The Scopes Trial was one of the most controversial, widely reported, and well-researched court cases of the twentieth century. However, historians and other researchers have largely ignored the African American community's reaction and response to the trial, leaving out valuable perspectives on this historic event. In this article, the author…

This is an introduction to American newspapers. It starts with a history of newspapers and the tradition of American journalism that challenges authority. The article offers a description and discussion of major American newspapers and the different sections of a typical newspaper. There is also a section introducing some famous American…

Reports that the domestic news media became part of the United States Government's propaganda scheme during the Truman and Eisenhower presidencies. Suggests that the strategizing of both administrations and the employee interchange between America's propaganda program and the private news arena created a press that became outspoken advocates of…

Analysis of the New York "Times's" financial column for the period October 13 to November 13, 1929, reveals that the column did not predict the stock market crash, that it was usually neutral in its financial analyses, and that it was more often optimistic than pessimistic in outlook. (FL)

Examines the events surrounding the Bay of Pigs coverage in the "Times" and concludes that the editors did not hold back the story. (FL)

A content analysis of four Washington state newspapers published in 1948 reveals that they did not provide fair coverage of the House UnAmerican Activities Committee's investigation of communist infiltration at the University of Washington. (FL)

Discusses the changes in journalism occurring during the growth of private enterprise in the United States. Focuses on newspapers in Chicago and other midwestern cities. Describes Joseph Pulitzer's "New York World" as the culmination of the urbanization of U.S. journalism, recognizing the development of public interdependence in a…

An examination of book reviews of Frederic Hudson's "Journalism History in the United States from 1690 to 1872" that appeared following the book's publication in 1873 reveal sharp negative criticisms of the book that raise questions about Hudson's accuracy. (GT)

Traces the history of the Black press in the United States from pre-Civil War abolitionist literature through the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Discusses both legal and nonofficial efforts to silence Black opinion through repression of the press. (GC)

Surveys the author's contribution to the Center for Social Studies Education curriculum on the Vietnam War. Focuses on "How the War Was Reported," a unit which raises four questions concerning the responsibilities of the government and the press for keeping the public informed. Encourages use of the curriculum in teaching about the…

In this unit of study high school students read and discuss U.S. newspaper articles reporting the trial and execution of the French king Louis XVI. Students look for key words and phrases that might indicate a subtle favorable or unfavorable opinion. (RM)

An analysis of 1938 newspaper editorials about Orson Welles' notorious "War of the Worlds" broadcast reveals that they explained audience reaction on the grounds of gullibility, the ominous threat of war, and the technique of the broadcast, and that they offered radio a rather stern lecture on the relationship between freedom and responsibility.…

Discusses the historical development of the media. Describes the U.S. media as beginning with colonial newspapers and development of the concept of a public sphere. Suggests that the rise of a market economy and the Industrial Revolution transformed the press from partisans to professionals concerned with presenting all sides of issues. (DK)

This study was designed to determine which kinds of printing--religious, government, or political--provided the highest volume (number of pages) of printing business for the Boston newspaper publishers from 1763 through 1775; which kind produced the most income; and which of the publishers appeared to be the most prosperous from 1763 through 1775.…

Considers the way in which Drew Pearson--who was involved in more than 100 libel actions during his reporting career--fared in the courts and was affected by the ever-evolving libel law. (GT)