Georgia Historic Newspapers

Established in March 1888, the Athens Clipper is the second-oldest African American-owned newspaper published in Athens, Georgia. Samuel B. Davis owned and edited the four-page Clipper. The paper circulated every Saturday morning from Davis’ office on 116 East Clayton Street. At its peak, the paper had about 700 subscribers at a rate of $1.25 per year. Unlike the older and defunct Athens Blade, which incorporated state and national news, the Clipper featured content focused primarily on religious and local activity in the Athens Black community. Davis was a member of the First African Methodist Episcopal (A. M. E.) Church and supporter of the Republican Party, which were both topics featured in his paper. In July 1890, the Athens Weekly Banner reported the Davis suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen while gambling with playing cards. Davis’ wife, Athens schoolteacher Minnie Davis, took over editing responsibilities while he recovered from his injuries. Davis continued to manage the Clipper until his death in the late 1890s, and Minnie briefly assumed control of the paper until she sold the paper to A. T. Jackson. The Clipper ceased publication in around 1905. Despite over 16 years of circulation, very few copies of the Athens Clipper survived to present day.

Provided by: Digital Library of Georgia