John Carter Minkins Papers (Mss. Gr. 226)

Biographical note

John Carter Minkins was born on January 29, 1869 in Norfolk, Virginia to Georgiana Minkins and William H. Carter. After his mother died when he was a small child, John went to live with his maternal grandmother and uncle who raised him. His grandmother placed a high priority on education, so John attended Norfolk Public Schools for eight years then enrolled in Norfolk Mission College in 1884 and was a member of its first graduating class in 1888. John met his future wife, Rosa Lerisa Jessup, at Norfolk Mission College and they married in 1894. Rosa was the daughter of Landon Jessup and Mary Mitchell also of Norfolk. The couple went on to have eight children: Miriam, Imogene, Rosa, Georgiana, Mary, Hope, Carolyn, and Beatrice.

After Minkins left college, he encountered difficulty in securing a job. He eventually came across an opportunity to move to Rhode Island and work for a newspaper there that was more accepting of African-American professionals than any in Reconstruction Virginia. In Rhode Island, Minkins worked for “The New England Torchlight” (1891), “The Providence News” (1891), “The Evening and Sunday Telegram” (1892-1900), “The Pawtucket Times” (1900-1904), “The Evening Telegram” (1904-1906), “The Providence News-Democrat” (1906-1911), “The Providence Evening Tribune” (1911-1938), “The Rhode Island Free Press (1940-1946). During his tenure at the Evening and Sunday Telegram, Minkins covered the trial and acquittal of Lizzie Borden. In less sensational topics, he covered the Rhode Island legal and political spheres including elections, trials, and scandals. Minkins also served as a correspondent for several major New England newspapers outside of Rhode Island including the New York American and Boston American. He provided these newspapers with information on the political and social goings-on in Rhode Island. Minkins continued to read and contribute to newspapers right up until his death.

Minkins also started his own newspaper, “The Rhode Island Examiner,” in 1911 drawing upon the network of suppliers, politicians, and journalists he built since moving to Rhode Island in the 1890s. Because Minkins had a reputation as a fair and impartial reporter, The Rhode Island Examiner enjoyed wide readership and several thousand subscriptions each year.

In their personal lives, John and Rosa championed the cause of African-American equality and rights, and John also did so through the Rhode Island Examiner. They belonged to various social organizations that promoted the cause through leaflet campaigns and national gatherings. John made several speeches on the topic of African-American equality throughout his life. He was also an avid checkers player.

John and Rosa Minkins had been married for 50 years when Rosa died on December 23, 1945. John died on October 29, 1959 in Pawtucket where they lived for nearly 50 years.