Search
History of Newspapers Video (see more)
Email Subscription
Sign up to receive our latest blog updates!Buy Historic Newspapers
Horace Greeley inadvertently meets a slave trader (1859)…
September 11, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
As Kansas began to bleed were slaveholders in Missouri and Kansas selling their slaves to other slaveholders in the South? Did the efforts of the well-intended inadvertently lead to opportunists who “helped” to rid the region of slaves by becoming slaver traders? The article shown below from The Norwalk Experiment (OH) dated June 14, 1859 appears to indicate as much. While the likelihood of the worst of humanity rearing its ugly head under such circumstances is certainly not hard to fathom, our efforts to find documentation of this happening at this particular time has come up dry. If anyone can shed light on whether or not this had become common practice, please respond. If relevant, we will post your comment. Thanks in advance. In the meantime, the complete article is shown below.
John Brown, 1859… What would you be willing to die for?
October 21, 2022 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
On November 2, 1859, John Brown was declared to be guilty of murder and treason. Before his sentencing was announced the court clerk asked him if he had any last words. Expecting the question (for it was required by law), he rose, and with full composure and clarity of voice he gave his last speech – the text of which appeared in many newspapers the following day. Upon searching our archives, we discovered one of these reports in a New York Tribune:
As I read the article, in addition to being reminded of the sacrifices made by so many in order to bring about the abolition of American slavery, I was challenged to consider if there was a cause for which I would (truly) be willing to die. It is one thing to sacrifice one’s life to save a loved one, but a “cause”? I pray my faith would rise to such a height (for it’s certainly worthy), but until the moment of truth is at hand…
So, I ask again: What is worthy of the ultimate sacrifice? Those who gave their lives in an effort to gain and/or preserve our freedom had their answer. John Brown had his. How about you and me?
PS If anyone can recommend a good book which provides an honest assessment of whether John Brown was a hero or a villain, please email me at guy@rarenewspapers.com. Please know I understand this may be a very complex analysis.
Who’s Who in Newspapers? Daniel Sickles edition…
April 26, 2018 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
The 5th installment of Who’s Who in Newspapers:
George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton… Babe Ruth, Jesse Owens, Vince Lombardi… John Wayne, James Dean, Katharine Hepburn – these individuals, among many, are easily recognizable. However, there are quite a few historical figures who, while having adorned the pages of many a newspaper, are far from household names. Such is the case with Daniel Sickles. Who is he? What was he known for? When did he live?
Feel free to peruse the following chronological list of newspapers to discover why he received so much coverage in the newspapers of his day:
DANIEL SICKLES