Point of View newspaper faces backlash from Black leaders in Springfield

An editorial recently published in the Springfield based newspaper, African American Point of View, sparked backlash from leaders in the Black community.

The editorial, written by Frederick Hurst, who owns the newspaper and is the father of Springfield City Councilor, Justin Hurst, called out key members of the Black community for not supporting his son in his recent mayoral campaign and referred to many as “white-loving.”

Bishop Talbert Swan ll heads the NAACP in Springfield and was mentioned in the editorial. He and other Black city leaders held a press conference about it at City Hall Thursday.

“You don't write a rebuttal to a slander piece…no, that's when you write a retraction and you issue an apology,” Swan said. “And if he does not, then we'll have a conversation with his advertisers.”

Hurst also calls out state Rep. Bud Williams, D-Springfield, Robert "Cee" Jackson who sist on the city's Board of Police Commissioners and others including city councilor Melvin Edwards.

Edwards took issue with the “white-loving” comment in the article, because he is married to a white woman.

“The reality is that this is unacceptable and the Constitution allows for people to speak freely in this country, but it does not give you the right to speak without consequence,” Edwards said.

In a statement Justin Hurst said “my father’s article speaks for itself. I encourage those interested in its contents to get a copy of the Point of View Newspaper and read it for themselves. And, once they finish, they should read it again to make sure they have a thorough understanding of it.”

Frederick Hurst did not respond for comment.