Episode 133 Ronald Collins Jr. - ”Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home”

This week I get to share a small piece of the great legacy of The Shreveport Sun, which turns 105 later this year. You can find my full discussion with Ronald Collins Jr., the Editor, here.

 

Here are the questions I asked:

 

0:48 1. On November 6, 1920, The Shreveport Sun was founded by Melvin Lee Collins, Senior. It is the oldest weekly newspaper for African Americans in Louisiana.

 

Fast forward to 2025. You are the fourth generation, I believe, running the paper, and the great-grandson of Melvin Collins, the founder. How long have you been with The Sun and can you share some of your earliest memories of being around this incredible family business?

 

5:40 2. Tell me about The Sun in 2025. How often do you publish? Do you still publish a print edition? And tell me about some of your social media activity.

 

10:15 3. On February 12th of this year, The Shreveport Times published an article that according to the US Census Bureau, 56.1 percent of Shreveport is Black, 36.5 percent is white, 3.9 percent Hispanic, 1.5 percent is Asian and 0.2 percent is American Indian and Alaska Native.

 

The Sun continues to be and has always been an important resource in our community providing information on black people’s progress, noting times of black social events, and acting as a sounding board for black opinion. How do you see the role of The Sun in 2025 versus perhaps what it was in the time of the first, second, and third generation Collins editors and owners?

 

17:42 4. Newspapers.com is a tremendous online resource providing daily archives of many papers from around the country. Is it possible that The Sun would ever become part of the newspapers.com database?

 

21:06 5. As you look at our community, what are some of the things that concern you the most?

 

26:00 6. What makes you feel that our community is making progress or perhaps headed in a positive direction?