Ft Worth Times

Breaking news! The Fort Worth History Center recently published newly digitized editions of The Fort Worth Press – from about 100 years ago. Specifically, issues of the tabloid newspaper published from 1921 to 1932 are now available online and can be more easily searched using keywords.

Why it matters: To encourage digging into digital Press archives, the History Center is coordinating a virtual scavenger hunt in which participants are asked to answer a set of 10 questions with information found in the newspaper. Now through July 27, those who complete all the questions and submit their answers online will be in the running for an exclusive Fort Worth History Center/Fort Worth Press tote bag.

The project to scan the first 11 years of Press issues was made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (Texas State Library and Archives Commission).

What they’re saying: “I hope everyone will find something that delights them, answers a burning question for them, or both,” said Linda Barrett, who manages the History Center. “Many people who already use newspaper databases to conduct research have wanted The Press to be digitized for years, because being able to search a database for a term you are researching is much more efficient than scrolling through microfilm for hours on end.”

Barrett said the History Center was awarded a second grant that will fund the scanning of more editions up to 1945.

“This will be significant as it will cover the rest of the Great Depression — particularly the years when the Works Progress Administration and the Public Works Administration were active in Fort Worth,” she said. “As well as World War II, which is when Fort Worth’s history as a training center for World War I pilots helped it burgeon into an aviation leader in the U.S.”

Go deeper: Past issues of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, which still publishes today, have been available online.

• Making The Fort Worth Press more accessible offers a different take on the news of the day.
• The Star-Telegram was a member of The Associated Press, while The Press was part of the United Press Syndicate.
• Not only was news covered differently at each paper, Barrett said, but if a specific news item or an obituary wasn’t published in one paper, it was likely published in the other.

“I hope that Humanities (history, sociology and journalism) teachers will use this not only to teach students how to research in their field, but also to teach media literacy,” she said. “And also the difference between The Associated Press and the United Press.”

The Fort Worth Press ceased publication in 1975. Barrett said she and her staff would love to hear from any former Press employees or those who had a family member employed there.

Original source can be found here.