In November 1995, when Hearon-Young Publishing proudly launched the first print issue of Port of Harlem magazine, the journey from creation to distribution took significantly longer than it does today with digital technology. Back then, however, our subscription and advertising income provided us with substantial support to cover our expenses.

In those early days, we physically transported the magazine's layout to a pre-press company before taking it to the printer. Once the printing process was complete—taking approximately four days—we still had the challenge of physically distributing the magazine. The rise of the internet has transformed this whole process, streamlining it from layout to distribution from a laptop.

This evolution in how we produce the magazine has also opened the door to include a wider array of voices from across the African diaspora, encompassing perspectives from West Papua to South Africa. In this special celebratory issue, we proudly showcase voices from the United States, the United Kingdom with a contributor born in Nigeria, and Rwanda, from a contributor born in Suriname and has lived on four continents. 

Our content commitment remains steadfast: to provide our readers with unfiltered, inclusive, and diverse pan-African thoughts. As we curate our content, we constantly draw inspiration from the powerful words of Coretta Scott King:

"Freedom and justice cannot be parceled out in pieces to suit political convenience. I don't believe you can stand for freedom for one group of people and deny it to others."

While many publications that once joined us on this journey have faded away, we now face emerging competition. This influx of new outlets provides readers and advertisers with more choices than ever before. We sincerely appreciate your decision to support Port of Harlem, and we invite you to join us in celebrating 30 incredible years of amplifying diverse voices and stories. Your engagement allows us to continue this vital mission. Thank you!

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Support for Port of Harlem magazine

Like many publications, including the famed AP, our advertising revenue is not keeping pace with expenses. If you have not donated to our non-profit or have not become a POH Podcast supporter, we ask you for a donation. If you want to see more stories such as this one, please donate now. No amount is too little.