Lead-up to a Nation… as reported in the newspapers of the day (reflecting back on March, 1776)…

April 3, 2026 by · Leave a Comment 
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Today we continue our series, “Lead-Up to a Nation… as reported in the newspapers of the day” – the anniversary of the greatest experiment in democracy and self-government.
The following are the installments from last month (March, 2026, which reflected on the events as they were reported approximately 250 years ago – in and around March, 1776:

We hope you are enjoying this year-long trek to the 250th anniversary of The United States through the eyes of those who were fully engaged, first hand. As mentioned previously, all accounts are rooted in what they read in the newspapers of the day.

“History is never more fascinating than when read from the day it was first reported.” (Timothy Hughes, 1975)

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Filed under: Collecting Newspapers, Colonial, Newspaper Collecting Ideas, Noteworthy Issues, Revolutionary War, The 1500's - 1700's, The Collectible Community, The Hobby, The Rare Newspapers Community
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Who’s Who in Newspapers? Jack Johnson edition (1910)…

March 30, 2026 by · Leave a Comment 
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The 12th installment of: Who’s Who in Newspapers

If you’re a boxing enthusiast, you may know the turn-of-the-century “Galveston Giant,” John (Jack) Johnson. Yet far fewer people know the depth of his struggle against bigotry, open hatred, and injustice.

Born in Galveston, Texas in 1878 to formerly enslaved parents, Johnson rose from the rough world of late-19th-century prizefighting to become the first Black heavyweight champion of the world in 1908. In the ring he was brilliant—defensively skilled, confident, and often playful as he dismantled opponents. Outside it, he lived defiantly in an era that demanded Black men show deference. His wealth, fame, and refusal to conform—especially his relationships with white women—made him a lightning rod for racial hostility across America. Authorities eventually targeted him using the Mann Act, widely viewed by historians as a politically motivated prosecution.

His story came back to my attention recently when a collecting friend asked if we had a Los Angeles Times dated July 8, 1990. To be honest, while he often seeks newspapers with Black-American content, I would never have guessed Jack Johnson was at the heart of his quest.

If you are concerned about racism—and are not afraid to confront the warts of the past—spending a little time researching Johnson’s life can be sobering. At the same time, it can also serve as a reminder of how far our society has progressed in confronting bigotry.

Below is a photo of the introduction to the article our friend was seeking. While the lengthy piece may still be available in its original context through the link above, at least for now the Los Angeles Times provides open access to the article’s text at: “80 Years Ago, the Truth Hurt.”

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Filed under: Collecting Newspapers, Newspaper Collecting Ideas, The 20th & 21st Centuries
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Announcing: Catalog 365 – Released (early) for April, 2026 – Rare & Early Newspapers…

March 27, 2026 by · Leave a Comment 
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The April catalog (#365) of collectible newspapers is now available. This catalog is being released early due to the typical release date (April 1st) being associated with a bit of (albeit playful) foolish pranking. Somehow it just didn’t seem to fit. 🙂

The links below will help connect you with both the entire catalog and specific subsets within the catalog. We hope you enjoy.

CATALOG #365 (with access to the traditional set of focused links)

CATALOG #365 (arranged for exploration)

————–

DISCOUNTED ISSUES

(what remains of last month’s discounted issues – at 50% off)

HISTORY’S NEWSSTAND

(recent posts on the History’s Newsstand Blog)

————–

LEAD-UP TO A NATION

(Diverse Voices – Divisions of the Era)
Thanks for collecting with us!

Sincerely,

Guy Heilenman & The Rare & Early Newspapers Team

RareNewspapers.com

570-326-1045

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Filed under: Announcements, Catalog Release Announcements, Civil War, Collecting Newspapers, Colonial, Confederate, Death Reports, Great Headlines, Newspaper Collecting Ideas, Noteworthy Issues, Old West Era, Post Civil War, Pre Civil War, Revolutionary War, Sports, The 1500's, The 1500's - 1700's, The 1600's, The 1700's, The 19th Century, The 20th & 21st Centuries, The Hobby, The War of 1812, Yankee
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Mystery Solved … The Ancestry of Abraham Lincoln Clarified…

March 23, 2026 by · Leave a Comment 
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We often discuss the legacy of our founding fathers and American heroes… highlights of their lives which leave an indelible impression on us as individuals or on the country we cherish. With all this focus, it is a shame we often miss the stories of their ancestry… the people and events that molded them into the larger-than-life figures we admire. Such is the case with Abraham Lincoln.  Although we have all learned of his self-education in a one room log cabin and the deep loses he suffered as a young man, it wasn’t until 1925 that we were able to get a clearer picture of family members who came before and how their stories might have impacted the Lincoln.  On February 8, 1925 The New York Times had substantial coverage of Abraham Lincoln’s grandmothers who had, until this point, not been confirmed. The paper goes on to say the stories of these ladies reveal. “Episodes of Heroism and Romance in the president’s Ancestral History”. Not unlike today, apparently, people at the turn of the century longed for a good paparazzi story as well.

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Filed under: Post Civil War, The Collectible Community
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Vanguard to Revolution…

March 20, 2026 by · Leave a Comment 
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One of the fascinating areas of historic newspaper collecting is the ability to see patterns over time. Last week, I found a Harper’s Weekly for a collector with a fascinating front page print that caught my attention and the caption triggered a deeper search.  The Boxer Rebellion of the 1900’s included a group called “Vanguards”. Although familiar with this term, I was curious as to other times this concept had popped up throughout history. The following is an overview of my discovery…

The concept of the “vanguard” became central to revolutionary theory during the 1917 Russian Revolution, as articulated by Vladimir Lenin. He argued that the working class, left to spontaneous action, could not develop full revolutionary consciousness under capitalist oppression. A tightly organized group of professional revolutionaries was therefore essential to guide and lead the masses. The Bolshevik Party, led by Lenin, served as this vanguard of the proletariat. Through strategic agitation, infiltration of workers’ councils (soviets), and decisive action in the October Revolution, the Bolsheviks seized power, overthrew the provisional government, and established Soviet rule. This model influenced communist movements globally, prioritizing elite leadership over mass spontaneity to achieve societal transformation.

Originally a military metaphor for an advance force, the term “vanguard” later named actual activist groups in the United States during times of social upheaval. In the 1930s, amid Great Depression labor unrest, New York’s anarcho-syndicalist Vanguard Group published a journal promoting revolutionary unionism while criticizing both capitalism and Bolshevik-style authoritarianism. In 1966 San Francisco, a queer youth organization called Vanguard formed in the Tenderloin district, uniting marginalized gay, transgender, and drag people facing police harassment. Backed by progressive clergy, Vanguard organized protests and led the Compton’s Cafeteria riot—a key pre-Stonewall uprising that marked early militant resistance in the LGBT+ liberation movement. Thus, from Lenin’s theoretical vanguard to these grassroots efforts, the term has consistently represented self-appointed leaders spearheading radical change in turbulent times. Fascinating that the Boxer Rebellion predated Lenin and causes one to speculate as to its impact on his Bolshevik Revolution.

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March Newsletter (2026) – Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers…

March 16, 2026 by · Leave a Comment 
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Welcome to our March newsletter. Without further ado… we hope you enjoy!

1) Another 30 issues have just been added to this month’s “bonus catalog items” – including 3 dated in 1776. The entire set may be viewed at:

Newly Added Catalog Items

2) As of today, 100+ newspapers were newly discounted by 50% (prices shown reflect the discount). These prices are good through April 16th:

Discounted Newspapers (50% Off)

3) The History’s Newsstand blog now has a feature which will auto-update to show all available newspapers for the current date (month/day)… through time. This interface will soon become available on our website as well. Until then, feel free to view those from today’s date through the following link (see example #1):

This Day in News History as reported in the Newspapers of the Day

Note: You can also enter any date (month/day) you wish!

4) The most recent addition to the “Lead-up to a Nation” video series:

General William Howe – The Pennsylvania Ledger (E32)

5) History’s Newsstand Blog – A sampling of recent posts includes:

St. Patrick’s Day…

Significant Discovery: Horace Greeley’s “views” of Freedmen (1865)…

“Printing In The Americas” – A reference book for your shelves…

Displaying newspapers – Frame to see all four pages…

Perhaps the most experiential collectible?

Arsenal of Freedom… America’s Leaders Work to Inspire…

Lead-up to a Nation… as reported in the newspapers of the day (Feb., 1776)…

6) All remaining items from the March catalog (#364) may be viewed at:

Catalog 364
Thanks for collecting with us.

Sincerely,

Guy Heilenman & The Rare & Early Newspapers Team
RareNewspapers.com
570-326-1045

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St. Patrick’s Day…

March 14, 2026 by · Leave a Comment 
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St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner and with it comes a festive feel and a great reason to celebrate. Whether you are planning on a great meal at your local Irish Pub or some homemade Corned beef & Cabbage, there is something about St. Patrick’s Day that highlight’s Springs fast approach. So, enjoy your pint and grub, a good Irish movie (The Quiet Man is my favorite) and a walk down memory lane as you scan coverage of the oldest continuously running St. Patrick’s day parade in the world highlighted in the Mid-Week Pictorial & The New York Herald. Whatever your mode of celebration… May the Luck of the Irish be with you!

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This Day Through History (as reported in authentic newspapers)…

March 12, 2026 by · 1 Comment 
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A birthday newspaper is a wonderful gift. But what if you could choose from dozens of newsworthy dates — all sharing that same special day of any month? NOW YOU CAN!

 

Pick any month and day below and we’ll instantly show you every historic newspaper we have from that exact date — regardless of the year.

Example 1:

Example 2: Newspapers Published on July 4th



RareNewspapers.com
Real newspapers • Real history • Real fast
(every effort is made to ship within 24 business hours)

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Filed under: The 1700's, The 19th Century, The 20th & 21st Centuries, The Collectible Community, The Hobby, The Rare Newspapers Community
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Significant Discovery: Horace Greeley’s “views” of Freedmen (1865)…

March 9, 2026 by · Leave a Comment 
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After being heavily engrossed in the rare & early newspapers collectible for over 50 years, encountering “new” discoveries within our own archives has not abated. Case in point: We recently identified a significant letter in the August 26, 1865, issue of the New York Daily Tribune that had previously gone unnoticed. Located on page 4 and signed simply “H. G.” (Horace Greeley), this letter addressed to the Hon. A. O. P. Nicholson offers a profound look into the intellectual climate of the immediate post-Civil War era. Perhaps it was the inconspicuous single column heading, “A Letter”, which was complicit in our oversight. Such “discoveries” are one of the reasons why we love this hobby.

As far as the letter itself is concerned… The exchange occurred during a pivotal window of Reconstruction. With the war concluded and the Thirteenth Amendment in the process of ratification, the nation was gripped by a debate over the “physical, intellectual, and emotional condition” of newly emancipated African Americans. While many, including Nicholson, sought to categorize or question the capabilities of the formerly enslaved through a lens of racial “fitness,” Greeley used his editorial platform to push back against these prejudices.

In this letter, Greeley argues that any perceived deficiencies in the Black population were not inherent traits, but the direct result of the “degradations” of the institution of slavery. By advocating for education and the rights of “Free Labor,” Greeley was effectively laying the groundwork for the so-called “Radical Republican” agenda that would eventually lead to the 14th and 15th Amendments.

For collectors of Civil War, Reconstruction-era, and Black-Americana ephemera, this issue serves as a primary source document and captures the exact moment the country transitioned from a military conflict to a philosophical battle over the true meaning of citizenship – a powerful step towards realizing the founding charge that all (people) are created equal.

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Lead-up to a Nation… as reported in the newspapers of the day (February, 1776)…

March 6, 2026 by · 1 Comment 
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Today we continue our series, “Lead-Up to a Nation… as reported in the newspapers of the day” – the anniversary of the greatest experiment in democracy and self-government.
The following are the installments from last month (February, 2026, which reflected on the events as they were reported approximately 250 years ago – in and around February, 1775:

We hope you are enjoying this year-long trek to the 250th anniversary of The United States through the eyes of those who were fully engaged, first hand. As mentioned previously, all accounts are rooted in what they read in the newspapers of the day.

“History is never more fascinating than when read from the day it was first reported.” (Timothy Hughes, 1975)

If you liked this post, you may also enjoy...

Filed under: Collecting Newspapers, Colonial, Newspaper Collecting Ideas, Noteworthy Issues, Revolutionary War, The 1500's - 1700's, The Collectible Community, The Hobby, The Rare Newspapers Community
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