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Archive: 2018 (38 Posts)

A child carrying a bundle of newspapers in one hand, the other arm held high with a copy of the Anchorage Daily Times, the headline reading

Need a last-minute gift?

Posted by: Amber Paranick

Still searching for that last-minute present?  Use Chronicling America for tips/suggestions.  Dolls are so last season.  If you want to win points this year, give a teddy bear instead.   For those with discriminating taste…   Or, how about the gift that keeps on giving? (Be careful what you wish for…)   Treats like chocolates are easy …

Anatomy of a “Dear Santa” Letter

Posted by: Heather Thomas

By the late 19th century, children in the U.S. had begun mailing their Christmas lists in letters to Santa, but the Post Office regarded these letters as undeliverable. Around the same time, newspapers began encouraging children to send their ‘Dear Santa’ letters to them to be published, recognizing the emotional impact the letters would have on their readers.

A child carrying a bundle of newspapers in one hand, the other arm held high with a copy of the Anchorage Daily Times, the headline reading

The Merry Tradition of Christmas Caroling

Posted by: Malea Walker

Christmas carols have been sung for hundreds of years, first as hymns in churches and then performed all around town. Have you ever sung a carol in front of your neighbor’s door? In the early 1800s, hymns, including many songs for Christmas, were published in books that were readily available to the lay person outside …

A child carrying a bundle of newspapers in one hand, the other arm held high with a copy of the Anchorage Daily Times, the headline reading

World War I: A Wartime Clipping Service Update: All 400 Volumes Now Online

Posted by: Arlene Balkansky

The massive collection, World War History: Newspaper Clippings, 1914 to 1926, is now fully digitized and freely available on the Library of Congress website. The 79,621 pages are packed with war-related front pages, illustrated feature articles, editorial cartoons, and more. You can search by keywords, browse the content chronologically, and download pages. Coverage begins on June …

A child carrying a bundle of newspapers in one hand, the other arm held high with a copy of the Anchorage Daily Times, the headline reading

Native American and Indigenous News and Comics

Posted by: Megan Halsband

The Cherokee Nation became the first Native American tribe with a tribal newspaper, the Cherokee Phoenix. The Serial & Government Publications Division holds a number of original issues of the Cherokee Phoenix, first published on February 21, 1828. The newspaper was printed “partly with English, and partly with Cherokee print; and all matter which is common …

A child carrying a bundle of newspapers in one hand, the other arm held high with a copy of the Anchorage Daily Times, the headline reading

10 Thanksgiving Recipes You May Not Have Tried

Posted by: Malea Walker

Newspapers frequently publish recipes, including old favorites, winners of competitions, or new twists on classic meals. In Chronicling America you can find plenty of traditional, or not so traditional, recipes for this coming holiday. Take a look at some of these old recipes from our online newspapers. Are you brave enough to try them this …

A child carrying a bundle of newspapers in one hand, the other arm held high with a copy of the Anchorage Daily Times, the headline reading

Celebrating Comics’ Champion Stan Lee

Posted by: Megan Halsband

Whether you are a comics fan or not, chances are you have heard of Stan Lee. His larger than life personality and dedication to the fans are some of the many things that people are remembering in the wake of his passing this week at age 95. Lee, Marvel’s “Chairman Emeritus,” unofficial ambassador, and alliteration …

Murder in Manhattan: The Death of Jim Fisk

Posted by: Heather Thomas

On the last day of his life, millionaire Jim Fisk was embroiled in attempted blackmail, ongoing legal battles, and a contentious love triangle, all involving his mistress and his one-time closest friend. Little did he know that the drama would climax with his murder. Jim Fisk was the Gilded Age robber baron personified. He gained …