The Commercial Appeal, 1894-Today A searchable online archive of Memphis, Tennessee’s leading newspaper

Quick Facts Nearly a century of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism from the heart of Tennessee A vibrant chronicle of local, regional and national history Valuable for students and faculty in a variety of disciplines

Overview

For nearly a century, the fiercely independent The Commercial Appeal has chronicled the story of Memphis, Tennessee, in unparalleled detail. From the impact of railroads and steamboats to life in the Jim Crow era, the Civil Rights movement, the city’s arts and culture and much more, the archives of The Commercial Appeal shed light on daily life and major news events throughout the 20th century. Now, these primary source documents are available in a fully searchable online archive, allowing modern scholars to search, browse and examine every page exactly as it appeared in print.

A staunch advocate for Memphis When The Commercial Appeal began publishing at the end of the 19th century, Memphis was a city in transition. The lumber and cotton industries were bolstering the local economy; sewers, streetcars and skyscrapers were modernizing daily life; and an influx of African American migrants were revolutionizing the city’s culinary and musical heritage. With reporting, photography, editorials, cartoons, advertisements and classifieds that illuminated these and other changes, The Commercial Appeal soon became one of most important newspapers in the South. In the ensuing decades, the paper used its influence to further Memphis’s interests, advocating for the creation of the Port of Memphis and the Tennessee Valley Authority. The Commercial Appeal won the 1923 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for its opposition of the Ku Klux Klan’s operations in the region.

Global issues, local impacts In addition to in-depth reporting on local and regional industry, politics, education, sports and social issues, The Commercial Appeal recorded Memphis’ vibrant culture, including Beale Street’s famous blues clubs and the rise of stars like Elvis Presley, Muddy Waters, BB King, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash. In 1962, the paper covered the opening of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and in 1968 it reported on the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis. Throughout the 20th century, the paper also reflected how global events such as World War I, World War II and the Great Depression affected the lives and livelihoods of Memphis residents, including Memphis’ role as a military and POW hub. Taken as a whole, the archives of The Commercial Appeal offer a one-of-a-kind glimpse into the people, issues and events that shaped Memphis and beyond.

Seamless coverage across time The Commercial Appeal can be searched independently or integrated with thousands of local, regional, national and international news sources. By combining historical newspapers and contemporary news sources within a single, easy-to-use interface, NewsBank empowers users to track trending topics over time and research events, people or topics from locations around the world.

For more information on this and other NewsBank collections, call 800.762.8182, email [email protected] or visit www.newsbank.com

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