Clifton Frederick Richardson was a Black editor/publisher, journalist, political activist and civic booster in Houston during the period of 1911-1939. Both his editorial/journalist career and political activist activities can be defined using the titles of four of the publications he edited: “Watchman, Observer, Informer and Defender”.

Mr. Richardson was born in Marshall, Texas on 30 October 1892, as the youngest of the three children of Charlie, a laborer, and Bettie, a housewife. He graduated with honors from Bishop College in Marshall, Texas in June of 1909 with a degree in journalism and printing. While there, he was the first editor of the weekly college publication, The Louisiana Watchman.

Mr. Richardson married his childhood sweetheart, Ruby Leola Rice, on 13 June 1909 in Marshall, Texas. After graduating from Bishop College, he and his wife moved to Dallas in 1910 to be employed as a printer with the Dallas Express.

In 1911, he moved his family to Houston due to a request from Professor E. D. Pierson to work with the Western Star. In March of 1916, William N. Nickerson Jr., Clifton F. Richardson Sr., R. T. Andrews and Campbell A. Gilmore founded the Houston Observer and he became the first manager-editor of the paper. On May 2, 1919 he founded and became the editor of the The Houston Informer. On October 11, 1930, Mr. Richardson founded and became editor/publisher of the Houston Defender.

Mr. Richardson was an officer or co-founder of following businesses, fraternal, political and civic organizations: American Mutual Benefit Association Inc. (partner), the Safety and Loan Brokerage Company (vice-president), Houston Community Chest (director of a 1925 charity drive), National Negro Business League (executive committee) , the Houston Negro Chamber of Commerce (one of the founders and first vice-president) , Texas Association of Negro Musicians for South Texas (district director), Coleridge-Taylor Choral Choir (president), Houston Colored Commercial Club (executive secretary), Houston Independent Voters Leagues/Progressive Voters’ League (one of the founders), Black and Tan Party of Harris County (co-founder in the 1920s), Real Building and Loan Association (president), Houston Negro Business League (president), Bethel Baptist Church (chairman of the board of trustees), Bethel Baptist Church (director of the School Choir), Bethel Baptist (soloist with the senior church choir), Bethel Baptist Church (teacher of the men’s Bible class), Webster-Richardson Publishing Company (president), grand president of several “Juneteenth Celebrations”, Southern Collegiate Conference Texas (official umpire for all games played at Prairie View State College). He was a member of the following organizations: Ancient Order of Pilgrims and United Brothers of Friendship, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, and the Y. M. C. A.

Mr. Richardson was a vocal supporter of civil rights, writing many articles on the issue in his various publications. He was a founding member of the Civic Betterment League (CBL) of Harris County, and founding member and later president of Houston’s NAACP chapter. He endured threats of violence and an attack on the Houston Informer newspaper office for his activism.

Clifton F. Richardson died of kidney failure in August of 1939. His funeral procession was one of the largest in Houston’s history. In a tribute to Mr. Richardson at his death, Miss M. E. B. Isaacs, society editor, stated “If I could write his epitaph, I would inscribe upon his tombstone-Clifton F. Richardson, Negro Journalist and fearless defender of the Black Man’s Rights”.