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Early American Newspapers: Series 17, 1844-1922

American Heartland

Explore the history, culture, and growth of the Midwestern United States
Summary
Learn what makes this product unique
  • More than 60 Midwestern newspapers published in 10 American states during a crucial period in the region’s evolution
  • Vivid accounts and original reporting capture the dramatic growth and tumultuous transformation of the American heartland
  • Research applications across U.S. history, including industrialization, immigration, women’s studies, and other widely taught topics

The American Midwest has played a central role in shaping the nation’s history and culture, particularly during the mid-19th and early 20th centuries. During this era railroads and canals were constructed, enslaved peoples were emancipated and smuggled to freedom, the frontier was expanded, and waves of industrialization, immigration and urbanization swept the region. Newspapers published across the Midwestern U.S.—in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin—covered these and other heavily researched topics in detail, providing an unparalleled record of this pivotal time in the country’s past.

Diverse perspectives from the historical record
Early American Newspapers, Series 17: American Heartland is the only collection to bring this important and diverse set of newspapers together in a single digital resource, offering a multitude of new research and teaching opportunities. With more than 60 titles spanning 80 years, Series 17: American Heartland offers essential insights into the people and issues that shaped history in the Midwest and beyond. Researchers will find firsthand reporting, editorial opinions, compelling images, eye-catching advertisements and more, all shedding local light on daily life and culture in the region, as well as on major events from the Civil War to World War I. And because Early American Newspapers, Series 17 includes not only general interest newspapers but also those aimed at military, bilingual, female, union and rural audiences, it captures a range of political, economic, ethnic and social viewpoints.

A captivating archive of Midwestern life
Among the many topics covered in Early American Newspapers, Series 17, students and scholars will discover fresh accounts of the contributions of immigrants to American culture; slavery, abolitionism and the Underground Railroad; industrial innovations, including Rockefeller’s refineries and Ford’s assembly line; the socialist movement; the women’s suffrage movement; the First Great Migration of African Americans from Southern states; the ideological foundations of the Democratic and Republican parties; the rise of unions; and much more.

Notable newspapers from across the Heartland
Series 17, like previous series of Early American Newspapers, offers titles listed in the authoritative bibliographies by Clarence S. Brigham and Winifred Gregory. A distinguished academic advisory board guided the selection process. Notable publications include the Daily Reporter (Milwaukee), Western Rural (Detroit), Women’s Press (Chicago), Indianapolis Journal, Madison Daily Democrat, Chicago Daily Socialist, Courier News (Fargo), Farmer’s Advocate (Topeka), Jewish Independent (Cleveland) and more than 50 others.

Give It a Try
Take a step toward access for your library

The Early American Newspapers series is available within America’s Historical Newspapers.

“…an essential source…”
“Makes research for scholars and students much easier and more rewarding.”
Graham Hodges, George Dorland Langdon Jr. Professor of History, Colgate University
Areas of Study
This product supports the following subjects
African American Studies
American Studies
Business History
Ethnic Studies
Immigration Studies
Politics
US History
War & Conflict
Women's Studies
Title List
Reviews & Accolades
Notable Titles

Daily Reporter (Milwaukee, WI; )

  • Official paper of the city and county of Milwaukee, and one of the leading general-interest papers of Wisconsin.  

Western Rural (Detroit, MI; 1865-1883)

  • Widely distributed, Western Rural covered “western farms, western homes, and western affairs in general” as proclaimed on its masthead. 

Women’s Press (Chicago, IL; 1919)

  • A rare early women’s paper from this region.  

Milwaukee Leader (Milwaukee, WI; 1911-1916)

  • The leading socialist newspaper in Wisconsin and throughout the region, it was one of only three English-language socialist dailies published in America during this era. 

Volksfreund und Arbeiter Zeitung (Cleveland, OH; 1908-1915)

  • A powerful socialist paper published bilingually in English and German. 

Chicago Evening Post (Chicago, IL; 1903-1904)

  • One of Chicago’s leading general-interest dailies, it led many anti-corruptions campaigns and was an early pioneer of investigative journalism. 

Courier News (Fargo, ND; 1917)

  • The official newspaper of the county and a leading paper in North Dakota during this era. 

Farmer’s Advocate (Topeka, KS; 1900-1908)

  • The leading populist/socialist paper published mainly for farmers throughout the region. 

Jewish Independent (Cleveland, OH; 1916-1918)

  • The leading English-language paper in the Jewish press of Ohio during this era.  

Chicago Daily Socialist (Chicago, IL; 1906-1912)

  • Published by the local Cook County Socialist Party, this influential and controversial paper was the second English-language socialist daily in America.

Galena Industrial Press (Galena, IL; 1874-1890)

  • This widely distributed weekly covered the impact of early industrialization across the state.  

Other notable titles include the Indianapolis Journal, Madison Daily Democrat, Cherokee Times, Dubuque Leader, Soldier’s Letter, Grand Rapids Chronicle, Penny Press, Communist, Ohio Socialist, Badger State Banner, and many others.
 

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Series List
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