This Day in “News” History… January 23…
January 23, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
There are many internet sources available to explore what happened on a particular day in history. However, as collectors and resellers of “Rare & Early Newspapers”, our curiosity lies in what people were reading in their morning newspaper on specific days in history. In nearly every instance they were discovering what happened the day prior – and if one reaches back into the 1600s, 1700’s, and early 1800s, when news travelled a bit more slowly, they very well could have been (finally) reading about “rumored” and/or anticipated events from days, weeks, or even months prior.
As an example…
What about January 23rd? The following link will take you to all of our available newspapers dated January 23rd:
NEWS REPORTED in NEWSPAPERS on January 23rd (through time)
Enjoy the trek. Oh, and if you want to try other dates, go here and plug in any month/day of interest.
The January (2023) Newsletter from Rare & Early Newspapers…
January 20, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Monthly Newsletter ~ Rare & Early Newspapers
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From Dreams to Reality… Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Paves the Way…
January 16, 2023 by LauraH · Leave a Comment
The start of a new year lends itself to daydreaming – of the future… of goals… of a better world. Much of the time these dreams fall by the wayside only to be replaced by a new focus or to be renewed at a later time. But sometimes dreams are so monumental and expansive they extend past the dreamer and are swept along by the tidal wave generated by the aspiration. Such is the case, I would argue, with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream as stated on August 28, 1963. The work he began and the vision he cast extended well past his assassination as reported in the CHICAGO DAILY DEFENDER, April 6-12, 1968 (pictured to the right), and continued to move an entire country to a more congenial and “equal” state – one better reflecting the Founders’ dream: “We The People…!”. May we all strive for his dream for mankind with all the graciousness, boldness and humility he demonstrated, and may we work to construct such noble dreams as well.
WNEP TV turns the spotlight on Rare & Early Newspapers…
January 13, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
A Northeastern Pennsylvania television station (WNEP) recently highlighted Tim Hughes and the Rare & Early Newspapers efforts to serve the world-wide collectible community. Although brief, any opportunity for Tim to share his love for the hobby is a bonus.
Millions of newspapers for sale in Lycoming County (PA)
Scientific American’s “Not So Bright” (?) Ideas…
January 9, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Over the years our staff has written quite a few posts focused on historic and transformative inventions which were featured within early issues of the Scientific American. The phonograph, lightbulb, telephone, modern sewing machine, and thousands of other devices have all had their moment in the sun thanks to this publication. However, as is the case for many of the good ideas from the past which came to fruition and now make our lives easier, a host had rather humble beginnings. With this in mind, our resident videographer decided to gather together three examples which fall into the “humble beginnings” bucket. Please enjoy.
Announcing: Catalog #326 for January, 2023 – Rare & Early Newspapers for collectors…
January 2, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · 1 Comment
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[The links above will redirect to the latest catalog in approx. 30 days
upon which time it will update to the most recent catalog.]
Printed History: Collecting 3.5M rare newspapers in Central Pa.
December 12, 2022 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Approximately 2 months ago The Williamsport Sun-Gazette (PA) wrote an article about a presentation Tim Hughes gave a local historical society. As a follow-up, Joseph W. Smith III, a writer, speaker and teacher in Central PA, wrote an article about Tim’s trek through the hobby. If you ever wondered about “the story” behind “Rare & Early Newspapers“, or were considering jumping in yourself, this could be a great place to begin your adventure. The article may be viewed at:
Printed History: Collecting 3.5M rare newspapers in Central Pa
They Never Saw it Coming… The Sinking of the Titanic.
December 9, 2022 by LauraH · Leave a Comment
We may at times wonder what happens to a person as they experience a traumatic event. What drives them to react as they do? My brother-in-law, who served as a Marine, once told me that people rarely rise to a higher level of nobility when faced with crisis. They are either overcome by terror, or they default to their training.
As I read through an article covering testimonies of Titanic survivors printed in the Evening Tribune (San Diego) from April 23, 1912 (shown below), while I have no life experience to know firsthand, I had to admit he may be right. After considering the quotes of a lifeboat captain who was being questioned by Congress, it was clear he was surrounded by two types of individuals: your average everyday citizen and ship hands who had been trained to follow orders. Pondering this type situation, I would like to think I would respond differently, but perhaps I should put a bit of preparation alongside of my hope. Of course, how does one prepare for such a calamity?
Announcing: Catalog #325 for December, 2022 – Rare & Early Newspapers for collectors…
December 2, 2022 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
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[The links above will redirect to the latest catalog in approx. 30 days
upon which time it will update to the most recent catalog.]
Time-Lapse… Frederick Douglass (1834) to Henry Garnett (1865)…
November 24, 2022 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
As I continue to slowly devour every word of the autobiography, “The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass”, I was recently moved to as close to tears as I come as I pondered his retelling of the crushing hopelessness he felt after having been beaten to a whisper of death:
“I have often, in the deep stillness of a summer’s Sabbath, stood all alone upon the banks of that noble [Chesapeake] bay, and traced, with saddened heart and tearful eye, the countless number of sails moving off to the mighty ocean. The sight of these always affected me powerfully. My thoughts would compel utterance; and there, with no audience but the Almighty, I would pour out my soul’s complaint in my rude way with an apostrophe to the moving multitude of ships.”

‘You are loosed from your moorings, and free. I am fast in my chains, and am a slave! You move merrily before the gentle gale, and I sadly before the bloody whip. You are freedom’s swift-winged angels, that fly around the world; I am confined in bonds of iron. O, that I were free! O, that I were on one of your gallant decks, and under your protecting wing! Alas! betwixt me and you the turbid waters roll. Go on, go on; O, that I could also go! Could I but swim! If I could fly! O, why was I born a man, of whom to make a brute! The glad ship is gone: she hides in the dim distance. I am left in the hell of unending slavery. O, God, save me! God, deliver me! Let me be free!–Is there any God? Why am I a slave? I will run away. I will not stand it. Get caught or get clear, I’ll try it. I had as well die with ague as with fever. I have only one life to lose. I had as well be killed running as die standing. Only think of it: one hundred miles north, and I am free! Try it? Yes! God helping me, I will. It cannot be that I shall live and die a slave. I will take to the water. This very bay shall yet bear me into freedom. The steamboats steer in a northeast course from North Point; I will do the same; and when I get to the head of the bay, I will turn my canoe adrift, and walk straight through Delaware into Pennsylvania. When I get there, I shall not be required to have a pass: I will travel there without being disturbed. Let but the first opportunity offer, and come what will, I am off. Meanwhile I will try to bear the yoke. I am not the only slave in the world. Why should I fret? I can bear as much as any of them. Besides I am but a boy yet, and all boys are bound out to someone. It may be that my misery in slavery will only increase my happiness when I get free. There is a better day coming.’
I shall never be able to narrate half the mental experience through which it was my lot to pass, during my stay at Covey’s. I was completely wrecked, changed, and bewildered; goaded almost to madness at one time, and at another reconciling myself to my wretched condition.”
All bound by the common thread of having been given the breath of life by the same Creator, how could one “brother” treat a fellow sojourner with such abject cruelty? This goes beyond black and white as the relationship between slave an owner has played out similarly since the dawn of time, however, will it never end? Would ”The Almighty” hear his cry?
Fastforward approximately 30 years. Frederick Douglass is now free, residing in the North, and is living a life of gratitude expressed by his exhaustive efforts for the cause of abolition. Slaves are on the cusp of being emancipated, and for the first time in the history of the United States, a former slave of African descent, Rev. Henry Garnett, was permitted to preach (a common occurrence for whites) at The Capital. The article below regarding this event was printed in the New York Tribune, dated February 13, 1865. There would still be many obstacles to overcome before former slaves (or their descendants) would be viewed as “equal under the law”, and some might (rightfully) argue additional progress still needs to be made, but in this moment in time, with the Frederick Douglass quote fixed firmly in my mind and weighing heavy on my heart, I am grateful for the hope provided by the gains which have been made through time.







