Book excerpt: From 1827 to 1861, most Africans in America were either enslaved, propertyless or without citizenship. Yet during that period at least 28 African American newspapers were published. Perhaps the most frequent and controversial topic of debate in these papers was the issue of emigration vs. assimilation. Should blacks in America emigrate to Africa, the Caribbean, and Canada, or continue their quest for assimilation within the American culture? Editors of the black press influenced the self-view of countless African Americans.