UC Riverside’s California Digital Newspaper Collection, or CDNC, has received a $321,282 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, or NEH, to participate in the National Digital Newspaper Program, or NDNP, which is managed by the Library of Congress. The CDNC is one of several digital humanities projects within UCR’s Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research, or CBSR.  

The grant will be used to digitize a collection of newspapers serving Black communities in the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas between World War II and 1963. UCR’s project is part of the NEH initiative American Tapestry: Weaving Together Past, Present, and Future, emphasizing the role of the humanities in tackling contemporary social challenges. 

“The NEH awards provides the Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research with funds to ensure that students, scholars, and the broad American public have high-quality, free-of-charge, and open access to the press archives of Black California,” said Daryle Williams, the dean of UCR’s College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. “Within the digitization of various newspapers, we have on our screens the voice, vibrancy, and turmoil of African American communities in Los Angeles and the Bay Area, from the interwar period through the Civil Rights era.” 

Brian Geiger, director of the CBSR, said this will be the first NDNP project to focus on the Black experience after World War II and “the Second Great Migration.” 

 “These papers will be invaluable resources for anyone studying 20th Century American history,” Geiger said.  

The award is among $41.3 million in grants announced in August by NEH to support 280 humanities projects nationwide. UCR’s award is one of 12 NDNP grants that will aid in digitization of local newspapers. 

The NDNP started in 2005, with UCR one of the initial participants. Past UCR digitization projects have included for pre-1923 papers such as the San Francisco Chronicle and the LA Herald; Gold-Rush Era papers; Borderland papers from Imperial County;, and the Spanish-language newspaper La Opiníion. 

The title page of the first edition of the May 22, 1917, issue of the Atlanta Georgian reports on the destruction caused by the Great Atlanta Fire of 1917 and the city’s effort to control the damage.

This issue marks the 3 millionth page digitized by the Digital Library of Georgia.

The newspaper circulated daily from 1906 to 1939, was the first Hearst-owned newspaper in the South, and is the most prominent example of sensationalist yellow journalism in Georgia. In its first year of publication, the paper infamously printed stories intended to inflame racial tensions that contributed to the start of the Atlanta Race Massacre of 1906.

Famed newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst purchased the Atlanta Georgian in 1912. Under his ownership, the paper printed increasingly scandalous headlines and illustrations that dramatized local crimes, including its coverage of the Leo Frank case in Atlanta.

The digitization of this title was funded through a grant from an anonymous donor as part of their mission to provide resources that promote a greater understanding of Georgia’s history during this important period.

We have developed an online press kit, available at bit.ly/dlg3millionwhich includes:

• An image, description, and link out to our 3 millionth page;
• A link to our press release;

• An interactive map showing which cities and counties in Georgia have newspapers digitized by the DLG;
• Eleven impact stories that demonstrate how digitized historic newspapers have helped people find what they were looking for;
• A link to Covers Dixie Like the Dew”: A History of Newspaper Journalism in Georgia
• A blog post of the 5 favorite newspaper pages written by DLG staff;
• Links to instructional videos on how to use the Georgia Historic Newspapers site.

Since 2007, the DLG has provided access to the state’s historic newspapers, with the majority having been digitized from microfilm produced by the Georgia Newspaper Project (GNP).

With the launch of the Georgia Historic Newspapers (GHN) site in July 2017, the DLG has maintained that tradition by bringing together new and existing resources into a single, consolidated website where newspapers dating from 1763-2023 are full-text searchable and can be browsed by city, title, date, keyword, or region.

Annually, DLG digitizes over 400,000 historic newspaper pages with funding from GALILEO, the University of Georgia Libraries, Georgia Public Library Service, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Institute for Museum and Library Services, the R. J. Taylor, Jr. Foundation, and dozens of cultural heritage institutions across the state. The DLG also microfilms more than 200 current newspapers. Historic newspaper pages are consistently the most visited of any DLG site.

You can read more at: https://blog.dlg.galileo.usg.edu/?p=8590. 

Malaysia said on Tuesday (Sep 5) it is considering regulations that will make internet giants Alphabet's Google and Facebook parent Meta Platforms compensate news outlets for content sourced from them.

Malaysia is in discussions with Google, Meta and other major online platforms over the regulatory framework, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said in a statement after meeting with officials from both companies.

The proposed regulations will be similar to rules in Australia, which in 2021 made it compulsory for Google and Meta to compensate media outlets for content that generates clicks and advertising dollars, the MCMC said.

The MCMC is also mulling rules similar to Canada's Bill C-11, which aims to regulate streaming platforms and requires them to support Canadian content.

It said the rules were part of government efforts to address "imbalances" in income for digital platforms and local media, and to ensure "fair compensation for news content creators".

The MCMC said it was also in discussions with the social media platforms to address online harm such as child sex abuse material, online gambling and financial scams.

Malaysia has increased scrutiny of online content under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who came to power in November.

The following book review was written by Bobbi King:

Vessels, The Women and Children of Plymouth Colony

By Donna A. Watkins. Publ. by American History Press (Staunton, Va.), 2021. 317 pages.

The author hWeakeras a sympathetic sense for the women and children of the Massachusetts Plymouth Colony. She wishes them remembered and commemorated as important and vital members of the first community, despite their immutable roles of subservience and struggles on a daily basis made arduous by the men who at least could feel in charge of their destinies and not under the rule and thumb of another class of citizens.

The prologue offers a brief overview and history of Plymouth Colony. Then on to the first chapter, where “Martyrs of the Mayflower,” describes the voyage with emphasis on the toll for the women, and relates the fate of the More Children, four children whose father paid enough to a stranger-merchant to take the children off his own negligent hands into the harsh, cold dangers of the sea voyage. Additional stories about other women and children of the Mayflower populate the chapter.

In “Laws and Standards,” we read about the setup of the colonial government and courts, and how the appointed custodians, all male of course, settled egregious punishments upon the women for such transgressions as “for her uncivil and outrageous railing words and carriages to the Deputy Governor, and afterwards before the whole court.”

Chapters cover marriage, fidelity, divorce, and “Danger and Desperation.” There are chapters about “Children’s Deaths,” and “Children in Service.” It’s not new news that women for generations have endured the yoke of male domination, but Weaker Vessels does present the situation in a fresh and different perspective. And of course, we all love to read history, and this is a specific history, and a well-written book, not just a rehash of an ancient theme. It’s a good book to read, and a good book to have.

The book is not all doom and gloom. In “Notable Women of Plymouth,” we read about some courageous and notable women. Mary Brewster had been with the Pilgrims from the beginning. Katherine Carver was the wife of the first governor. Alice Bradford offered warm hospitality to the bureaucrats as wife of Governor William Bradford. Other biographies present more of the Colony women in a distinguished light.

The author researched original court records, diaries and journals, and first-hand accounts, and those who are acquainted with her previous publication, Diverse Gashes, about her ancestors’ settlement and tragedy in Plymouth Colony, know the research is substantial and the storytelling is compelling.

Vessels, The Women and Children of Plymouth Colony is available from Amazon at from  https://www.amazon.com/Weaker-Vessels-Children-Plymouth-Colony/dp/1939995345 and from American History Press https://www.americanhistorypress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=5at: https://www.americanhistorypress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=58. 

The following announcement was written by the Register of Qualified Genealogists Conference:

The Register of Qualified Genealogists (RQG) are pleased to request call for papers for our forthcoming conference on 20 April 2024 ‘Sharing Memories: Uncovering your Family History through Storytelling’. The conference will be held in-person at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds.

We have a great line up of speakers including Professor Alison Light (author of Common People) Honorary Professor at Edinburgh University, University College London and a non-stipendiary Senior Research Fellow of Pembroke College, Oxford and, Michael Tobias OBE, Co-founder of Jewish Records Indexing – Poland, Honorary Research Fellow – Genealogical Studies at the University of Strathclyde and current President of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain. Further 
speaker announcements to follow. Full details including submission guidance is available on our conference webpage along with ticket options. Refreshments and lunch 
will be provided. Closing date for call for paper submissions: 19 November 2023 https://www.qualifiedgenealogists.org/2024-Conference

If you have any questions about the conference or submitting a paper, please contact me at joannekenyon@qualifiedgenealogists.org

From the MyHeritage Blog:

Labor Day is more than just a holiday, it’s a tribute to the spirit of the North American workforce. Instituted to honor and recognize the American labor movement, it celebrates the countless contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of their country. These are the very people who built cities, shaped industries, and laid the foundation for countless family stories. 

There’s no better time to explore the lives and professions of your ancestors through census records on MyHeritage. This Labor Day, MyHeritage invites you to connect with your family’s past and unearth your family’s stories with FREE access to our extensive U.S. and Canada Census records from September 2nd to 5th, 2023.

Search U.S. Census Records

Search Canada Census Records

U.S. Census records offer an enlightening glimpse into the day-to-day challenges and triumphs of your relatives in the United States. With 60 collections, totaling over 860 million records, you can trace family progressions, migrations, occupations, and so much more.

If your roots stretch to Canada, we have treasures for you too. Dive into our Canada Census records to uncover narratives from the north. With 13 collections and close to 40 million records, every page can hold a new revelation about your lineage.

While our Census records are an invaluable resource, the exploration doesn’t stop there. MyHeritage’s database of historical records consists of over 19.4 billion historical records. 

Take advantage of the free access to these expansive census records from September 2nd to 5th, and step into the shoes of your ancestors. 

Read more at: https://blog.myheritage.com/2023/08/dive-into-your-family-history-with-free-access-to-census-records-this-labor-day/. 

A library card is one of the most useful things you can have in your wallet. Libby offers free access to ebooks and audiobooks if you have a supported library card (some 90 percent of public libraries in North America now use OverDrive's app). Not only that, you can also use Libby to read a host of magazines for absolutely zilch. Some updates are coming to the app next month that should make it easier to read the likes of The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Bon Appetit and Wired for free.

Libby says there will be streamlined access to magazines, which will seemingly be easier to subscribe to and receive an alert when there's a new issue. There will be improved discovery, while you'll be able to start reading with a single tap.

The company notes that the app includes access to more than 4,000 magazines with up to three years of back issues. Unlike audiobooks, ebooks and other Libby offerings, there's no circulation cap on magazines and no restrictions on how many users can read them at once, so you won't have to wait — unless, that is, you still need to sign up at your local library first.

This article is not about any of the "normal" topics of this newsletter: genealogy, history, current affairs, DNA, and related topics. However, I offer it as a public service to the millions of folks planning flights:

Google has apparently amassed enough historical data to pinpoint when tickets for a large crop of routes are at their cheapest.

Google is trying to solve a problem that has long vexed travelers everywhere: When is the best time to book the cheapest flight? Starting this week, the company will answer that question through Google Flights.

The service is already designed to help you find the cheapest airline tickets from third-party providers. It shows you the cheapest flights for a given day and destination, and can show you how the fare compares to past price averages for the same route. 

But whether you should buy a plane ticket now or wait for prices to go down is something that has eluded Google Flights until now. 

The tech giant has apparently amassed enough historical data to pinpoint when tickets for a large crop of routes are at their cheapest. “For searches with reliable trend data, you’ll now see when prices have typically been lowest to book your chosen dates and destination,” Google wrote in a blog post on Monday.  

You can read more in an article by Michael Kan at: https://www.pcmag.com/news/google-flights-will-tell-you-the-cheapest-time-to-book-a-ticket. 

The following announcement was written by Findmypast:

Norfolk Memorials

Local resident Louise Cocker has been hard at work, photographing Norfolk headstones to both preserve them for the future, and make them easier to explore. A further 30,149 new additions have been added this week. The information you'll find does understandably vary from headstone to headstone, but typically, you can expect to see a first name, last name, and year of death, alongside a confirmation of which cemetery the grave was found in. However, you could be lucky enough to also find information such as a full date of birth or death, clues to the cause of death and even information about any relatives also buried there. 

Irish Army Census 1922  

Improvements have been made to this existing collection. The transcriptions have been expanded to include information such as rank, address, attestation dates, marital status, next of kin and other extra details from the original records. What's more, you can now also search the collection using some of this information, allowing you to narrow your search even further. 

Newspapers 

Three new titles, updates to a further 31, and over 265,138 new pages make up this week’s newspaper release. 

New titles: 

·         Skelmersdale Reporter, 1963, 1965-1972, 1976-1978 

·         Sutton & Epsom Advertiser, 1908-1914, 1916-1928 

·         Western Echo, 1899-1903, 1906-1915 

Updated titles: 

·         Atherstone News and Herald, 1887-1888 

·         Bath Journal, 1772-1773, 1775-1776, 1779-1783, 1786-1789, 1791-1798, 1800-1809, 1813, 1815-1816, 1820-1821 

·         Belfast News-Letter, 1957-1958 

·         Cambridge Chronicle and Journal, 1770-1812 

·         Cambridge Daily News, 1908 

·         Cornishman, 1990-1991 

·         Frome Journal, 1989 

·         Gloucester Citizen, 1991, 1994, 1996-1998 

·         Hinckley Echo, 1901-1902, 1904-1905, 1907-1908, 1913, 1916, 1918, 1942 

·         Holyhead Mail and Anglesey Herald, 1921-1929, 1931-1950 

·         Huddersfield and Holmfirth Examiner, 1864 

·         Ilfracombe Chronicle, 1879 

·         Leeds Evening Express, 1860-1861, 1865-1870 

·         Macclesfield Times, 1933, 1943, 1952 

·         Manchester Evening News, 1977-1979 

·         Medway News, 1993 

·         Paddington Mercury, 1995 

·         Portsmouth Evening News, 1960-1961 

·         Rochdale Observer, 1972, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1991 

·         Royston and Buntingford Mercury, 1990 

·         Runcorn Weekly News, 1979, 1983 

·         Sherborne Mercury, 1749-1750, 1752-1758, 1760, 1763-1764, 1766, 1772-1777, 1798, 1814, 1819, 1821, 1826, 1828 

·         St. Ives Weekly Summary, 1911 

·         Stalybridge Reporter, 1914-1916 

·         Streatham News, 1909-1916, 1931-1937 

·         Sunday Sun (Newcastle), 1926 

·         West Surrey Times, 1919 

·         Westerham Herald, 1882 

·         Widnes Weekly News and District Reporter, 1964-1971, 1973-1979 

·         Wokingham Times, 1945