HISTORY OF THE “LUSO AMERICANO”

The "LUSO-AMERICANO" newspaper was founded in 1928 by a group of Portuguese businessmen Dr. J. Lobo, Dr. M. Conceição Jr., Manuel Castro and Valentim Rocha in Newark , New Jersey, U.S.A.

The newspaper had a difficult start. The market for a Portuguese newspaper was weak. According to the Census of 1930, there were only 6,209 Portuguese and Luso-Americans in New Jersey, of which 4,411 were born in Portugal. During that same period the U.S. American economy was beginning to show symptoms of the great depression which occurred from 1929 through the early 1930's.

In December of 1939, the newspaper was revitalized under the direction of Vasco Jardim, an immigrant from Madeira, who initiated the publication that exists today.

Currently, the "LUSO-AMERICANO" is the only means of social communication among the Portuguese communities nationwide, with a circulation in all states where Portuguese live. In 1988, the weekly newspaper began publication bi-weekly on Wednesdays and Fridays.

The "LUSO-AMERICANO" has on staff 7 full time journalists, various collaborators and dozens of correspondents currently under the leadership of Director and Editor-in-Chief Antonio Matinho, and Senior News Editor Fernando dos Santos.

The newspaper has two offices in Newark, at 88 Ferry Street and 66 Union Street. In 1998 the Editorial and Production Departments were moved to a modern facility at 66 Union Street in Newark, with up-to-date computerized communication equipment. The original headquarters remain at 88 Ferry Street where the newspaper office has been since 1944. This location houses the Circulation, the Billing, and the Customer Service Departments.