The 177 issues of The Southern Courier provide a unique on-the-scenes view of the mid-1960s civil rights movement in the Deep South. The Southern Courier's bi-racial staff was committed to reporting and disseminating the news of the Civil Rights movement in a professional and objective manner. Reporters and editors were expected to become part of their communities, black and white alike, and not to engage in "drive-by" journalism or attempts at social change; to use their skills as journalists and not become community organizers or advocates for a single point of view; and to produce a quality newspaper that reached out beyond those who already agreed with the pro-civil rights perspective of its editorial page.