Recent Stories
Up From Slavery: The Black Press
2012 marks the notable anniversaries of two groundbreaking newspapers in the black press and American journalism: Freedom’s Journal and The North Star.
On March 16, 1827, Samuel E. Cornish and John B. Russwurm — two black men born free — founded Freedom’s Journal in New York City. Its goal was to counter New York newspapers that ridiculed African Americans and promoted slavery. Its motto: “Righteousness exalteth a nation.”
For the first time in history, an American newspaper was owned and published by blacks.
Freedom’s Journal became the benchmark for an influential and deeply personal black press that helped unite African Americans by giving them a voice, community self-awareness and a prominent role in a changing world.
In the inaugural edition Cornish, a Presbyterian minister, and Russwurm, a member of the Haytian Emigration Society and the second African American to graduate from a U.S. college, laid out their mission in words that spoke for many minority publishers.
“We wish to plead our own cause. Too long have others spoken for us. Too long has the publick been deceived by misrepresentations, in things which concern us dearly.”
Freedom’s Journal vowed to speak out in “thunder tones” until whites and blacks were viewed equally. The newspaper was the first of 40 African-American newspapers from 1827 to 1865 to call for slavery’s end. Its influence was so widespread that it was barred from the South.
A dispute between Cornish and Russwurm killed Freedom’s Journal in 1829. Russwurm believed blacks should return to Africa; he emigrated to Liberia in 1828 where he edited the Liberia Herald and worked as a government official.
Cornish founded The Colored American, where he continued to campaign against slavery. Without newspapers “by and with us,” he said, “we cannot live in America.”
Twenty years later on Nov. 1, 1847, Frederick Douglass, an escaped slave who lectured widely about the evils of slavery, founded The North Star in Rochester, N.Y. The crusading weekly also advocated for women’s rights. Its motto: “Right is of no Sex — Truth is of no Color — God is the Father of us all, and we are all Brethren.”
The North Star was named after a popular ballad sung by runaway slaves. Few African Americans could read during this time, but many knew freedom songs such as “The North Star” by heart, which gave slaves directions to the free northern states: Follow the drinking gourd and the North Star. The newspaper, along with Douglass’s powerful writing, had worldwide appeal.
“Justice must be done, the truth must be told. I will not be silent,” he said about the paper’s founding.
Douglass also published Frederick Douglass’ Weekly, Douglass’ Monthly, and New National Era, all with funds from British supporters. He kept fighting slavery and racial discrimination even after racists burned his house and newspapers.
The North Star was later renamed Frederick Douglass’ Paper and appeared until 1860.
An 1848 issue of The North Star is currently displayed in the News Corporation News History Gallery. The four-page edition of Frederick Douglass’ Paper, published May 25, 1860, is also in the Newseum’s collection of historic newspapers.
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Will You Be My Running Mate?
Will You Be My Running Mate? New Two-for-One Deal at the Newseum
WASHINGTON — During the month of February, the Newseum has a sweetheart offer for all visitors.
Here's the deal: From Feb. 1 through Feb. 29, 2012, buy one general-admission ticket and get a second one of equal or lesser value for free. Also included: Free "Be a TV Reporter" downloads.
Visitors must present promotion coupons at the admissions desk to take advantage of this special deal. This offer cannot be combined with other discounts, including Groupon. The second ticket must be used on the day of purchase.
February is filled with a lineup of programs and events for the whole family.
- Feb 11: Acclaimed biographer Sally Bedell Smith reveals little-known facts about the public and private lives of Queen Elizabeth II.
- Feb. 18: Spend a day with the Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital.
- Feb. 19: Author Tony Horwitz returns to the Civil War era in his new book that tells the gripping story of John Brown and his raid in Harpers Ferry, W.Va., that changed the course of history.
- Feb. 25: Washington Post movie critic Ann Hornaday previews the 84th annual Academy Awards.
- Feb. 26: Mike Allen, chief White House correspondent for Politico, assesses the 2012 presidential race.
Wikipedia
Why Wikipedia's Blackout Sent the Wrong Message
NASHVILLE — In an act of protest, Wikipedia shut down Wednesday to protest proposed bills in Congress designed to curb Internet piracy. It's a dramatic gesture that will no doubt get attention, but may have an unintended effect.
Most of the big Internet companies are opposed to the Stop Online Piracy Act in the Senate and the Protect Intellectual Property Act in the House of Representatives. The bills were drafted in response to music- and movie-industry concerns that off-shore websites were stealing copyrighted content and selling it back to U.S. consumers.
Newseum Visitors Shed Light on 'Black Wednesday'
By Marta Elena Sparrow
WASHINGTON — Wikipedia's all-day blackout Jan. 18 on its English-language website was a firm reminder of how much we rely on the Internet for instant information and how the absence of that information — even for one day — affects our daily lives.
Some members of Congress dropped their support of the bills after negative backlashes from constituents.
Wikipedia, along with Google, Craigslist and other major websites, participated in the "Black Wednesday" protest of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA) — two bills the companies believe would jeopardize free speech and censor the Web.
Proponents said the bills would create new jobs and protect copyright ownership by shutting down movie and music piracy websites.
Wikipedia was the only website to completely shut down its site for the day.
The blackout was addressed on the Newseum's Facebook page, where more than 200 people responded.
"I can survive a day without Wiki if it means we continue to have it censorship free!" said Melissa Williams Perner.
"Lame," said John Sharp. "Supposedly our freedoms are at stake here. Somehow I don't buy it. Large Internet companies saying SOPA and PIPA hurt economic development. (Look around my profession … the journalism profession.) Yep, a whole lotta economic development going on these days. Thanks Google!"
"I support SOPA," said Rusty Ray. "If you've ever had content stolen, or people making money illegally off your copyrighted content, you would too. Hiding behind foreign servers in countries that have lax laws and allow you to commit these acts is disgusting."
Most of the visitors to the Newseum agreed that the blackout was an effective way to bring public attention to the anti-piracy law. Laura Armstrong, 22, and a native Washingtonian, predicted it would gain support from the public.
"It's like the Occupy movement. Occupy the Internet," she said.
Tina Booth, a 42-year-old high school teacher on a field trip with her class from Ohio, added that the media attention to the blackout proved the protest achieved its goal.
"You're writing about it, aren't you," she said.
But she wondered if by going dark, Wikipedia had defeated its own purpose. By blocking access to its articles, including the ones about SOPA and PIPA, Wikipedia prevented people from finding more information about these bills, she said.
It's a real problem. The U.S. Constitution provides for copyright protection because authors and artists deserve to be compensated for their work. The creative community has been badly damaged by those who misappropriate others' creations.
Still, Congress's zeal to address these problems led to proposed legislation that is overbroad and gives government the right to block access to these so-called "rogue" sites. Many in the online community worry about giving government that much power and are concerned that content protected by the First Amendment would be suppressed along with pirated content.
In tweeting about the move, Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales said, "Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed, MLK. On Wednesday, Wikipedia demands." Many other sites have joined the blackout, including Reddit and Craigslist.
Other sites and online companies are using their web presence to speak out about the proposed legislation. Most notable is Google, which ran a black censorship strip across its logo.
Shutting down its English-language site in protest was Wikipedia's right; the First Amendment includes the right not to speak. Still, if Wikipedia, which reportedly serves more than 460 million people each month, and other prominent websites demonstrate their clout by shutting down for a single day, what is the most likely reaction?
Wales clearly hoped that people will think, "This must be a very bad law if all of these websites are going black today." More likely, though, is that a public increasingly reliant on websites for information will say, "Can they do that? How can they all get together and deprive us of our favorite sites? Shouldn't somebody do something about this so it doesn't happen again?"
Americans resent the idea of Big Brother, and many have a healthy suspicion about government and people in authority. But people also distrust the exercise of raw power, particularly in collaboration with others.
The odd thing is that this shutdown comes as both pieces of legislation are on the ropes. A massive backlash against the bills by the public and a wide range of organizations and industries means that these bills will not pass as written and there will be significant retooling.
If Wikipedia's blackout encourages high school students to turn to the Encyclopedia Britannica to research their school papers, that's not a bad thing. But in making the case for the free flow of information, speaking out beats blacking out.
Related Links:Tops of the Top Ten
Each weekday, Newseum editors peruse the front pages of more than 800 daily newspapers from 89 countries and select 10 that stand out from the rest. The five editors — one for each weekday — use their own discretion in choosing the front pages featured in "Today's Top Ten Front Pages."
The year 2011 was notable for big news stories: the deaths of Osama bin Laden, Moammar Gadhafi and Kim Jong Il; record-breaking weather, including devastating earthquakes, tornadoes, floods and tsunamis; fiscal meltdowns all over the world; Arab Spring. All of these stories were dutifully covered on the world's front pages.
For the first time since "Today's Top Ten Front Pages" was introduced in 2009, the Top Ten editors wanted to acknowledge their favorite front pages of 2011, the tops of the Top Ten.
"We recognize the year's best front pages because we think newspapers are important," said Paul Sparrow, senior vice president at the Newseum. "Creativity can elevate the daily paper to an art form. We want to encourage editors to take chances, to push the boundaries and make their newspapers a vibrant part of the community."
The Patriot-News of Harrisburg, Pa., made the bold move of publishing a full-page editorial on the Penn State child sex abuse scandal on Page One. The San Francisco Chronicle printed a rare color photograph of the city's Market Street in the aftermath of the 1906 earthquake. The Pioneer Press of St. Paul, Minn., used a titillating graphic and headline to highlight a provocative story on the "slut walk." The front page prompted an unusual number of responses on the Newseum's Facebook page.
All of the Top Ten year-end covers — perfect blends of compelling stories, great headlines, striking images, innovative designs, smart layouts and a bit of humor — appear chronologically and show newspapers at their very best.
The format of our weekend Top Ten — front pages from the most populous U.S. states and English-language newspaper in other countries — does not require an editor's input and often misses stand-out covers that would have made the list had they been published on weekdays.
Al-Ahram of Cairo, Egypt, was selected not only for its full-page treatment of the "young people's revolution" and the fall of Hosni Mubarak, but also for its editorial independence in covering the revolution at all. Egypt's press was downgraded in 2010 from "partly free" to "not free," due to a broad-based crackdown on bloggers and journalists by Egyptian authorities.
We offer an appreciative nod to these honorable mentions and salute Page One excellence seven days a week.
Related Links:Remembering Journalists We Lost
By Sharon Shahid, online managing editor
As 2011 comes to an end, the Newseum recognizes notable men and women who passed away this year whose contributions to journalism will not be forgotten.
Many of them are featured in Newseum galleries and exhibits and are honored separately from the journalists who were killed around the world trying to report the news. For a list of those names, please visit the Journalists Memorial.
Virginia O’Hanlon, c. 1897 (Courtesy James Temple)
Is There a Santa Claus? Yes, Virginia
Editor's Note: "Is There a Santa Claus?" is the most reprinted newspaper editorial in American journalism. In the spirit of that tradition, the Newseum has published the story behind it since 2007. It remains one of our most popular stories online.
American journalism's best-known editorial, a timeless tribute to childhood and the Christmas spirit, marked its 114th anniversary this year.
The editorial was published beneath the headline "Is There a Santa Claus?" in 1897 in the New York Sun, a gray but lively newspaper that began as a penny paper in 1833. The editorial's author was Francis Pharcellus Church, a veteran journalist who was assigned to write a reply to a letter from an 8-year-old named Virginia O'Hanlon.
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus," Virginia had written. "Papa says 'if you see it in the Sun, it's so.' Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?"
"Virginia, your little friends are wrong," Church replied. "They have been afflicted by the skepticism of a skeptical age."
A few sentences later, Church invoked the editorial's most memorable passages: "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus."
"Is There a Santa Claus?" was given an obscure place in the Sun, in the third of three columns of editorials on Sept. 21, 1897. It was oddly timed, too — an editorial about Santa Claus appearing in September, three months before Christmas.
But over the years, the editorial became a classic in American journalism, and easily the most memorable item ever published in the Sun. That venerable newspaper folded in January 1950.
The Sun remained a storied name in American journalism, and the name was revived in April 2002 by owners of a new conservative-oriented daily in New York. The resurrected Sun laid claim to its predecessor's legacy, adopting its logo — which proclaimed the Sun "shines for all" — and its elaborate nameplate.
"Yes, Virginia," the Associated Press said of the new newspaper, "there is a New York Sun again."
The new Sun lasted just six, money-losing years in New York's hypercompetitive media market and published its final issue on Sept. 30, 2008. Thus, "Is There a Santa Claus?" outlived two incarnations of its natal newspaper.
So what explains such longevity? Why is the editorial so endlessly appealing?
Several answers offer themselves.
"Is There a Santa Claus?" lives on because it's such a rarity — an all-around cheery story, one without villains or sinister forces.
For many adults, the editorial stirs memories of Christmases past, when they, too, were young believers.
The editorial also offers a connection to a time quite different from ours, a time before jet aircraft, television and the Internet. It is somehow reassuring to know that what was engaging in 1897 remains appealing now.
The editorial lives on as a reminder of the lyrical heights that journalism, on occasion, can reach.
W. Joseph Campbell, a former Newseum scholar, is a tenured professor in the School of Communication at American University in Washington, D.C. He is the author of several books, including"Getting It Wrong: Ten of the Greatest Misrepresented Stories in American Journalism" and "The Year That Defined American Journalism: 1897 and the Clash of Paradigms," in which the story of "Is There a Santa Claus?" is told.
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'Free to Tweet' celebrates First Amendment
'Free to Tweet' celebrates First Amendment
WASHINGTON — During a daylong online celebration of First Amendment rights, high school and college students nationwide can win one of 22 $5,000 scholarships through "Free to Tweet" on Dec. 15, the 220th anniversary of our right to free expression.
Beginning at midnight on Dec. 15, students ages 14 to 22 can tweet their support for the First Amendment with the hashtag #freetotweet, which will enter them in the "Free to Tweet" scholarship competition. Students are encouraged to freely express themselves in their entries, which can be posted on any publicly viewable social media platform, including blogs.
The initiative is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and organized by 1 for All, an unprecedented educational and public service campaign that builds understanding of the First Amendment and its five distinct freedoms: speech, press, religion, assembly and petition.
The Knight Foundation's recently released "Future of the First Amendment" survey indicates that young people who use social media have a better understanding of First Amendment freedoms.
"It matters what young people say about the First Amendment, because each generation re-interprets these fundamental rights, often using the latest tools and technologies," said Michael Maness, vice president of journalism and media innovation for Knight Foundation. "Today's high school and college students are tomorrow's defenders of the First Amendment and all the other freedoms set forth in the Bill of Rights."
All Americans are urged to join the online celebration by tweeting their support for the First Amendment and help reinvigorate the often-overlooked Bill of Rights Day. In late November of 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Dec. 15 a national holiday on the 150th anniversary of the amendments' adoption, declaring Americans "will not, under any threat … surrender the guarantee of liberty our forefathers framed for us in our Bill of Rights." Just days later, Pearl Harbor was attacked and the United States entered World War II. The holiday declaration was largely forgotten.
"December 15 is the anniversary of the day America embraced the First Amendment and the entire Bill of Rights, but unfortunately it is all but forgotten as a national holiday," said Ken Paulson, a founder of the 1 for All campaign and president of the American Society of News Editors. "'Free to Tweet' is a dynamic, multiplatform effort to rekindle appreciation for freedoms we dare not take for granted."
Joining in support of 1 for All and the "Free to Tweet" campaign are such artists as Ke$ha, Joe Nichols, Mary Chapin Carpenter, The Civil Wars, Sarah Jarosz, Jana Kramer and Frankie Ballard. Other celebrity tweeters will be announced in coming weeks.
Students can enter the scholarship competition by tweeting a message of support — using the hashtag #freetotweet — for the First Amendment. The tweet can be self-contained or link to original content on a website or other social media platform. A panel of educators and First Amendment experts will review the entries and award 22 $5,000 scholarships, one for every decade since the ratification of the Bill of Rights. Judging criteria and complete rules can be found at www.1forall.us/freetotweet/.
As part of 1 for All's daylong celebration of the First Amendment on Dec. 15, the Newseum will host a conference for educators on how to use social media to teach about freedom of expression. The event will also be webcast and available to teachers nationwide.
The Occupied Washington Post (Newseum collection)
Occupied News
WASHINGTON — Occupy Wall Street and other Occupied movements across the country may have been organized through the Web and social networking, but newspapers have been instrumental in getting the groups' message across.
The first edition of The Occupied Washington Post — modeled after New York's The Occupied Wall Street Journal and The Occupy Boston Globe — hit the streets in the nation's capital Nov. 1, 2011. The goal for the free newspaper, which boasts "news from Freedom Plaza and around the occupation world," is to be published weekly.
Unlike other cities, Washington is home to two Occupy D.C. groups, each with its own newspaper and editorial staff. One group, based three blocks from the White House in Freedom Plaza, publishes The Occupied Washington Post. The other group is based nearby in McPherson Square and will soon publish The Occupied Washington Times.
Old-fashioned newspapers in the digital age?
"The newspaper gave us an opportunity to more fully describe what we stand for and what we're doing," said Kevin Zeese, a protest organizer affiliated with the Freedom Plaza group. "We also find that people like to have something in their hands."
Zeese, who said he "doesn't read newspapers" and is a "totally online person," nevertheless finds The Occupied Washington Post a valuable tool with the potential for a wide reach. The newspaper is financed through private donations, printed by professionals experienced in independent newspaper publishing and distributed at subway stops and at Freedom Plaza.
The history of special interest groups publishing their own newspapers began in the 19th century. The trend was especially popular among ethnic and immigrant groups whose primary language was not English, and among minorities who were mostly ignored and ridiculed in white newspapers. The Newseum has an exhibit on the minority press in the News History Gallery.
The first issue of The Occupied Washington Post contained eight pages of commentary, photos and an editorial cartoon. A Page One story headlined "A Movement Too Big to Fail," was penned by author and former New York Times Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Chris Hedges. Zeese's article on occupying Freedom Plaza first appeared on Occupy D.C.'s website. He said future print editions would also contain crossword puzzles.
Publishers of The Boston Globe have warned The Occupy Boston Globe about trademark infringement. Zeese said he hasn't heard similar complaints from The Washington Post and added that the Post's name was intentionally chosen.
"We didn't do it to insult them. They have the dominant paper in town. If you're going to pick a dominant newspaper, you pick a national opinion leader like The Washington Post."
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Andy Rooney. (Jim Cooper/Courtesy The Associated Press)
Remembering Andy Rooney
Andy Rooney, the Emmy Award-winning "60 Minutes" pundit whose "A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney" had been a longtime staple of the popular newsmagazine, died Nov. 4, 2011. He was 92.
Rooney got his first reporting job writing for Stars and Stripes during World War II. He was one of the "Writing 69th," a group of correspondents that included his friend Walter Cronkite, that flew with the U.S. Eighth Air Force on its bombing raid of Germany. He was also one of the first U.S. journalists to visit and report on the Buchenwald concentration camp.
Rooney joined CBS in 1949 as a radio and television writer for Arthur Godfrey and Victor Borge. He arrived at CBS News in 1962. His "60 Minutes" commentaries — where he talked about everything from umbrellas to newspapers and crowded elevators — was a summer replacement for "Point/Counterpoint," a political segment at the end of the show that featured Shana Alexander and James Kilpatrick.
Rooney's regular essays began July 2, 1978. The first one was about people who compiled lists of people who died in traffic accidents over the holidays. His last one — the 1,097th — was delivered Oct. 2, 2011.
"I wish I could do this forever," he said. "I can't, though."
Rooney also wrote a syndicated column and was the author of more than a dozen best-selling books.
In 1990, CBS News suspended Rooney for three months without pay for remarks he made about homosexuals during a CBS special program and for a quote about blacks that was attributed to him in The Advocate newspaper. Rooney vehemently denied the quote. Viewer protests and a public apology quickly restored Rooney on the air. When an Associated Press TV critic suggested in 1996 that he retire, Rooney broadcast the critic's telephone number; 7,000 people called in Rooney's defense.
Rooney said the key to his success was speaking his mind and tackling subjects that people took for granted.
"We're so busy analyzing the obscure that we haven't realized that we really haven't mastered the commonplace," he said.
An exhibit on "60 Minutes" is on display in the News Corporation News History Gallery.
Related Links:Literary Journalists
Before they became best-selling authors, these men and women began their careers as newspaper and magazine reporters. They covered wars and social issues, and ended up writing some of the most memorable books in American literature. These literary journalists are featured in exhibits throughout the Newseum.
Newseum/Maria Bryk
Free Admission for Veterans
This offer has expired.
WASHINGTON — In honor of our nation's armed services, all veterans and active duty personnel will receive free admission for themselves and up to three family members Nov. 11-13, 2011.
Complimentary tickets are available only at the admissions desk.
Take a dazzling, high-tech ride through 500 years of headline history, including Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalism, the Berlin Wall and dozens of galleries, theaters and interactive exhibits.
Programs and Events
Friday, Nov. 11
What: Gallery Talks
When: 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Where: Time Warner World News Gallery
Saturday, Nov. 12
What: Collection Connection
When: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Where: The New York Times-Ochs–Sulzberger Family Great Hall of News
Featured artifacts from the Newseum collection include:
- Civil War press badge
- Shell and casing from the wreckage of the USS Maine
- War correspondent's jacket
- Nazi reporter's sketchbook
- Camera used by correspondent Peter Arnett during the Vietnam War
- "Most Wanted" playing cards featuring Saddam Hussein as the Ace of Spades
What: "Inside Media" with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Willman, author of "The Mirage Man: Bruce Ivins, the Anthrax Attacks and America's Rush to War." More >
When: 2:30 p.m.
Where: Knight TV Studio
Sunday, Nov. 13
What: Gallery Talks
When: 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Where: Time Warner World News Gallery
What: "Inside Media" with CNN Pentagon correspondent Christopher Lawrence.
When: 2:30 p.m.
Where: Knight TV Studio
Like all Newseum tickets, these are valid for two consecutive days. This offer is not valid in combination with other discounts.
Free admission for veterans and their families is made possible by Altria Group.
Steve Jobs. (Paul Sakuma/Courtesy The Associated Press)
Remembering Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs, the innovative Apple co-founder whose iPhone and iPad helped revolutionize the way news consumers received their news, died Oct. 5. He was 56.
Jobs was 21 years old when he and Steve Wozniak founded Apple Computer in Jobs's parents' garage. The following year in 1977, they introduced the Apple II series of home computers, which had a retail price of approximately $1,300.
In 1982, Jobs was on the cover of Time magazine as one of "America's Risk Takers," a prescient title for Jobs, who would become a pioneer in groundbreaking technology. Two years later the Macintosh, the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a graphical user interface, was on the market.
Jobs left Apple in 1985 after a dispute with the board. Over the next three years, he created Pixar Animation Studios — which he eventually sold to The Walt Disney Company in 2006 — and NeXT Computer — which Apple purchased in 1996 and brought Jobs back to the company.
Jobs resigned as CEO of Apple in August 2011 after 14 years as company chief.
"I have always said that if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's C.E.O., I would be the first to let you know," Jobs said in his resignation letter to Apple's board of directors. "Unfortunately, that day has come."
Jobs was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer in 2003 and had a liver transplant in 2009.
The introduction of the iPhone in 2007 offered advanced Web browsing technology to news consumers. In 2010, the critically acclaimed iPad let users install apps to read, watch or listen to the news, introducing a whole new platform for journalism.
"The iPad could eventually become your TV, your newspaper and your bookshelf," Newsweek magazine declared after the tablet's premiere.
An exhibit on digital news and its technology, which featured the first iPad, is currently available in the Digital News section of the Bloomberg Internet, TV and Radio Gallery.
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As Social Media Grow, So Does First Amendment Appreciation
As Social Media Grow, So Does First Amendment Appreciation
Each year on Constitution Day, students and teachers celebrate the most fundamental laws of our republic. This year, they should celebrate Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and all other social-media children of the digital age.
Why? Because, it turns out, social media are good for the Constitution. Specifically, social media are good for the First Amendment, the lead item of the Bill of Rights, etched into our national history in 1791:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
The Future of the First Amendment, a new study being released Sept. 16 by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, concludes that today's social media fads are good for that 220-year-old law.
As researcher Ken Dautrich puts it: "There is a clear, positive relationship between student usage of social media to get news and information and greater support for free expression rights."
The University of Connecticut professor has done four major national surveys of high school students on First Amendment issues and has co-written "The Future of the First Amendment: Digital Media, Civic Education and Free Expression Rights in the Nations' High Schools." This spring, he surveyed 12,090 high school students and 900 high school teachers for the latest survey.
The findings are exciting.
Fully 91 percent of students who use social networking to get news and information on a daily basis believe people should be allowed to express unpopular opinions. But only 77 percent of those who never use social networks to get news agree that unpopular opinions should be allowed.
These sorts of surveys are good at establishing connections, but not as good at explaining what causes what. Do social media make you a First Amendment lover? Or do First Amendment lovers just use more social media? I think it's both.
Students using their cellphones to text, tweet, blog and Google are finding out more about the world — like this year's Arab Spring — as well as the connection between social media and freedom.
This year's First Amendment survey also shows students' use of digital media for news and information is growing. Since 2006, it has doubled, with three-quarters of the students getting news from social media several times a week.
Appreciation for freedom is improving right along with that. Students who say the First Amendment "goes too far" has fallen from 45 percent in 2006 to just 24 percent this year.
But you might ask: If the courts decide what the First Amendment means, why do our opinions about it matter?
Because scholars say the Supreme Court's decisions reflect long-term changes in public attitudes — and that's as true for First Amendment doctrine as it is for other parts of the Constitution.
As Judge Learned Hand put it in 1944: "I often wonder whether we do not rest our hopes too much upon constitutions, upon laws and upon courts. These are false hopes. … Liberty lies in the hearts and minds of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it."
Since young people represent the future of American public opinion, they are the real overseers of the future of the First Amendment.
That's why we survey their attitudes.
This year, not all the news is good. While more students now understand that government can't censor the media in this country, nearly 40 percent of them still don't understand that. While more students say they think about the First Amendment, most of them still don't.
And there is still plenty to teach about how responsibility comes along with all these rights.
Even so, when the numbers start to move in the right direction, it's cause for celebration.
Do we have teachers to thank for recent improvement in First Amendment attitudes?
Not really. Fewer students say they get First Amendment instruction in school than they did in our last survey. And only 30 percent of the teachers say they are teaching it, though 86 percent admit it is "very important" for schools to teach it.
This is too bad. Our surveys show that if you teach high school students about the First Amendment, they'll learn.
I'm afraid many teachers actually are a drag on First Amendment learning. The survey says most teachers do not support free-expression rights in a school context. They don't think the school newspaper should print controversial articles. They don't think students should post things about school on their Facebook pages. And they mostly think social media hurt teaching.
Are young people learning as much about freedom via texting than they are via teaching? Maybe. To their credit, teachers say they think there needs to be a lot more digital-media literacy education in schools. I agree.
The dawning of a new digital age in communications has dramatically changed how we consume news and information. Students are adapting to these new tools faster than adults, using them for networking and news, and now, to better appreciate freedom.
Maybe we can learn something from them.
Eric Newton, former Newseum managing editor and historian, is senior adviser to the president of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. He collaborated withDautrich on all four Future of the First Amendment surveys.
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Bernard B. Brody
Rochester Physician and Scientist Bernard B. Brody, 89
Dr. Bernard B. Brody, a retired senior vice president for medical affairs at Genesee Hospital in Rochester, New York, and a trustee of the Freedom Forum for 28 years, died Sept. 2 in Rochester. He was 89.
Elected as a trustee of the Freedom Forum board in 1980, Brody sat on the National Advisory Committee of the Freedom Forum Media Studies Center and accompanied Gannett Co. Chairman Allen H. Neuharth on USA TODAY’s worldwide “JetCapade” reporting tour. Brody became a trustee emeritus in 2008.
“Dr. Brody was a superb medical doctor. But he also ‘doctored’ many of us in many other ways that helped us tremendously in our personal and professional lives,” said Allen H. Neuharth, founder of the Freedom Forum.
Born in New York City in 1922, Brody earned a chemistry degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1943. During World War II, he worked on atomic bomb research in the Manhattan Project, separating plutonium from uranium.
In 1951, Brody was awarded a medical degree from the University of Rochester. During the Korean War, he monitored and treated accidental exposures to chemical warfare working with the U.S. Army Medical Branch of the Chemical Corps.
Brody combined private practice with clinical laboratory and administrative directorships at The Genesee Hospital from 1956 to 1987, serving also as a consultant for Eastman Kodak Co.’s clinical-products division.
His first wife, the former Ruth Miller Brody, died in 2002. He married Dr. Jocelyn Hicks Brody in 2009. Besides his wife of Rochester, survivors include two daughters, Sarah A. Epstein of Palo Alto, Ca. and Rachel Bandych of Rochester; and two grandchildren.
Newseum/Maria Bryk
September is for Seniors at the Newseum
WASHINGTON — During the month of September, admission for seniors age 65 and over is only $9 ($9.54 with tax).
The deal runs Sept. 1-30, 2011.
This offer also applies to advance reservations senior groups. Tickets are currently available only at the admissions desk.
Once inside, seniors get:
- Free "Be a TV Reporter" downloads
- 15 percent discounts on purchases in the Food Section.
Don't miss "War on Terror: The FBI's New Focus," the newest section in the "G-Men and Journalists" exhibit, which opens Sept. 2. Sixty new artifacts, including engine parts and landing gear from the airliners that crashed into the World Trade Center, illustrate the FBI's efforts to fight terrorism.
Senior discount tickets, like all Newseum tickets, are valid for two consecutive days.
Related Links:
Lowell Thomas. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, New York World – Telegram and Sun collection)
30 Years Ago in News History: 'So Long,' Lowell Thomas
"So long, until tomorrow."
The baritone sign-off of pioneer broadcast journalist Lowell Thomas was known to millions of NBC and CBS radio listeners from 1930 to 1976. When he died on Aug. 29, 1981, he left a defining mark in news history.
Thomas started his career in print at the Chicago Evening Journal and later experimented with other media forms. During World War I, he went overseas to film the war for American audiences.
While in the Middle East, Thomas met a British Army captain named T.E. Lawrence. Thomas profiled Lawrence's activities in the Arabian desert in a film he titled "With Lawrence in Arabia." The film was a hit and made Thomas and "Lawrence of Arabia" internationally famous.
Thomas hosted a regular radio broadcast — "Lowell Thomas and the News" — from 1930 until 1976. The program was first on NBC and CBS, then later only on CBS. He narrated newsreels for Fox Movietone News for 17 years, beginning in 1935. Thomas also delivered the first regularly scheduled TV news broadcast in 1940.
Later in his career, Thomas formed a group of broadcast stations that would become known as Capital Cities. The company expanded through the years, and bought ABC in 1985. ABC is now owned by Disney.
Thomas was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1989 and is currently featured in the Newseum's database of pioneering news journalists.
The Daily Progress, published in Charlottesville, Va.
Earthquake the Top Story at Newseum
WASHINGTON — The rare earthquake near Mineral, Va., that jolted much of the East Coast Aug. 23 was Page One news Wednesday morning in dailies across the country.
"5.8 Quake Rattles East Coast Nerves," proclaimed The Tribune of San Luis Obispo, Calif.
"Double whammy," declared The Denver Post, referring to the afternoon earthquake in the East and the nighttime earthquake in Colorado.
Temblors along the East Coast were felt as far north as Maine and as far south as Georgia, forcing the evacuation and closure of many federal offices and national landmarks.
The Newseum, which closed early for safety precautions, reopened later in the day for a scheduled evening event.
"Visitor safety is always our foremost priority," said Lawton Samuels, visitor services manager at the Newseum. "The decision not to resume business after the earthquake enabled us to properly assess the building for structural damage and other impairments. This morning, the Newseum opened at its normal time, fully functional."
People who were touring local museums when the earthquake hit shared their stories on the Newseum's Facebook page.
"We were standing in the 9/11 exhibit of the Newseum looking at the recovered part of the Twin Towers. We had just finished watching the movie on 9/11," said Stephanie Togni. "Our first thought was terrorism."
"I was at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History on the second floor, and the entire building was shaking," said Alice Giraud. "We all walked, some ran out of the building. It was scary."
Newseum exhibits and artifacts were unharmed.
"All is well with the artifacts and exhibits throughout the Newseum," said Carrie Christoffersen, curator of collections. "We lost a few hours of work, but the current [FBI "War on Terror"] installation is still going well. We expect the exhibit to remain completely on schedule."
The Smithsonian and other area museums are open Aug. 24, as well as the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials.
The 555-foot-tall Washington Monument will remain closed while the National Park Service evaluates a crack that was found near the top of the national landmark.
Related Links:New Chapter for Newseum’s FBI Exhibit
Now Open
ABC News Changing Exhibits Gallery, Concourse Level
WASHINGTON — The FBI’s role in fighting terrorism before and after Sept. 11, 2001, is the subject of a new section of the Newseum’s “G-Men and Journalists" FBI exhibit.
“War on Terror: The FBI’s New Focus,” tells the story of the FBI’s changed mission after terrorists hijacked four airplanes and drilled them into the World Trade Center Towers in New York, the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C., and a field near Shanksville, Pa.
Sixty new artifacts, including engine parts and landing gear from the airliners that crashed into the World Trade Center, will be added to the gallery to illustrate the FBI’s efforts to fight terrorism.
The exhibit also shows how terrorists have used the news media to provide exposure for their causes, with artifacts from former ABC News reporter John Miller, who was the last Western reporter to interview al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden before the 9/11 attacks.
Among the new artifacts:
- Airplane parts from the World Trade Center
- Cellphones and pagers recovered from the debris of the World Trade Center
- Personal belongings of the airplane passengers
- Shoe bomber Richard Reid’s shoe bombs, matches and clothing, and the belts passengers used to restrain him
Free Newseum Admission Sept. 10-11 Weekend
Free Newseum Admission Sept. 10-11 Weekend
Advance tickets for Sept. 10 and Sept. 11 are SOLD OUT. Each day, however, a limited number of free tickets will be distributed at the door on a first-come, first-served basis, based on building capacity.
WASHINGTON — To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the Newseum will offer free admission to all visitors on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 10-11, 2011.
This will be the first time since the Newseum's grand opening in April 2008 that admission has been free.
The Newseum's 9/11 Gallery Sponsored by Comcast, the first permanent museum exhibit about the attacks, features a 31-foot section of the broadcast antenna that stood atop the World Trade Center's north tower; a limestone piece of the Pentagon and a twisted piece of the fuselage of Flight 93 that crashed in Shanksville, Pa.
With additional support from Comcast, new digital kiosks will be added to the gallery on Sept. 7 so that visitors can share their personal experiences from 9/11 and comment on how life has changed for them since that day. A selection of visitor comments will be projected on the wall of the gallery.
An 11-minute video produced by the Newseum titled “Running Toward Danger” tells the stories of journalists who covered the attack. One hundred and twenty seven newspaper front pages from Sept. 12, 2001, are on display in the exhibit to illustrate the global coverage of the disaster.
On Sept. 2, the Newseum will open an expanded section of its popular FBI exhibit focusing on the agency's role in fighting terrorism before and after Sept. 11, 2001. Sixty new artifacts, including engine parts and landing gear from the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center, will be added to the gallery to illustrate the FBI's efforts to fight terrorism.
The Newseum also will host two special programs examining the impact of the terrorist attacks on American life today.
- On Wednesday, Sept. 7, Charles Gibson, former anchor of ABC's “World News,” will moderate a discussion looking back on 9/11. Special guests include Ari Fleischer, Victoria Clarke and Jim Miklaszewski.
- On Saturday, Sept. 10, CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen and former ABC News correspondent John Miller will share their experiences interviewing 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden.
Martin Luther King Jr. speaking at the 1963 March on Washington. (Courtesy The Associated Press)
Martin Luther King Jr. in the Newseum
WASHINGTON — As the Oct. 16, 2011, date approaches for the dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall, King’s legacy is on permanent display throughout the Newseum.
- Level 6: The Willard Hotel was the place where King wrote his stirring “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963. The story is told in an exhibit on the Hank Greenspun Terrace on Pennsylvania Avenue.
- Level 5: “The Press and the Civil Rights Movement,” a Newseum-produced video located in the News Corporation News History Gallery, includes an early television interview with King.
- Level 5: Historic headlines of landmark moments in civil rights — including the original newspaper front pages of King’s 1963 speech at the March on Washington; Jackie Robinson breaking major league baseball’s color barrier in 1947; and Barack Obama’s 2008 election as the first African-American president — are in the News Corporation News History Gallery.
- Level 5: The Greensboro, N.C., lunch counter where African-American students refused to leave after being denied service in the “whites only” section in 1960 is also in the News Corporation News History Gallery.
- Level 3: Excerpts from the “I Have a Dream” speech can be seen and heard in the Bloomberg Internet, TV and Radio Gallery.
- Level 1: The gripping story behind photographer Moneta Sleet Jr.’s Pulitzer Prize-winning photo of a grieving Coretta Scott King at her husband’s funeral in 1968 is told in the Pulitzer Prize Photographs Gallery.
- 50 Years Ago in News History: The Freedom Rides
- 50 Years Ago in News History: Greensboro Sit-Ins
- Moneta Sleet: Prized Photo Fit for a King
- Hank Greenspun Terrace on Pennsylvania Avenue
- News Corporation News History Gallery
- Bloomberg Internet, TV and Radio Gallery
- Pulitzer Prize Photographs Gallery
