Publisher, The Baltimore Sun

1887-1956

Harry Black was chairman of the board of the A S. Abell Company, which published the Baltimore Sun papers, for more than 25 years until he died in 1956.

In his book “Thirty-five Years of Newspaper Work: A Memoir,” H.L. Mencken wrote: “Early in 1911 there appeared in the editorial rooms [of the Evening Sun] two new men who were destined to have a large influence upon the future of the two Sun papers and scarcely less upon my own fortunes. They were Harry C. Black and Paul Patterson.”

In the 1920s, the three men worked together on a plan to position the Sun as a major national newspaper, with a heavy commitment to international news. The resulting memorandum, called the “White Paper,” became the paper’s mission statement for generations.

A significant portion of Mr. Black’s estate went to create the Abell Foundation, where he was the first chairman of the board.

As the Abell Foundation says on its web site: “At the time the foundation was organized, Harry C. Black already enjoyed a reputation as a leading philanthropist although the reputation was characterized by a certain unorthodoxy.

“His gifts were ordinarily anonymous, and given without restrictions. His sole instruction: “This money may be used in any way or ways that may be deemed wise and helpful.”

“Among those institutions that enjoyed his largesse were the Johns Hopkins University, Peabody Institute, the Enoch Pratt Library, South Baltimore General Hospital and the Red Cross.

Unknown to the public, he paid for the replanting and landscaping of the four squares surrounding the Washington Monument, the spring tulips in Preston Gardens, the restoration of St. Paul’s graveyard on Redwood Street, and the oaks alongside the Sun papers building, on both Calvert and Centre streets.”