New America reel 1 by the University of Wisconsin.
  2. New America, October 18, 1960, pg. 4.
  3. Footer to Michael Harrington, "Democratic Socialism in the Sixties," New America, vol. 1, no. 3 (November 15, 1960), pg. 3.
  4. New America, passim.
  5. "Mandela's Challenge," New America, vol. 3, no. 2 (December 24, 1962), pg. 3.

Official circulation

"Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation" figures published annually in conjunction with the Acts of October 23, 1962 and August 12, 1970.

Report Year Editor Average Net Print Run Ave. Mail Subscriptions Ave. Total Paid Circulation Source
1960 Michael Harrington N/A N/A N/A NA, v. 1, no. 3 (Nov. 15, 1960), pg. 4.
1961 Michael Harrington N/A N/A 3,141 NA, v. 1, no. 24 (Oct. 27, 1961), pg. 8.
1962 Michael Harrington NA, v. 2, no. 21 (Oct. 15, 1962), pg. 2.
1963 Paul Feldman 7,000 4,250 4,250 NA, v. 3, no. 19 (Nov. 15, 1963), pg. 7.
1964 Paul Feldman 7,500 4,500 6,200 NA, v. 4, no. 15 (Nov. 16, 1964), pg. 2.
1965 Paul Feldman 8,000 4,600 6,350 NA, v. 5, no. 14 (Dec. 18, 1965), pg. 11.
1966 Paul Feldman 8,950 4,600 6,450 NA, v. 6, no. 4 (Nov. 18, 1966), pg. 2.
1967 Carl Dahlgren 5,000 3,200 4,000 NA, v. 7, no. 1 (Oct. 16, 1967), pg. 2.
1968 Paul Feldman 6,500 4,910 5,610 NA, v. 7, no. 20 (Oct. 18, 1968), pg. 2.
1969 Paul Feldman 7,500 5,000 5,900 NA, v. 8, no. 20-21 (Dec. 30, 1969), pg. 6.
1970 Paul Feldman 7,500 5,100 6,000 NA, v. 9, no. 17 (Nov. 30, 1970), pg. 2.
1971 Paul Feldman 7,800 5,300 6,300 NA, v. 10, no. 9 (Nov. 30, 1971), pg. 2.
1972 Paul Feldman 7,500 5,000 6,000 NA, v. 10, no. 22 (Nov. 15, 1972), pg. 2.
1973 Paul Feldman 7,500 5,200 6,225 NA, v. 11, no. 19 (Jan. 30, 1974), pg. 4.
1974 Paul Feldman 8,800 6,000 7,500 NA, v. 12, no. 12 (Feb. 28, 1975), pg. 3.
1975 Paul Feldman & Arch Puddington (co-eds.) NA, v. 13, no. 6 (Nov. 1975), pg. 2.
1976 Arch Puddington 6,000 4,500 5,000 NA, v. 14, no. 1 (Jan.-Feb. 1977), pg. 11.
1977 Arch Puddington 5,500 4,000 4,500 NA, v. 14, no. 10 (Dec. 1977), pg. 11.
1978 Arch Puddington 4,800 2,900 4,100 NA, v. 15, no. 11 (Dec. 1978), pg. 11.
1979 Arch Puddington 4,650 2,800 4,000 NA, v. 16, no. 11 (Nov. 1979), pg. 2.
1980 Arch Puddington 4,350 2,600 3,700 NA, v. 17, no. 11 (Dec. 1980), pg. 2.
1981 Joel Freedman 4,400 2,300 3,600 NA, v. 18, no. 6 (Nov.-Dec. 1981), pg. 2.
1982 Lesley Chenoweth 4,000 2,150 3,050 NA, v. 19, no. 4 (Nov.-Dec. 1982), pg. 2.
1983 Lesley Chenoweth 3,500 400 400 NA, v. 21, no. 1 (Jan.-Feb. 1984), pg. 2.
1984
1985 Dennis King NA, v. 22, no. 1 (Jan.-Feb. 1985), pg. 2.
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