Early American Newspapers: Series 17, 1844-1922

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.