Society can change dramatically in a single day, but after nearly four decades, the Chattanooga News Chronicle has shown that longevity comes from knowing what should change and what should not.
For founder John Edwards, that means remaining grounded in the paper’s core values while evolving with the different mediums of media. Therefore, embracing new platforms and features that keep the paper connected to the community it has served from the very beginning.
“Things are changing, but we have to change with the times,” Edwards says.
Today, Edwards and his team maintain the paper’s print tradition while embracing the online audience and captivating a new generation of readers.
The News Chronicle will continue covering stories that are important, helpful and educational to the African American community while remaining open to “something different and something new”.
“You don’t try to stymie that kind of change,” Edwards saiys. “You help it along. You lend what you have to it…help it to grow and nurture it and encourage it.”
For a publication whose history is deeply connected to preserving African American history/ voices and reporting modern stories. This balance of honoring what came before while allowing new ideas to take root, could be significant to the paper’s relevance moving forward.
Edwards notes that the paper has now surpassed another prominent Chattanooga newspaper that operated for 36 years.
As the Chronicle moves forward, Edwards’ message is more about preserving the purpose behind it.
“We want to continue to tell the story,” Edwards says. “The story, it’s a long story. There’s so much to it.”
That story will be celebrated Friday, September 18, 2026, at 6 p.m., when the Chattanooga News Chronicle hosts its 37th Milestone Celebration at Greater Tucker Baptist Church, 1115 N. Moore Road in Chattanooga. The theme, “Honoring Our Legacy – Shaping Our Future,” reflects the moment perfectly.
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