Jet (magazine)


Jet is an American weekly magazine that focus on news, culture, and entertainment within the African–American community. Founded in November 1951 by John H. Johnson of the Johnson Publishing Company in Chicago, Illinois, The magazine was initially billed as "The Weekly Negro News Magazine". Jet chronicled the Civil Rights Movement from its earliest years, including the murder of Emmett Till, the Montgomery bus boycott, and the activities of Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
First published on November 1, 1951 in small digest-sized format from its inception, Jet printed in all or mostly black-and-white until its December 27, 1999 issue. In 2009, Jets publishing format was changed; it was published every week with a double issue published once each month. Johnson Publishing Company published the final print issue on June 23, 2014, continuing solely as a digital magazine app. In 2016, Johnson Publishing sold Jet and its sister publication Ebony to private equity firm Clear View Group. The publishing company is now known as Ebony Media Corporation.

History

Early history

The first issue of Jet magazine was published on November 1, 1951 by John H. Johnson in Chicago, Illinois. Johnson called his magazine Jet because he wanted the name to symbolize "Black and speed". In Jet’s first issue, Johnson wrote, "In the world today everything is moving along at a faster clip. There is more news and far less time to read it." Jet's goal was to provide "news coverage on happenings among Negroes all over the U.S.—in entertainment, politics, sports, social events as well as features on unusual personalities, places and events." Redd Foxx called the magazine "the Negro bible".

1952–2014

Jet became nationally known in 1955 for its shocking and graphic coverage of the murder of Emmett Till. Its popularity was enhanced by its continuing coverage of the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement. The publication of Till's brutalized corpse on the cover of the issue inspired the black community to address racial violence, catalyzing the Civil Rights Movement. The Johnson Publishing Company's campaign for economic, political and social justice influenced its inclusion of progressive views. From 1970-1975, Jet challenged conservative readers' anti-abortion stance by giving physicians who performed abortions a platform to discuss scientific facts about abortion procedures.

2014–present

In May 2014, the publication announced the print edition would be discontinued and switch to a digital format in June.

Changes in ownership

In June 2016, after 71 years, Jet and its sister publication Ebony were sold by Johnson Publishing to Clear View Group, an Austin, Texas-based private equity firm, for an undisclosed amount but the sale did not include the photo archives. In July 2019, three months after Johnson Publishing filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy liquidation, it sold its historic Jet and Ebony photo archives to a consortium of foundations to be made available to the public.

Content

Jet coverage includes: fashion and beauty tips, entertainment news, dating advice, political coverage, health tips, and diet guides, in addition to covering events such as fashion shows. The cover photo usually corresponds to the focus of the main story. Some examples of cover stories might be a celebrity's wedding, Mother's Day, or a recognition of the achievements of a notable African American. Many issues are given coverage to show the African-American community that if they want to reach a goal, they have to be willing to work for it. Jet also claims to give young female adults confidence and strength because the women featured therein are strong and successful without the help of a man. Since 1952, Jet has had a full-page feature called "Beauty of the Week". This feature includes a photograph of an African-American woman in a swimsuit, along with her name, place of residence, profession, hobbies, and interests. Many of the women are not professional models and submit their photographs for the magazine's consideration. The purpose of the feature is to promote the beauty of African-American women. Similar to Essence, Jet routinely deplores racism in mainstream media, especially its negative depictions of black men and women. However, Hazell and Clarke report that between 2003-4, Jet and Essence themselves ran advertising that was pervaded with racism and white supremacy. In fact, Jet has published colorist advertisements in the past. An advertisement for Nadinola, a bleaching cream, appeared in an issue published in 1955. It depicts a light-skinned woman as the center of men's attention

Notable people