Historic Newspapers: The 20th Century

THE DETROIT FREE PRESS, Wednesday, March 18, 1931

* "Dracula" the movie - opening day
* Vampires - pre-code Bela Lugosi film
* Detroit premiere advertisement (2 days prior)

Page 20 has the opening day advertisement for the premiere of the pre-code vampire film "DRACULA" in Detroit, Michigan ion Friday. (see images) This ad measures 5 x 4 inches and has a image of Bela Lugosi. 
Also on the same page is a short article with heading: "Vampire's Victim" with photo.
Complete with all 28 pages, light…

NEW YORK WORLD-TELEGRAM, April 7, 1942

* Battle of Bataan ending
* Allies surrendering to Japanese
* Philippines Campaign
* World War II - WWII

The front page has a nice banner headline in bold lettering: "BATAAN ATTACKS INCREASE IN FURY WITH HEAVY LOSS" with subhead. (see images) Nice for display. This Luzon Island province would fall two days later. The Japanese capture would eventually lead to the infamous Bataan Death March.
Complete with all 26 pages, light toning and minor wear at the margins,…

NEW YORK POST, Nov. 21, 1941 

* Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann declaration
* Impending post world War II Jewish refugees 
* Jews to have a future homeland in Palestine ? 

The top of page 13 has a one column heading: "Jewish Future Is in Palestine" (see images)
Complete with all 38 pages, light toning at the margins, small binding holes along the spine, generally in good condition.

Background: The events of late November 1941 marked a critical geopolitical pivot that irrevocably bound the fate of…

NEW YORK POST, Nov. 10, 1941 

* Winston Churchill's Mansion House speech 
* Declares England with fight against Japan 
* If they attack U.S. - World War II - WWII

The front page has a nice banner headline: "'WE'LL JOIN U. S. IN HOUR IF JAPS FIGHT'--CHURCHILL" (see images)
Complete with all 26 pages, light toning and minor wear at the margins, some small binding holes along the spine, generally nice.

Background: The historical significance of Churchill’s November 10, 1941 speech lies in its role as…

THE NEW YORK TIMES, April 16, 1949 

* Pope Pius XII's second encyclical 
* Jerusalem Israel & Palestine ordeal 
* Jews - Jewish - Judaica - Arabs 

The top of the front page has a two column heading: "Pope Wants Israel to Assure Catholic Rights in Palestine" with subhead. (see images) Complete text of the Pope's encyclical is on page 7.
Compete with all 28 pages, rag edition in nice condition.

Background: The significance of Redemptoris nostri cruciatus lies in its foundational role in shaping modern…

THE NEW YORK TIMES, April 18, 1949

* Republic of Ireland is born
* Leaves the British Commonwealth
* "First Freedom Day"

The top of the front page has a two column heading: "Irish Hail Birth of Republic With Fanfare and Jubilation" with subhead. (see images) 
Complete with 38 pages, light toning at the margins, nice condition.

Background: The birth of the Republic of Ireland on April 18, 1949, was a watershed moment that marked the final, formal severing of Ireland’s constitutional ties to the…

THE NEW YORK TIMES, section 11 only (Sunday edition), December 9, 1928

* George Bernard Shaw lecture
* Fabian Society - British socialist organization
* "The Future of Western Civilization"

The front page of this section 11 only has a nice banner headline: "SHAW PEERS DEEPLY INTO THE FURTURE; As Prophet of Western Civilization, He Sees the Main Struggle Between a Narrow Science and a Broad Culture, With Labor in Control of Government and Big Business in Command of Industry" with nice illustration.…

THE NEW YORK TIMES, Aug. 10, 1966 

* Civil Rights movement of the 1960's
* Southern "Jim Crow" segregation 

The top of the front page has a two column headline: "CIVIL RIGHTS BILL PASSED IN HOUSE BY 259-157 VOTE" with subheads. (see images) More on page 29. 
Complete with all 68 pages, good condition.

Background: The passing of the 1966 civil rights bill by the House of Representatives—and its subsequent death by Senate filibuster—signaled a critical turning point in the civil rights movement,…

THE NEW YORK TIMES, April 5, 1929

* New York Yankees "barnstorming" tour in the Southwest
* Babe Ruth & the Yanks at Waco, Texas for baseball game 
* German engine designer Karl Benz death (1st report)
* Inventor of 1st automobile ? - Mercedes-Benz co-founder

The top of page 20 has a six column heading: "11,000 Acclaim Ruth as Yankees Defeat Waco Team, 13-3" with subheads and box scores. (see images)
Page 25 has a one column heading: "CARL BENZ, 84, DIES; MADE FIRST AUTO" with subheads. First report…

THE NEW YORK TIMES, August 31, 1947

* Manolete gored & killed - bullfighter
* Manual Laureano Rodriguez Sanchez
* Miura bull Islero - bullfighting
* Funeral & burial 

Page 12 has a one column heading: "Matador Manolete Burid With Honors" (see) See image for text here.
Complete 1st section only with all 40 pages, rag edition in very nice condition.

Background: The death of Manolete marked the end of an era and fundamentally altered the cultural and psychological landscape of post-Civil War Spain. As…

THE SPRINGFIELD UNION, Mass., March 13, 1956

* "Southern Manifesto"signing 
* United States Congress presentation
* Defense of White Supremacy - racism
* "Jim Crow" era of the Southern Democrats

The top of page 4 has a one column heading: "RACIAL ISSUE DEBATE FLARES IN U.S. SENATE" with subhead. (see images) 
Complete with all 34 pages, light toning at the margins, good condition. 

Background: On March 12, 1956, the presentation of the Southern Manifesto to Congress marked a definitive, polarizing

CHICAGO SUNDAY TRIBUNE, Dec. 30, 1945

* Adolf Hitler & Eva Braun
* Last will and testament found
* Mystery child ? - suicide plans 

The top of the front page has a nice banner headline for display: "HITLER'S FAREWELL PAPERS!" with subheads and small photo of Braun. (see images) Lengthy report continues inside.
Complete 1st section only with all 18 pages, light toning at the margins, small binding holes along the spine, generally in very nice condition.

Background: The discovery and publication of…

CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE, Feb. 24, 1932

* January 28 Incident
* Shanghai, China
* Japanese offensive

The top of the front page has a nice banner headline: "HUGE JAP BOMB RAID FAILS" with subheads. A few related photos on the back page. Always nice to have notable events in history reported in this World famous publication.
Complete with 28 pages, rag edition in great condition. A few small binding holes along the spine.

Background: The February 24, 1932, rag edition of the Chicago Tribune captures a…

THE NEW YORK TIMES, June 5, 1930

* Blenheim - Thoroughbred race horse
* Wins Epsom Derby - Surrey, England UK
* Owner Aga Khan III

The sport's section (page 19) has a banner headline: "500,000 See Blenheim, 18 to 1 Shot, Win English Derby; The Scout II Is 15th" with subheads and photo. (see images) First report coverage on Blenhhaim, owned by Aga Khan III, winning the Epsom Derby
Complete with 52 pages, rag edition in nice condition.

Background: The 1930 Epsom Derby was a watershed moment that…

THE DETROIT FREE PRESS, February 26, 1948 

* Communists take over Czechoslovakia 
* Czechoslovak coup d'etat
* Soviet Union - Russia

The front page has a one column heading: "Czech Police Open Fire on Students" with subhead and related photo. (see images)
Complete with all 30 pages, light toning and a little wear at the margins, small binding holes along the spine, generally in good condition.

Background: The 1948 Czechoslovak coup d'état, captured so vividly on the front page of The Detroit Free…

Sunday edition CALENDAR SECTION only of the Los Angeles Times, Dec. 30, 1990 

* West Coast hip-hop gangsta rap music 
* M.C. Hammer - Vanilla Ice and more 

Often revered as the undisputed "bible" of Hollywood, the Sunday Calendar section occupied a rare space in journalism where a single publication could simultaneously dictate global entertainment trends and govern the inner workings of show business. Today, physical copies are an absolute rarity, largely because they were printed on standard,…

DAILY WORKER, New York, Feb. 22, 1956

* Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott
* Negroes hold meeting to continue 
* Ralph Abernathy & other key figures

This publication, The Worker, represents the official voice and ideological "mouthpiece" of the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) during one of the most volatile periods of the Cold War.
The front page has a heading that reads: "Alabama Negroes Bar Bus Compromise". (see images)
Original physical issues of The Worker from the 1950s are exceptionally rare today

LOS ANGELES TIMES, June 1, 1980 

* Oregon State Hospital investigated expose
* 1975 film "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"

Near the bottom of the front page has a  heading: "Criminals Face Reality in Experiment" with lead-in: "LOCALE FOR 'CUCKOO'S NEST'" (SEE IMAGES)
Complete 1st section only with 30 pages, nice condition.

Background: The significance of the 1980 Oregon State Hospital "experiment"—and Dave Smith's sharp-eyed chronicling of it—lies in how it exposed the structural failures of a…

THE KNICKERBOCKER PRESS, March 16, 1933  

* Early newspaper advertisement (eve)
* King Kong, the movie for opening day

The back page has a 8 1/2 x 6 inch advertisement for the opening day premiere of "KING KONG" in Albany the very next day. (see images)
Complete with 16 pages, light toning and a little wear at the margins, irregular along the spine, generally good.

Background: The Albany premiere of King Kong on March 17, 1933, arrived at a pivotal cultural and economic crossroads for both the…

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, August 31, 1942

* Battle of Milne Bay
* World War II - WWII
* Pacific theater campaign

The front page has a nice headline: "M'ARTHUR TRAPS JAPS IN MILNE BAY AMBUSH" with subheads. (see images) 
Complete 1st section only with 8 pages a little light staining, a few small binding holes along the spine, generally in good condition.

Background: The Battle of Milne Bay, culminating in the decisive stand at No. 3 Airstrip on August 31, 1942, was a monumental psychological and…

CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE, March 26, 1933 

* Jewish persecution beginning 
* Nazi Germany gaining power 

The front page has a one column heading: "GERMAN JEWS FEAR RETURN OF OLD BONDAGE" with subhead. (see images) More on page 6.
Complete with all 26 pages, rag edition in very nice condition. A few small binding holes along the spine. 

Background: The events of March 1933 in Frankfurt am Main served as a critical, localized blueprint for the systematic destruction of Jewish life that would soon engulf…

Sunday CALENDAR SECTION only of the Los Angeles Times, Oct. 26, 1986 

* Very early "Guns' N' Roses" & "Red Hot Chili Peppers"
* Hard "Sleaze-Rock & Alternative funk-punk music 
* Axl Rose - Slash - Izzy Stradlin - Duff McKagan - Steven Adler
* Pre "Appetite for Destruction" album release (about 8 months prior)
* UCLA - "University of California, Los Angeles" campus 

Often revered as the undisputed "bible" of Hollywood, the Sunday Calendar section occupied a rare space in journalism where a single…

Sunday CALENDAR SECTION only of the Los Angeles Times, Feb. 14, 1999 

* Detroit rapper EMINEM album release party
* "Slim Shady" hip-hop - horrorcore rap music 
* Record label "Aftermath Entertainment" - Dr. Dre  

Often revered as the undisputed "bible" of Hollywood, the Sunday Calendar section occupied a rare space in journalism where a single publication could simultaneously dictate global entertainment trends and govern the inner workings of show business. Today, physical copies are an absolute…

NEW YORK TIMES, June 6, 1950  

* Colleges not permitted to discriminate based on race
* McLaurin vs. Oklahoma State Regents & more
* United States Supreme Court decisions

The top of the front page has a one column heading: "SEGREGATION IS BANNED IN THREE CASES" with subhead. (see images)
Complete with 30 pages, light toning at the margins, minor spine wear, generally very nice.

Background: On June 5, 1950, the U.S. Supreme Court issued several landmark decisions advancing civil rights and…

THE NEW YORK TIMES, October 28, 1945

* "Navy Day" Central Park, New York City
* Post World War II military celebration
* President Harry S. Truman speeches & more

The front page has a nice banner headline: "TRUMAN BARS RECOGNITION OF 'IMPOSED' REGIMES AND SETS 12-POINT U. S. POLICY FOR WORLD PEACE; 5,000,000 SEE MIGHTIEST NAVAL AND AIR DISPLAY" with subheads and related photo. Lengthy coverage continues on inside pages with more photos. Loads of text.
Other news, sports and advertisements of the…

THE NEW YORK TIMES, Oct. 25, 1945 

* Creation of the United Nations - UN
* Collective security for global stability
* Post World War II universal human rights
* Institutionalized Humanitarianism

The top of the front page has a one column heading: "CHARACTER BECOMES 'LAW OF NATIONS,' 29 RATIFYING IT" (see images) 
Complete with all 38 pages, rag edition in great condition.

Background: The establishment of the United Nations on October 24, 1945, stands as a monumental pivot point in modern history,…

CALENDAR SECTION only of the Los Angeles Times, Dec. 17, 2010

* Best "Tron: Legacy" film advertisement
* Grand Opening Day movie premiere 
* Walt Disney science fiction action

A terrific issue on the premiere of the motion picture film "Tron: Legacy" and perhaps no better issue could be found than this, the leading newspaper from the home of the entertainment industry - the Hollywood area's prime publication.

Note: Where else might one find authentic, poster-size ads for Opening Day showings, in…

LOS ANGELES TIMES, June 20, 1992 

* L.A. street gangs - Post-"The Watts Truce"
* The Bloods and the Crips rivalry ending ?

Near the bottom of the front page is a two column heading: "Gangs Demand their Place at Table of Opportunity" with subhead. Coverage continues inside with two related photos. (see images)
I suspect this to be an extremely rare item because there was really no reason to save it at the time.
Complete with all sections (120+ pages), very nice condition.

Background: This issue…

THE NEW YORK TIMES. Sept. 13, 1933 

* Jewish boxer Barney Ross w/ photo
* World lightweight boxing championship
* vs. Tony Canzoneri at Polo Grounds in NYC

The top of page 23 has a banner heading: "35,000 See Ross Outpoint Canzoneri in World's Lightweight Title Battle" with subhead, photo of Ross and round by round description. (see images) 
Complete with all 42 pages, rag edition in great condition.

Background: The Sept. 12, 1993, rematch between Barney Ross and Tony Canzoneri holds immense…

LOS ANGELES TIMES, Sept. 4, 1993 

* Snoop Doggy Dogg & first degree murder charge
* West Coast hip-hop gangsta & G-Funk Rapper 

Page 16 of section B has a four column heading: "Rap Star Faces Murder Charge, Appears at MTV Fest" (see images) I suspect this to be an extremely rare item because there was really no reason to save it at the time.
Complete with all sections (120+ pages), very nice condition.

Background: This specific issue captures the definitive flashpoint where "Gangsta Rap" ceased to…

LOS ANGELES TIMES, April 12, 1981 

* Young Eve Marie Shahoian w/ photo
* Child classical vocalist prodigy
* Opera & jazz singer and songwriter 

The bottom of page has a heading: "10-Year-Old Must Be Seen, and Heard" with lead-in: "Her voice Is as Golden as Her Hair" and photo of Eve Marie Shahoian. (see images) 
Complete 1st section only with all 36 pages, nice condition.

Background: The significance of Eve Marie Shahoian’s musical trajectory lies in her rare ability to successfully transition from…

PARADE magazine section only of the Detroit Free Press, Jan. 29, 1956

* Actress Lauren Bacall color cover photo
* Hollywood marriage with Humphrey Bogart

 The front page of this section has a nice color photo of a young Elizabeth Montgomery. And pages 14 & 15 has three more photos of the aspiring actress with some text. See below for more details.
Complete with 24 pages, a little irregular along the top margin, otherwise very nice.

Background: This specific feature captures Lauren Bacall and…

SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN, Mass., June 6, 1921

* Pueblo, Colorado flood disaster

The top of the front page has a three column headline: "TWO MORE FLOODS VISIT PUEBLO--100 BODIES FOUND PESTILENCE WORST MENACE" with subheads. (see images)
Complete with all 16 pages, light toning and a little wear at the margins, generally good.

Background: The 1921 Pueblo flood was a profound turning point that permanently altered the economic, political, and physical landscape of Colorado. Prior to the disaster,…

THE SPRINGFIELD UNION, Mass. Aug. 3, 1946 

* Battle of Athens, Tennessee 
* McMinn County War 
* Corrupt local government 
* World War II veterans - voting

The front page has a two column heading: "GI's on Patrol in Tennessee After Bitter Election Fight" with subhead. (see images)
Complete with all 14 pages, light toning at the margins, nice condition.

Background: The Battle of Athens holds profound historical significance as a rare, successful instance of armed domestic insurrection in 20th-century…

DER TAGESSPIEGEL--Extra, Berlin, Germany Nov. 10, 1989 

* Fall of the Berlin Wall (early report)
* It is BEST to have reports from the city where an event occurred

This four page extra has a great full front page photo showing citizens celebrating on top of the Berlin Wall with banner headline: "Die Nacht der offenen Grenzen in Berlin" (The Night of Open Borders in Berlin). Much more on page 2 & 3 with more photos and headlines that include: "Berlin wird diese Nacht nicht vergessen" (Berlin will…

LOS ANGELES TIMES, December 3, 1977

* Hillside Strangler serial killings
* Best title to be had ? (rare as such)

The front page has a two column heading: "Police Phones Flooded With Tips on 'Hillside Stangler'"" with subhead. (see images) Coverage continues inside with related photo.
And the front page of section II has two column heading: "Woman Criminalists Help Stalk 'Hillside Strangler'" Continues inside with another related photo.
Great to have in this L.A. publication. 
Complete first 2…

LOS ANGELES TIMES, Dec. 28, 1978

* John Wayne Gacy arrest
* Serial "killer clown" exposed
* Bodies discovered in crawl space

Here is nice issue on the discovery of John Wayne Gacy's crimes in a Chicago suburb. The top of page 8 has a heading: "6 More Bodies Found at Illinois Home; Total Now 15" with subhead. (see images)
Complete 1st section only with all 32 pages, light toning at the margins, nice condition.

Background: The exposure of John Wayne Gacy’s crimes in late December 1978 marked a…

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE. Aug. 29, 1942 

* Lyudmila Pavlichenko visits America 
* Soviet female sniper in the Red Army
* Amazing 309 confirmed kills of Nazis  

The bottom of the front page has a three column heading: "A Russian Woman Sniper Speaks" (see images) 
Complete with 26 pages, light toning at the margins, small binding holes along the spine, generally nice.

Background: The late August 1942 American tour of Soviet Lieutenant Lyudmila Pavlichenko, as captured in The Springfield Union, marks a…

Sunday CALENDAR SECTION only of the Los Angeles Times, June 18, 1989

* First "NIRVANA" performance in L.A. 
* Early American "Grunge Rock" band 
* Al's Bar performance notice - "Bleach"
* Curt Cobain - Chad Channing - Krist Novoselic

Often revered as the undisputed "bible" of Hollywood, the Sunday Calendar section occupied a rare space in journalism where a single publication could simultaneously dictate global entertainment trends and govern the inner workings of show business. Today, physical…

LOS ANGELES TIMES, April 22, 1985 

* Madonna arrives in Southern California for the first time (career)
* Upcoming Los Angeles's Universal Amphitheatre - "The Virgin Tour" 

The front page of the "Calendar Section" has a headline: "MADONNA MAKES A HOT TOPIC" with showing Madonna in her iconic lace outfit with hanging crucifixes. (see images) 
I suspect this to be an extremely rare item because their was really no reason to save it at the time.
Provenance note: This issue comes from The Los Angeles…

LOS ANGELES TIMES, Aug. 9, 1976 

* John "Handsome Johnny" Roselli
* "Chicago Outfit"mobster assassination

The front page has a nice banner headline: "2nd Castro Plot Figure Slain" with subhead and photo of Roselli. (see images) 
Complete with all sections (60+ pages), nice condition.

Background: The assassination of John Roselli was executed with a level of calculated savagery designed to terrorize any other potential mob informants. After being lured to a yacht under the pretense of a social…

CALENDAR SECTION only of the Los Angeles Times, Feb. 14, 1985 

* Early "Metallica" heavy metal band 
* Hollywood Palladium advertisement 
* Bassist Cliff Burton era - "Ride the Lightning"

This Calendar section of the Times is loaded with entertainment related material throughout. Page 61 has a 4 x 3 3/4 inch advertisement with a few upcoming performances at The Hollywood Palladium including one by Metallica with Armored Saint. (see images)
A very early item for this San Francisco based Heavy Metal…

CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE, April 30, 1936 

* Zoltán Böszörmény’s May Day Coup Plan foiled

The front page has a nice banner headline for display: "FOIL NAZI PLOT IN HUNGARY" with subheads. (see images) See below for details.
Complete with all 32 pages, rag edition, vertical crease along the 1st column of the front page, nice condition.

Background: The foiling of Zoltán Böszörmény’s May Day Coup Plan on April 29, 1936, holds profound historical significance because it exposed the volatile, fractured…

DAILY WORKER, New York, March 16, 1956

* "Southern Manifesto"challenged
* Senator Herbert H. Lehman expose
* Defense of White Supremacy - racism
* "Jim Crow" era of the Southern Democrats

This publication, The Worker, represents the official voice and ideological "mouthpiece" of the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) during one of the most volatile periods of the Cold War.
The front page has a headline that reads: "Lehman Scores Ike's Evasion on Racist Manifesto" (see images)
Original physical issues of The

BOSTON EVENING TRANSCRIPT, Nov. 29, 1933 

* End of prohibition (final week) - beer & liquor returning
* Repeal of 18th Amendment with applied 21st Amendment 

The front page has two reports regarding the closing chapter on U.S. prohibition with one column headings: "Tavern May Be Stricken from Liquor Bill" and "Speakeasies Flourish, Says Crime Report" and subheads. (see images)
Complete with 32 pages, light toning and a little wear at the margins, small archival mend along the bottom margin…

THE NEW YORK TIMES, March 27, 1919

* Rutherford & other Russellites
* Atlanta Prison release (1st report)
* Pastor Charles Taze Russell followers
* Christian restorationist minister
* Founder of the Jehovah's Witnesses

The top of page 6 has a small and somewhat discrete one column heading:  "Russellites Out Of Prison" with subhead. (see images)
Twenty-two pages, light toning, a little spine wear, generally in good condition.

Background:On March 26, 1919, a group of leaders from the Watch Tower Bible…

THE NEW YORK TIMES, April 17, 1929 

* English occultist Aleister Crowley
* "The Wickedest Man in the World"
* Practiced the religion of "Thelema"
* "Black Magik" - "The Beast 666" 
* Expulsion from the country of France  

Page 17 has a somewhat discrete but exetremely rare report re. Aleister Crowley with a one column heading: "Paris To Expel A. Crowley" with subhead: "Order Against 'Black Majic Authority' Becomes Effective Today" (see images) 
Aleister Crowley was the inspiration of a famous Ozzy…

THE DETROIT NEWS, April 4, 1929 

* Albert Einstein's Unified field theory

The top of page 49 has a two column heading: "Einstein Find He's Right In His Latest Discovery" (see images) 
Complete with all 60 pages, light toning and a little wear at the margins, generally in good condition.

Background: The convergence of Albert Einstein’s search for a Unified Field Theory and the intelligence scrutiny surrounding him in Berlin during this exact window in 1929 marks a profound historical intersection…