The St. Louis American
The St. Louis American is a privately held weekly newspaper and digital news platform, founded in 1928 and free to readers since 1986, that serves the Black community in the St. Louis metropolitan area through print, web, email, and award programs supported by advertising, sponsorships, and donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1928
- HeadquartersSaint Louis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What The St. Louis American does
The St. Louis American is Missouri's largest weekly newspaper and a privately held, for-profit news publication founded in 1928, operating continuously from its headquarters at 2315 Pine Street in St. Louis. It serves the Black community in the St. Louis metropolitan area through a free weekly print edition (free since 1986), a digital website (stlamerican.com) built on the Newspack publishing platform, a free email newsletter, and an e-Edition distributed via Issuu. Coverage spans local and national news, opinion and editorials, arts and entertainment, education, health, business, religion, sports, obituaries, video, and photo galleries, with the publication positioning itself as the only major outlet providing comprehensive coverage specifically for the St. Louis Black community.
The core commercial offering combines traditional display advertising, classifieds, sponsored content partnerships (including JPMorganChase), and recurring award and recognition programs such as Salute to Excellence in Business, Salute to Excellence in Education, Salute to Young Leaders, and the newly launched Reader's Choice Awards. The St. Louis American Foundation operates as the affiliated nonprofit arm, administering tax-deductible donations, scholarships, community grants, and the salutes. Education is addressed through the Newspaper in Education (NIE) program, which delivers standards-aligned digital and print content into K-12 classrooms.
Distribution and go-to-market are direct-to-consumer across print, web, email, and a broad social footprint (Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, BlueSky), supplemented by strategic content alliances such as membership in the Word In Black national Black newspaper network, a content partnership with St. Louis Public Radio, and faith-based content collaboration with the Deaconess Foundation. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; there is no evidence of venture capital, private equity, or public ownership.
The St. Louis American firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The St. Louis American
- Legal name
- The St. Louis American
- Website
- https://stlamerican.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1928
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The St. Louis American is a privately held weekly newspaper and digital news platform, founded in 1928 and free to readers since 1986, that serves the Black community in the St. Louis metropolitan area through print, web, email, and award programs supported by advertising, sponsorships, and donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The St. Louis American industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Newspaper Publishing
- NAICS
- Newspaper Publishers (513110)
- SIC
- Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Community, Ethnic & Multilingual News Publishers (MPAJADAG)
Keywords
Where The St. Louis American is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint Louis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The St. Louis American business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Advertising and Sponsorships: The newspaper generates revenue through display advertising, sponsored content, and partnerships with businesses such as JPMorganChase and other corporate sponsors who purchase placement in the publication.
- Donations: Tax-deductible donations to The St. Louis American Foundation support the quality and sustainability of the newspaper. Donations can be made online through their portal or by check to The St. Louis American Foundation at their office address.
- Classifieds: Revenue generated through classified advertising as indicated by the Classifieds section on the website.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free Access |
| Other | Monthly | Donation Support |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
The St. Louis American product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The St. Louis American is a free weekly print newspaper and digital news platform that has served the Black community in St. Louis continuously since 1928. It covers local and national news, opinion/editorials, arts & entertainment, education, health, business, religion, sports, and obituaries, and distributes this content via a free weekly print edition, a full website, email newsletters, an Issuu-hosted e-Edition, video, and photo galleries. Revenue is generated through display and classified advertising, sponsored content partnerships, and tax-deductible donations to the affiliated St. Louis American Foundation.
Product overview
The St. Louis American is a weekly newspaper and digital news platform serving the Black community in St. Louis since 1928. The core product is the stlamerican.com website and weekly print publication offering news, opinion, arts & entertainment, education, health, business, religion, sports, and obituaries. Supporting sub-products include: email newsletter and e-Edition for digital delivery; Newspaper in Education program for classrooms; Reader's Choice Awards and Salute to Excellence Awards for community recognition; Local Events Calendar and Classifieds for community engagement; and Video Collection and Photo Galleries for multimedia content. The St. Louis American Foundation extends the publication's mission through scholarships and community grants. The publication has been free to readers since 1986.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The St. Louis American weekly newspaper and digital news platform Core weekly newspaper and website (stlamerican.com) delivering local and national news, opinion/editorials, arts & entertainment, education, health, business, religion, sports, and obituaries to the Black community in St. Louis. Free to readers since 1986.
- Email Newsletter Free email newsletter delivering trusted local news, community updates, events, opportunities, and featured stories directly to subscribers' inboxes; unsubscribe anytime.
- e-Edition (Digital Edition) Digital version of the weekly print publication available through the Issuu platform, allowing readers to view the weekly edition online.
- Newspaper in Education (NIE) Program Educational program bringing the St. Louis American into K-12 classrooms with weekly digital content and monthly print editions featuring standards-aligned lessons and activities covering current events, literacy, STEM, and wellness.
- Classifieds Classified advertising section on stlamerican.com for readers and local businesses to post and browse jobs, services, and community announcements.
Quantifiable outcome
- 60,000 community votes cast in inaugural Reader's Choice Awards demonstrating strong reader engagement
Companies that use The St. Louis American
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The St. Louis American technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The St. Louis American partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Word In BlackcoreWord In Black is a collaborative network of Black newspapers across the United States. The St. Louis American participates as a member, sharing syndicated content and contributing to national Black media coverage on issues affecting communities.
- JPMorganChaseminorJPMorganChase sponsors content on The St. Louis American platform, including financial literacy and wealth building content such as 'Your home is an investment – How to create generational wealth' sponsored content series.
- Deaconess FoundationminorPartnership for inspirational and faith-based content, including columns from Rev. Bethany Johnson-Javois of Deaconess Foundation in the religion and inspirational message sections.
- St. Louis Public RadiominorContent partnership for shared reporting on local issues. Articles are sometimes authored by St. Louis Public Radio reporters and published on the St. Louis American platform.
- The St. Louis American FoundationcoreThe St. Louis American Foundation is the nonprofit arm of the newspaper, supporting education, leadership, business excellence, scholarships, community grants, and recognition programs that celebrate achievement across the St. Louis region.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The St. Louis American competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Word In Black: A collaborative network of Black newspapers across the U.S., of which The St. Louis American is a member. Not a competitor but an ecosystem partner; comparable because it represents the syndication and national Black-press aggregation layer that shapes The St. Louis American's content and ad opportunities.
Direct peers
- New York Amsterdam News: One of the oldest and most prominent Black weekly newspapers in the U.S., covering New York's Black community. Directly comparable in business model (free/cheap weekly print + digital, advertising-led, foundation-style awards/events) and audience structure to The St. Louis American.
- Philadelphia Tribune: The nation's oldest continuously published African American newspaper, serving the Philadelphia Black community. Closely comparable to The St. Louis American as a legacy weekly Black newspaper with similar community trust positioning, advertising revenue model, and civic/awards programming.
- Atlanta Daily World: Historic Black newspaper serving Atlanta's African American community with both print and digital editions. Directly comparable in editorial focus on a Black metropolitan audience, advertising-driven revenue, and the legacy/community-trust positioning that defines The St. Louis American.
- Los Angeles Sentinel: Long-running African American weekly newspaper serving the Los Angeles Black community. Comparable to The St. Louis American as a legacy single-metro Black weekly with print, digital, and events monetization and a foundation-style community programming arm.
- Chicago Defender: Long-running African American weekly newspaper serving Chicago's Black community with a print + digital model. Directly comparable to The St. Louis American as a legacy Black community newspaper with the same editorial mission, advertising-led revenue model, and similar distribution mix.
- Indianapolis Recorder: Indiana's largest African American newspaper and a Word In Black network partner that shares content with The St. Louis American. Closely comparable as a Midwest Black weekly with the same editorial mission and free-to-reader access model.
- The Sacramento Observer: Long-standing African American weekly newspaper serving the Sacramento Black community. Directly comparable to The St. Louis American as a single-metro Black weekly with a similar free/low-cost reader model, advertising revenue mix, and community-events/awards programming.
- Baltimore Afro-American: Long-established Black newspaper chain serving Baltimore and other East Coast cities. Directly comparable to The St. Louis American as a legacy Black community weekly with similar content categories, free/cheap reader access, and advertising + events monetization.
Broad incumbents
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch: The dominant mainstream daily newspaper in the St. Louis market. Broadly comparable as a St. Louis news publisher, but competes in the same advertising pool and reader attention while serving a general (rather than Black-community-focused) audience at much larger scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The St. Louis American social profiles
Digital presenceThe St. Louis American financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The St. Louis American leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The St. Louis American subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
The St. Louis American funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The St. Louis American M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The St. Louis American
What does The St. Louis American do?
The St. Louis American is a free weekly print newspaper and digital news platform that has served the Black community in St. Louis continuously since 1928. It covers local and national news, opinion/editorials, arts & entertainment, education, health, business, religion, sports, and obituaries, and distributes this content via a free weekly print edition, a full website, email newsletters, an Issuu-hosted e-Edition, video, and photo galleries. Revenue is generated through display and classified advertising, sponsored content partnerships, and tax-deductible donations to the affiliated St. Louis American Foundation.
Is The St. Louis American a public or private company?
The St. Louis American is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The St. Louis American founded?
The St. Louis American was founded in 1928. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The St. Louis American based?
The St. Louis American is headquartered in Saint Louis, United States, in the North America region.
How does The St. Louis American make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Advertising and Sponsorships are the primary driver. The others are donations and classifieds.
Who are The St. Louis American's main competitors?
Word In Black is listed as an others. Direct peers are New York Amsterdam News, Philadelphia Tribune, Atlanta Daily World, Los Angeles Sentinel, Chicago Defender, Indianapolis Recorder, The Sacramento Observer and Baltimore Afro-American. St. Louis Post-Dispatch is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does The St. Louis American have an API?
No public API is recorded for The St. Louis American.
What industry is The St. Louis American in?
The St. Louis American's product category is Community Newspaper Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJADAB, Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital), with a secondary code of MPAJADAG, Community, Ethnic & Multilingual News Publishers. Its NAICS code is 513110 and its SIC code is 2711.