Delaware has a strong collection of old newspapers available for historical and genealogical research. These serials, including the city dailies in Wilmington and many weeklies in communities all over New Castle, Kent, and Sussex counties, provide an invaluable resource for those studying the past. But, too, there is a seldom-used collection of African-American newspapers published…
Year: 2014
Online References for the Study of Temperance and Prohibition
As a visiting scholar and member of the speakers’ bureau at the Delaware Humanities Forum, I lecture on several subjects examining the past in the First State. The one on temperance and prohibition has received lots of attention lately, as organizations invite me to outline historical attempts to regulate the consumption of alcohol. This subject…
Observing the Memorial Arts and History in Old Cemeteries
Often when I visit an unfamiliar community for work or vacation, I will pause during my stay to visit the local cemetery. These old burial grounds are representative of the collective history of a place, and they provide fascinating insight into era and geographically specific cultural norms, artistic values, ethnic influences, and community history. A walk…
Eastern Shore of Virginia Newspapers Online
Special collections institutions continue to digitize newspaper collections rapidly, making them openly available to researchers. These valuable resources aid genealogists, local historians, and public scholars in digging into the past. On those old pages are many print columns about the local community and the people. While doing fieldwork on Lower Delmarva, I recently needed access…