Newspapers.com is an online newspaper archive by Ancestry.com. This resource may be of interest to those looking to track family history, research historical events, or explore the political and cultural climate of the past through journalism.
“Newspapers.com™ is the largest online newspaper archive consisting of 934 million+ pages of historical newspapers from 25,100+ newspapers from around the United States and beyond. Newspapers provide a unique view of the past and can help us understand and connect with the people, events and attitudes of an earlier time” [Text taken from Newspapers.com ‘s About page]
The papers in this online archive date from the late-15th century to the present and come from various countries. Newspaper.com ‘s unique search function allows users to look for specific dates, locations, and key phrases. The reader can visit archive pages about each newspaper on the website to learn more information about its history, positioning, and years active. In addition to general browsing, the website also contains featured categories for specific historical figures, events, topics, and even “weird news”. Another useful feature is the ability to save and share clippings from papers in the database. Moreover, users can link their Newspaper.com account with their Ancestry.com one to share documentation of family history.
Regarding Richmond's history, Newspapers.com proves an extensive resource. Currently, this site contains nineteen different Richmond newspapers that span from 1782 to 2022. The papers on this website allow the user to read about crucial events in Richmond and around the world as if they were happening at present, as well as experience the trends in art and advertisement. Moreover, choosing certain newspapers can give insight into the happenings of specific target demographics. For example, the Richmond Planet (1882-1938) was founded by 13 former Richmond slaves and strongly advocated for the African American community and racial justice [Information from Newspapers.com ‘s Richmond Planet archive].
Pictured below are various article fragments from different Richmond newspapers found on the archive:
Richmond Whig, April 10, 1865, on General Robert E. Lee's surrender and a list of properties destroyed from the Richmond Confederate evacuation fire.
Richmond Planet, Nov. 16, 1889, on the failure to uphold African American voting rights in the United States.
Richmond Times-Dispatch, Jan. 6, 1925, article on “John Richmond Cake,” a beloved stray dog who frequented Broad Street.
Richmond Times-Dispatch, Dec. 30, 1928, “Presenting the Byrd Theatre”
- Gabrielle Dietrich, VCU undergraduate majoring in International Studies and French with a minor in History. She graduates in the Spring of 2024.
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