 | |
 June 2025 issue | |
| Editor | AJ Woodson, Damon Jones |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Circulation | 25,000+ |
| Founder | AJ Woodson |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Country | United States |
| Based in | Mount Vernon,Westchester County, New York |
| Website | blackwestchester |
Black Westchester, also known asBlack Westchester Magazine, is anAfrican American newspaper andmagazine founded in 2014 by journalist AJ Woodson, who currently serves as the outlet's editor-in-chief.Black Westchester is active in the city ofMount Vernon inWestchester County, it reports on local and sometimes national topics.[1]Black Westchester is considered to be one of the largest black newspapers in the county.[2]
Black Westchester was founded in 2014 by AJ Woodson, rapper, journalist, author, radio personality and the outlet'seditor-in-chief living in the city ofMount Vernon, New York. One of the motivations behind the outlet's founding was him thinking that the city was "in need of something" and lack of news outets forblack people. Woodsoon shared his ideas to his friend, Damon Jones, who agreed with Woodsoon and became the outlet's writer. The duo began writing local stories about the city, covering topics they assumed were ignored by bigger outlets, and later started writing national stories. Woodson saidBlack Westchester was initially not taken seriously by people, with him not getting invited topress conferences and events and not informed of newsworthy incidents taking place. Some of the city's officials treated the outlet as ablog. Woodson said some people also accused the outlet of beingracist due to its pro-African American stance.[1]
In 2017, three years after the outlet's foundation,Black Westchester's monthly print magazine was created. In 2020, the magazine'sprint circulation reportedly reached 25,000.[3] In 2022,Black Westchester celebrated its eight years of existence and five years of the outlet's print edition. Woodson was interviewed byWestchester Magazine and detailed the outlet's history.Black Westchester also reportedly increased in popularity.[1] In February 2023, Woodson held a public meeting as part ofBlack History Month celebrations, he told attendees the origins ofBlack Westchester.[4] In August 2023, it was reported thatBlack Westchester became one of the county's largest black-owned news outlets.[2] In 2024,Black Westchester held its first "40 Under 40 Awards" event where it nominated a number individuals that significantly contributed to the city and featured the event's honorees in its special magazine issue.[5]
Black Westchester is a local publication that covers cities ofWestchester County, especially Mount Vernon. It likes to report in positive tone about educated black people, some of the newspaper's editors also engage inmuckraking. The outlet is known to be critical of Mount Vernon's government, publishing articles like "Mount Vernon Furious Four: Corruption, collusion, obstruction and illegal payouts". Both ofBlack Westchester's main editors, AJ Woodson and Damon Jones, have openly endorsed politicians, Woodson advertised their campaigns onsocial media. In 2015,Black Westchester did an exclusive interview with Jamar Smythe, a man who was falsely arrested and imprisoned for four years on drug possession charge, he said it was the only news outlet that reported on him.Black Westchester criticizes police in its reporting, sometimes accusing it of being biased.[3]Black Westchester covers sports, politics, economy and entertainment and holds weeklytalk radio shows.Black Westchester said its purpose is to report news with a "black point of view".[6]