In a lengthy editorial on Friday, The Baltimore Sun apologized for having, “sharpened, preserved and furthered the structural racism that still subjugates Black Marylanders in our communities today.”

Additionally, Sun publisher and editor-in-chief Trif Alatzas posted a note on the publication’s website:

In an editorial today, we chronicle The Baltimore Sun’s history in covering the Black community. We also apologize for The Sun’s failures in that coverage. Too often, The Sun did not use its influence to better define, explain and root out systemic racism or prejudiced policies and laws. And, at times throughout its 185-year history, The Sun actively advocated for inequality. It is a disturbing piece to read, containing descriptions and examples of racist statements, scenarios and news coverage. It is a necessary introspection, and, along with the apology, is overdue. We know we need to do better and are committed to doing so.

“We are deeply and profoundly sorry: For decades, The Baltimore Sun promoted policies that oppressed Black Marylanders; we are working to make amends,” read the headline of the editorial.

In the editorial, the editorial board of the Sun, which was founded by pro-slavery and pro-segregationist Arunah Abell in 1837, wrote in great detail a history of the paper’s coverage and views of America’s history with slavery and racism. It listed seven examples of “the paper’s offenses.”

Instead of using its platforms, which at times included both a morning and evening newspaper, to question and strike down racism, The Baltimore Sun frequently employed prejudice as a tool of the times. It fed the fear and anxiety of white readers with stereotypes and caricatures that reinforced their erroneous beliefs about Black Americans.

Through its news coverage and editorial opinions, The Sun sharpened, preserved and furthered the structural racism that still subjugates Black Marylanders in our communities today. African Americans systematically have been denied equal opportunity and access in every sector of life — including health care, employment, education, housing, personal wealth, the justice system and civic participation. They have been refused the freedom to simply be, without the weight of oppression on their backs.

For this, we are deeply ashamed and profoundly sorry.

The editorial board stated that the Sun “[has] made efforts before to bolster diversity and inclusion, but the evolution has been slow.” The piece included seven bullet points of examples of how the publication “has taken a number of steps over the past several years.”

Toward the end of the piece, the editorial board said:

We’re still grappling with improving diversity in our staff and our coverage. Reporting that arises directly from sources in the region’s Black communities has long been lacking in The Sun, largely because the connection is lacking. We’re not out there enough, and we’re not trusted enough. We are working on that, and looking into an impression some hold that The Sun is harder on Black officials than white. Unlike in years before, we’re talking about these issues — routinely — and how to address them.

The board called for communal and reader feedback.

“We are your newspaper, and we want to serve your interests and that of the public good as a whole,” they wrote.

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