Keep the Free Press Alive at the University of Alabama

We're still raising money to help student journalists! Let's try to hit $30,000! Read on below:

On Dec. 1, University of Alabama officials told student journalists at Nineteen Fifty-Six, a magazine celebrating Black student culture, and Alice, a magazine centered on women’s fashion and lifestyle, that their publications would be shuttered immediately. 

The university’s interpretation of federal anti-diversity guidelines left talented student journalists without the publications they have dedicated their campus careers to. After working so hard on magazines that help students from all across campus feel seen and heard, the students would be unable to release their planned spring issues. 

MASTHEAD quickly raised $25,000 to publish print magazines created by the student journalists from Alice and Nineteen Fifty-Six in spring 2026. This money will cover printing costs, fund student salaries for both publications, and cover miscellaneous workspace and equipment needs. But this series of events is just the latest in a troubling trend of hostility toward student (and all) media by powerful institutions. We doubt it will be the last.

In that spirit, we’re extending our fundraising campaign until Feb. 3, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the enrollment of UA’s first Black student, Autherine Lucy. She is the namesake of Nineteen Fifty-Six, and she too was forced to leave campus due to a hostile climate. We’re not letting that happen again. Your continued donations will be used to extend greater aid to the student journalists of Alice and Ninteen Fifty-Six as they navigate this challenging time and help guarantee their continued right to free expression.

Please donate today to help us keep student media at UA alive.