A day after the Democratic debates, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders made an appeal to black Americans in his bid for the Democratic presidential nod.

Sanders flew into Cincinnati Friday evening and found a receptive audience when he addressed the National Newspaper Publisher's Association's (NNPA) convention at the Westin Hotel.

NNPA represents more than 200 black-owned newspapers across the country.

Sanders scheduled the appearance in Ohio as his first public appearance after the debate before he headed off to New Hampshire on Saturday.

Sanders started his speech slamming President Donald Trump, to enthusiastic applause.

"We have a president who is, in fact, a racist and a bigot," Sanders said. "I wish I did not have to say it."

Sanders hit the highlights of his platform: free college, canceling student debt, Medicare-for-all, erasing the student debt.

He didn't mention how he'd pay for it or the need to raise taxes on the middle class, something he acknowledged during Thursday's debate.

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To the mostly black audience, Sanders focused on racial and economic inequality.

"There is no excuse for white families to own 10 times more wealth than black families," Sanders said.

It was clear the senator from Vermont still had work to do if he wants more black people to vote for him.

Speaking at the convention for black-owned newspaper publishers is a good start, said Felicia Williams. The 53-year-old resident of Clifton said she voted for Sanders in 2016. But she's undecided this year and says Sanders needs to continue talking about issues of racial inequality and better training of police.

He also needs to lose that grumpy exterior, she said.

"Bernie is not there yet," Williams said. "He’s still got to somehow translate that passion and energy and that sort of grandfather, Santa Claus demeanor into a real connection with the black and brown community. I think his sincerity comes across."

Jack Harris wants to hear more candidates talking about poor people. Harris, the publisher of The Minority Communicator weekly newspaper in Columbus, said so far, California Sen. Kamala Harris is his favorite. But he wouldn't rule Sanders out.

"If he were to become president, I think we'd be in good shape," Harris said. "Anybody but what we have now, which is despicable. We all want someone that goes against Trump."