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I’m New Here…Week Seven
March 29, 2019 by Stephanie Williams · Leave a Comment
- This week I decided to spend some of my hard-earned money on an old (& rare) publication. I’d already processed searches for sports figures and jazz singers and mobsters and indentured servants — so many interests that whizzed past me as I was busy with phone calls and emails and web orders. The only way I could think to appease my conscience about taking a pause to look around a little bit for myself was to become a customer. There is an entire collection —
shelves of bound volumes — of publications by women. I want to dig through and “see what’s what”, as my grandmother always said. But that would probably take more research time just orientating myself than I feel easy about spending. Still, that inclination narrowed the scope of this first quest a bit, and a search through notable dates in history led me to the NYC women’s suffrage march of 1912.
“THE REMARKABLE DEMONSTRATION IN NEW YORK LAST WEEK WHEN 15,000 WOMEN OF ALL STATIONS IN LIFE MARCHED THROUGH THE STREETS OF THE METROPOLIS TO EXPRESS THEIR DEMAND FOR THE VOTE”. The headline itself seems shocked by the occurrence, with subsequent captions numbering the onlookers at 500,000. It’s a grand photo spread highlighting the oldest, the youngest, and crediting 619 men with “heroically joining their womenfolk upon the march.” This is the purchase for me.
The Women’s Suffrage movement is just one of the stories for justice and equality well documented through historic publications. Whether an account of invention, discovery, narrative or relationship, these papers are jam-packed with the details of the human experience. Sometimes there is an encouraging perspective of what we’ve learned and how we’ve grown. One hundred years after the push began, the 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote. But, this week I also found an eyewitness account of mob riots in Baltimore — including casualty listings — from 1812. Evidently, much remains to be learned.
My selection (Harper’s Weekly, May 11, 1912) was on the very top shelf, stacked tightly and bound into a volume with Titanic events and many illustrations of William Taft. I chose an issue with a damaged front cover since I am not very interested in then Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee “…whose proposed amendment to the Constitution will limit the President’s tenure of office to one term of six years.”
The cover price of 10 cents doesn’t hold, but since the average age-expectancy has drastically increased as well, it’s a modest expenditure. Taking it home with me, opening it up, and dawdling over the columns as much as I like, seems an indulgent treat. I might even ask the shipping department if they will package it for me…
Did you know? Elections and Inaugurations…
March 26, 2019 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
You may already know U.S. elections and inaugurations have always fascinated citizens of the United States – which is probably typical throughout the world, but Did You Know the reporting of these historic moments within newspapers has traditionally been quite extensive, with most issues containing multiple articles surrounding these events – often including the entire text of the winner’s election and inauguration speeches? Many of these are available through our regular website, RareNewspapers.com. We’ve arranged these in chronological order for readers/explorers to enjoy: Inaugurations and Elections
Snapshot 1918… President Wilson becomes the first U.S. President to…
December 13, 2018 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
The following snapshot comes from The New York Times dated December 14, 1918. This week marks the 100th anniversary of Woodrow Wilson becoming the 1st U.S. President to walk the shores of Europe while still in office. It is hard to believe it took 1 1/4 centuries for this to occur.
Who should have the right to vote? Food for thought…
November 5, 2018 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Who should have the right to vote? Should Native Americans? Blacks? Poor Whites? Women? Citizens who either don’t own land or who are unemployed (i.e., don’t pay taxes)? Although all of these at one time did not have the right to vote, today, we all (hopefully) unanimously agree the answer is a resounding YES – and thankfully, although it took time, they now can. However, although we are unified in our appreciation that all citizens should be granted this privilege, is there a responsibility that comes with this right – a civic duty to not only exercise this “right”, but to do so as an informed voter? THE DAILY GRAPHIC’s (New York) November 2, 1875 illustrated front page weighed in on this issue with a degree of sarcasm. Enjoy.
They Put It In Print… Schools need to teach The Constitution…
October 29, 2018 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Human nature has a tendency to drive us to forget – to enjoy the bountiful privileges earned on the backs, and at times the very lives of those who have gone before us, but to forget the great cost paid to obtain them. After a few generations pass, the backdrop which drove such impassioned effort to earn them is also lost.
The year was 1922. It had been a mere 1.5 centuries since the ratification of The U.S. Constitution had paved the way for a new form of society, and there was already a deep-rooted concern that the unless citizens studied and learned the basic tenets of the Constitution, it would not stand. How do we know? The Virginia Pilot dated September 22, 1922 put it in print. Although its now nearly 100 years since the article was written, the call remains – perhaps even more-so. 
They put it in print… Fairfax County, Virginia reacts to The Intolerable Acts…
October 11, 2018 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
How did Fairfax County, Virginia, the home of George Washington, react to The Intolerable Acts? Thanks to The Virginia Gazette dated August 4, 1774, we don’t need to guess – after all, they put it in print:
Thanks to the Virginia Gazette dated May 5, 1774 for putting the following in print in print.
They put it in print… The Boston Tea Party – now they’re really in trouble…
October 8, 2018 by GuyHeilenman · 1 Comment
It’s one thing to infuriate the British. It’s an entirely different matter to agitate local merchants. Yet, I can only imagine the trouble that would have ensued had PETA been around at the time of the Boston Tea Party. 
Thanks to the Virginia Gazette dated May 5, 1774 for putting the following in print in print.
Snapshot 1864… Washington and Lincoln for President…
August 20, 2018 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
The following snapshot comes from the New York Tribune, November 11, 1864…
They put it in print… The DNC must make decision on the KKK…
March 28, 2018 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
It is easy to look at the deficiencies of our current political climate and forget from whence we came. It is one of the reasons why many of those from “The Greatest Generation,” who saw friends give up their lives for the cause of freedom, quickly become frustrated with those who take those freedoms lightly, and neglect to see the progress this “experiment is self-government” has made in less than 250 years. I was reminded of this truth when I came across a June 28, 1924 issue of the Leominster Daily Enterprise which had the heading: “COMMITTEE [DNC] GRAPPLES ALL NIGHT WITH KU KLUX KLAN ISSUE.” Let’s put down our partisan-tipped weapons, reopen the lines of communication, and with a degree of civility and mutual respect, move forward in our quest to make this country a place where each and every citizen can prosper on a foundation of equality, hard-work, and freedom.
The Traveler… impeachment begins…
March 5, 2018 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today’s journeys took me to Madison, Wisconsin, by the means of the Wisconsin State Journal dated March 6, 1868. There I found the headline “IMPEACHMENT.” “Opening of the High Court of Impeachment by Chief Justice Chase.” “… At 1 o’clock precisely, Chief Justice Chase appeared at the door of the Senate Chamber, …Acting Vice President Wade then said: ‘The Senate will suspend business for the purpose of proceeding to the consideration of the impeachment of the president of the United States.’ … The Chief Justice said: ‘I am here for the purpose of joining with you in forming a Court for the Court of Impeachment. I am now ready to take the usual oath to the Chief Justice…”
This was the opening day for the three month long impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson.
~The Traveler