The Florida Digital Newspaper Library: Ethnic Newspapers Database An online presentation and tutorial by Rebecca Jefferson and April Hines Ethnic Newspapers from Florida Database
Ethnic Newspapers from Florida Database From print to microfilm s earching through microfilm is labor intensive and must be done at the holding library or institution Microfilm was a good solution for preserving Newspaper stand, Jacksonville, FL, 1939
Ethnic Newspapers from Florida Database From m icrofilm to d igital Historical newspapers produced before 1977 and without a copyright notice may be digitally reproduced for free online access. Newspapers published after 1977 are made accessible through a single user check out system. ALL of the over 1.3 million pages of newspapers in the Florida Digital Newspaper Library are FREELY AVAILABLE for searching, reading and downloading. from any public or personal computer. The Florida Digital Newspaper Library (FDNL) exists to provide open, online access newspapers are a state treasure, the historian's and genealogist's best friend, and the community's collective memory.
1. Background to the project: what unmet needs does it serve? 2. An introduction to the Ethnic Newspapers Database 3. The Jewish Floridian newspaper 4. Future steps 5. A tutorial on how to access these materials 6. Q&A session 7. Survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GSQFW6K Ethnic Newspapers from Florida Database Help the project move forward: please take the short survey and give us your feedback!
A. B. C. A major primary resource for researching Florida Jewish history, The Jewish Floridian newspaper, is virtually hidden D. The history of this long standing ethnic newspaper remains unknown and unwritten Ethnic Newspapers from Florida Database Background to the project: what unmet needs does it serve?
Ethnic Newspapers from Florida Database T Interest in the ethnic groups of Florida and their history is likewise increasing, yet primary resources for research into the early history of these communities are limited. Historic newspaper collections on microfilm or in electronic databases are frequently inaccessible, or they are too expensive for public libraries, historical societies, and smaller colleges to maintain or acquire. Many important, older materials like this first issue of La Gaceta a weekly Spanish/English newspaper produced in Tampa, are in a poor physical state and in need of digital preservation. The first issue of La Gaceta October 5, 1922: there are 993 issues of this newspaper available online in the FDNL
Ethnic Newspapers from Florida Database T To date, no comprehensive history of the Jewish community of Florida has been written; yet this comparatively small section of the general population has made a significant impact on the state. Today, there are 13 Jewish community centers and more than 300 synagogues across the state. Florida currently has the third largest Jewish population in the United States with over 614,000 self identified Jews Early sources, like this first issue of T he Jacobean, an English language Jewish community newsletter produced in Miami, FL, will help build the picture of Jewish life in Florida in the 20 th century. The first issue of The Jacobean October 2, 1931.
Ethnic Newspapers from Florida Database A major primary resource, The Jewish Floridian newspaper, is virtually hidden The Jewish Floridian longest standing ethnic newspaper of note. It was first produced in Miami and later around the state from 1928 1990. A substantial broadsheet such as The Jewish Floridian provides a key resource for charting the development of a major ethnic group in Florida. Yet, in their previous state as a microfilm resource, The Jewish Floridian newspapers were virtually hidden. Researchers wishing to mine the wealth of information contained in its over 48,000 pages had to engage in the painstaking and time consuming process of trawling through the microfilm page by page. The first issue of The Jewish Floridian October 19, 1928
Ethnic Newspapers from Florida Database The history of this long standing ethnic newspaper is unknown and unwritten The Jewish Floridian was established in 1927 by J. Louis Shochet Its founding paralleled the growth of the Jewish community in Florida. The Floridian grew from a four page publication in 1928 to 24 pages of international, national, state and local news Shochet The Jewish Floridian ran for a total of 63 years until it was disbanded in 1990. Beyond some basic facts, little else is known about this key primary source. The last issue of The Jewish Floridian ( May 18, 1990 )
Introduction to the Ethnic Newspapers Database The Ethnic Newspapers from Florida collection includes newspapers, newsletters and magazines produced by and for immigrant, ethnic, racial, and linguistic minorities, as well as indigenous groups living in Florida. The database currently comprises 22 newspaper titles. These include, in addition to the Jewish newspapers, four other ethnic papers. The database holds, for example, 1137 issues of The Florida Star newspaper. Founded in 1951, The Florida Star is the oldest and most widely circulated African American newspaper in the northeast of Florida.
The Jewish Floridian Ethnic Newspapers from Florida Database State ex rel. Miami Leathercote Co. v. Gray (Florida Supreme Court, April 5, 1949) : It is agreed that 'The Jewish Floridian' has a circulation of approximately 4000 copies, that 3300 copies go to paid subscribers, that 1000 copies are purchased each week by the Plaza Theatre, Miami Beach and are distributed by it to its patrons as good will advertising, that it is sold on news stands in Miami and is distributed throughout the United States, that 86.5 per cent of its paid subscribers are of the Jewish faith and the balance, or 13.5 per cent are non Jewish, that Dade County has a population of 315,138, 40,000 of whom are Jewish people. It is also agreed that 'The Jewish Floridian' is a weekly paper of sixteen pages, and that a portion of each issue is devoted to news of a general The Jewish Floridian, December 3, 1948
Ethnic Newspapers from Florida Database A brief survey of the Jewish Floridian newspaper The Jewish Floridian was expanded around the state, beginning with the Greater Hollywood edition, in November, 1970. The edition with the shortest run was The Jewish Floridian of North Broward which lasted from 1971 1974 with a total of 64 issues. The Jewish Floridian of South Broward was the last to emerge in November 1983. It outlived the main Miami edition by one month and was disbanded in June 1990.
A wealth of material for historical, economic, social, cultural and genealogical research Ethnic Newspapers from Florida Database Social history research: Katherine Ann Otis used The Jewish Floridian as a source for her social and cultural history of life in retirement ( PhD thesis, 2008 ). This cartoon from the thesis shows the perceived generation gap in American Jewish society ( The Jewish Floridian September 18, 1959) Genealogical research: a recent query to the library asked about a family member featured in this article about ethnic tensions from May 1, 1964 Economics research: pages from The Jewish Floridian filled with local advertisements and lists of Florida business names and addresses
The development of The Jewish Floridian through the decades: 1920s 1990s Ethnic Newspapers from Florida Database 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990
Since The Jewish Floridian Ethnic Newspapers from Florida Database
Future of the project: The Isser and Rae Price Library of Judaica holds five historic Florida Jewish newspaper titles on microfilm 1. Community Council Commentator (Jacksonville, 1943 1985) 2. Florida Jewish News (Jacksonville, 1936 1938) 3. The Jewish Citizen (Jacksonville, 1938 1939) 4. The Jewish Floridian (Miami + other counties, 1928 1990) 5. The Southern Jewish Weekly (Jacksonville, 1939 1992) Ethnic Newspapers from Florida Database
Future expansion of Jewish materials in the database: The River Garden News and the Center Bulletin, Jacksonville, Fl. are two examples of hundreds of newsletters collected by the Price Library of Judaica Ethnic Newspapers from Florida Database
Moving forward with the project 1. Partner with institutions to provide greater access and use of the Florida Digital Newspaper Library 2. Conduct surveys of its usage 3. Identify more materials for inclusion in the Ethnic Newspapers from Florida database 4. Identify partners to supply materials to enlarge database 5. Identify funding for larger collaborative digitization projects Ethnic Newspapers from Florida Database
JEWISH MUSEUM OF FLORIDA Ethnic Newspapers from Florida Database T hank you to our partners and supporters! State of Florida Division of Library and Information Services