Historic St. Croix Avis Newspaper to Cease Publication After 180 Years

The St. Croix Avis, a newspaper with a storied 180-year history serving the people of St. Croix, has announced it will soon cease operations. The news marks the end of a significant chapter in the territory's media landscape.

In a heartfelt message to readers, the newspaper expressed deep appreciation for the community's support over the years. The St. Croix Avis, established in 1844, attributed its long-standing operation to the Moravian Church's insistence that the enslaved learn to read and write, which was instrumental in the newspaper's founding to ensure a literate Black population.

The publication's owner, Rena Brodhurst, cited the inability to compete in today's environment, particularly against the backdrop of free social media and what she described as the mass emailing of newspapers, as reasons for its closure. Acknowledging the challenges of fulfilling its mission in the digital age, the newspaper lamented that it could no longer provide the community with daily news and entertainment.