W. Paul Coates founded Black Classic Press in 1978 in Baltimore, Maryland.
The company is one of the oldest independently owned Black publishers in operation in the United States. The company publishes about six titles annually; most are out-of-print historical books that the company brings back into print.
The first books published by the company were pamphlets printed on a photocopier that Coates purchased. Along this same vein, Coates established BCP Digital Printing in 1995 as an affiliated company of Black Classic Press. The printing company, a million dollar business, serves as the printer for the publishing company as well as companies and organizations in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area.
The primary mission of the press is to publish obscure and significant books by and about people of African descent. John G. Jackson, John Henrik Clarke, and Yosef ben-Jochannan were major influences in defining the mission and early direction of the press.
"Book publishers of obscure and significant books by and about people of African descent. Owner of BCP Digital Printing"
