Dramatic Headlines Speak for Themselves… Martin Luther King Jr Assassinated!

March 11, 2024 by · Leave a Comment 

The best headlines need no commentary. Such is the case with The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, April 5, 1968, which featured a report on the assassination of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr:

“DR. KING IS SHOT TO DEATH”

New Inventory ALERT: John Lennon’s Death Report from where he was killed…

June 23, 2023 by · Leave a Comment 

At Rare & Early Newspapers, we often have the privilege of procuring collectible newspapers from all over the world. Usually, Tim Hughes or my husband (Guy Heilenman) will speak with a dealer, library, museum or a person who was digging through their grandparent’s attic, and before long treasures will show up on our doorstep. We feel it is a bit like Christmas. Every now and again, a seller will come to visit us and bring their issues in person. Such was the case this week when a very sweet and gracious gentleman brought us issues of the NEW YORK POST dated Dec. 9, 1980 which contained coverage of John Lennon’s tragic death at the hands of “a screwball” (see photo below). We were thrilled to procure these issues for 2 reasons. First, we now have newspapers reporting his death from both the city where he died and the city where in he born (LIVERPOOL)  – forming a truly unique 2-issue set for collectors of John Lennon/Beatles memorabilia. Secondly, while this content may not interest all of our collecting family, we are always on the hunt to expand the variety of the collectible newspapers within our archives… satisfying our continual quest to find items spanning all collectible interests.

Dramatic Headlines Speak for Themselves… The Assassination of JFK…

March 27, 2023 by · Leave a Comment 

The best headlines need no commentary. Such is the case with THE DALLAS TIMES HERALD, Texas, November 22, 1963, reporting on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy:

PRESIDENT DEAD

You decide… Which is really the best? Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr…

June 19, 2015 by · Leave a Comment 

When it comes to placing a value on collectible newspapers, past prices realized can be invaluable. However, in most instances, due to the vast number of variables which exist even within a common event (city of publication, condition, dramatic appeal, etc.), finding comparables can be difficult.

We recently came across two issues which illustrate this point – both containing front-page 1st reports of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – one being the newspaper from where he was born and raised containing perhaps a little more detailed reporting (The Atlanta Constitution, Georgia), with the other being a nice issue from where the assassination took place (The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, TN). Which is the more collectible newspaper? The answer may not be as easy as one might think. Years of experience have shown the Dallas Morning News‘ reporting of the JFK assassination to be hands-down the most desired issue – that is, the issue from where he was killed. In contrast, collectors find the Wapakoneta Daily News (Neil Armstrong’s hometown paper) with coverage of Man’s 1st Moon Walk to be the best.

What about Dr. King’s assassination? It is rare we can view each side-by-side (see below). We have our thoughts, but feel free to weigh in with thoughts of your own.

Blog-6-12-2015-King-Assassination-1Blog-5-12-2015-King-Assassination-2

They put it in print… Interesting Kennedy obituary…

May 21, 2015 by · Leave a Comment 

One of the more desired of the newspapers reporting the assassination of President John F. Kennedy has always been the “Dallas Morning News“, published in the city where he was killed. Blog-7-13-2015-JFK-ObitUnbeknownst to most–including us for many years–is the curious obituary found on page 6 of the last section. Inconspicuously listed among the 33 entries in the “Deaths & Funerals” section is the one shown in the photo. It is a paid obituary notice inserted by a private funeral home announcing the death of an American president.  The O’Neal Funeral Home handled President Kennedy’s remains in Dallas and furnished the casket in which he was sent to Washington. Although certainly not a local funeral, I suspect the funeral home sought the opportunity to gain some stature & credibility by letting all know they handled the remains of a  President of the United States.

Has anyone else discovered this obituary notice?

And of note as well, relating to the Kennedy assassination, is the death notice of “J.D. Tibbit”, the police officer killed by Oswald shortly after the Kennedy assassination. In fact it was for Tibbit’s death that Oswald was initially arrested, the connection to Kennedy’s assassination discovered afterwards.

The Traveler… a great man laid to rest…

May 4, 2015 by · Leave a Comment 

Today I traveled to Springfield, Illinois, by the way of the Illinois State Journal of May 4, 1865, where I found they were preparing for the funeral of President Abraham Lincoln which was Blog-5-4-2015-Abraham-Lincoln-Funeralto occur later in the day. The editorial begins “We are without any more definite information in reference to the arrangements for the funeral of President Lincoln, to-day, than that contained in the programme published in another column…the procession will move at precisely ten o’clock, which will require that the remains be closed by eight…Work was recommenced on the tomb on the Mather Square yesterday…Not only the citizens of Springfield but of the whole state would be  rejoiced to learn that the change referred to had been authorized…”. Within another article is “…From our midst, a little more than four years ago, President Lincoln was called to the highest office in the gift of the people. Yesterday all that is mortal of him returned to us wrapped in the habiliments of the grave…The emblems of mourning everywhere  displayed…Illinois receives her murdered son again to her bosom, no less loving than when she sent him forth to the most distinguished honor. To-day we lay him reverently to rest…”

~The Traveler

Ford’s Theater… then and now…

April 24, 2015 by · Leave a Comment 

Blog-4-24-2015-1865-Ford's-Theater150 years ago, much of the nation was still reeling from the death of Abraham Lincoln. A mere 10 days previous time stood still and tears flowed freely at the news that the President had been killed. Did many travel to Washington, D.C. to mourn his passing? Did some visit the very site of his tragic and untimely demise to place a candle… flowers… mourn? The Philadelphia Enquirer, April 17, 1865, not on only printed a sketch of the captured John Wilkes Booth, but they also included a front-page schematic (right) of the back-alley escape route where a horse was waiting for the infamous villain and his accomplice. While the region has gone through several transformations over the course of the last 150 years, this same alley exists today. The current-day photo shown below was sent to us be a collector friend who also included the following note:

I have attached a picture of the rear of Ford’s Theater as it looks today (showing the original windows/doorways that have been bricked-up)…and I want to point out that the alleyway shown on that April 17th issue is incredibly, to this day, the only exit on the entire block and proportioned to what it was in that newspaper.

If you’ve never visited Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C., it is certainly worth the trip.Blog-4-24-2015-21st-Century-Ford's-TheaterNote: During my days as a Middle School Teacher, can anyone guess the most common question students asked upon visiting this spot during a school trip?

Bloody Sunday, Selma, Alabama… Great Headlines Speak For Themselves…

March 11, 2015 by · Leave a Comment 

The best headlines need no commentary. Such is the case with the FITCHBURG SENTINEL, Massachusetts, March 8, 1965Blog-3-11-2015-Selma-Alabama

Great Headlines Speak For Themselves… Martin Luther King, Jr. slain…

January 19, 2015 by · Leave a Comment 

The best headlines need no commentary. Such is the case with the LOS ANGELES TIMES, April 5, 1968: “DR. KING SLAIN BY SNIPER IN MEMPHISBlog-1-23-2015-Dr.-Martin-Luther-King-Jr-Slain