Bass’ career in journalism began when she moved to Los Angeles in 1910. Her first job was selling subscriptions for The California Eagle. The Eagle was launched in 1879 in order to provide a resource that would help simplify the migration West by black communities leaving the South; the newspaper posted job and housing options in the area. Bass became the owner and editor in 1912 with her husband, Joseph Bass, after the previous owner passed away (PBS). Once Bass took over, she drove the success of the newspaper. They published local and national news tailored towards cities with large Black communities. The Eagle grew to be one of the leading Black newspapers in the country under Bass’s leadership until she retired her journalism career in 1951. The newspaper remained in business until closing in 1964 (Vivian R. Johnson, The HistoryMakers).
Bass’ role at The Eagle made her the first African American woman to own an American newspaper. When Bass took over the publication, she enhanced The Eagle’s role in combating the violence of the Jim Crow laws and customs that targeted Black people. On top of publishing helpful clippings about job postings and housing, Bass encouraged articles sharing stories of Black individuals and communities suffering white supremacist brutality and extreme violence. The Eagle did not hold back from posting images of the dead bodies of Black people who were lynched. They also wrote stories about Black protestors rallying to end Jim Crow segregation and violence. Bass pushed the publication to share truthful stories no matter the consequences. After stepping down as editor in 1951, Bass continued to attend political conferences worldwide, and remained a Black activist fighting against employment and housing discrimination, police brutality, voting barriers, unequal access to education, and codified Jim Crow policies (USC Charlotta Bass Photo Collection).