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occupy a peculiar status in this country. We are not thoroughly
known. Our better qualities are not presented fairly to the public…
Montana has a right to feel proud of its 2,500 colored citizens
…" Ball, Jr. added that the newspaper's reason for existence was
"the intense interest among the city's 279 colored citizens" in the
upcoming election to decide the site of the state capitol. During
the early 1890s, a battle was waged between the cities of Helena
and Anaconda, over which would be chosen the capitol of the
newly-formed state.
A full-page endorsement in the final issue of the newspaper on
November 5, 1894, clarified the rationale for preferring Helena
over Anaconda, in bold type: "e Anaconda Mining Company Does
Not Employ a solitary colored man. Dagoes and Foreigners are pre-
ferred to Native Colored Americans. Vote for HELENA for Capitol."
Helena came out victorious by less than 2,000 of the more than
52,000 votes cast.
e Colored Citizen was published at 137 N. Main St., the very
location of James Presley Ball's portrait photography studio and
residence for most of his career in Helena (currently the upper
floor of what is the Goodkind Building at Sixth and Main,
sometimes called the Broadwater Block).
e Colored Citizen, September 3, 1894, praised the elder's
reputation:
"Helena enjoys the notoriety of having the only colored pho-
tographer in the Northwest. Mr. J.P. Ball who has had a studio
here for a number of years, has a large patronage among many
of our best citizens. He is one of the oldest members now in the
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Portrait of William Biggerstaff before hanging
