Page:The Afro-American Press.djvu/552

544 Charles Carroll Stewart, of The Indianapolis (Ind.) World, second vice-president of the Association, was born at Annapolis, Maryland, February 28, 1859. In 1862 he moved with his parents, who were free-born, to Washington, where his father, Mr. Judson Stewart, engaged in business. He is a descendant of one of the best Afro-American families of Maryland. His grandmother was a Bishop, while his grandfather was a Jackson. These families are well known throughout Maryland and in Washington as large owners of real estate.

Mr. Stewart was educated in the public and private schools of Washington, and there studied dentistry for several years. When but sixteen years old he had a desire to see more of the world, and in 1874 an opportunity to do so presented itself to him. He accepted a position with a party of surveyors that were to go to Panama to survey and lay out the plan for cutting the Panama canal. During this trip he visited Central America and the Southern seaport towns of the United States.

On his return, he was apprenticed at ship-building by Hon. George M. Robeson, then Secretary of the Navy. Serving at this over a year, he resigned. Since then he has traveled extensively in the United States, Europe, and some parts of Africa and Asia. In 1876 he was with the relief party that went to Custer's aid, at the time he was killed in the Black Hills. During the time intervening since his travels abroad, he has held several government positions at Washington, D. C.

In 1882 he began his work in journalism as business manager and publisher of The Washington (D. C.) Bee, which, under his astute management, rose to popularity. He severed his connection with The Bee in 1884, to take the position of Washington correspondent of The Baltimore Vindicator.

In March, 1884, he organized a national news bureau, which was composed of representatives of the Afro-American