Extra! Extra! Read all about it…online! The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) has published the Texas State Library and Archives Newspaper collection finding aid, available to view through Texas Archival Resources Online (TARO).
Alphabetically arranged by Texas and non-Texas newspapers, the collection consists of 1,600 newspapers published between 1741 and 2006. The collection spans time periods ranging from the Republic-era to Statehood, the American Civil War through Reconstruction, industrialization through the Second World War, and into the modern era. These newspapers document aspects of Texas history including migration and emigration, education, politics, religion, government, labor movements, and major industries such as agriculture and petroleum.
Among the oldest Texas newspapers within the collection is The Texas Gazette, published in San Felipe de Austin in 1829 (name changed to Mexican Citizen in 1831). Examples of Republic-era papers include The Red-Lander (1838-1839, 1841-1847), and The National Vindicator, published in Washington-on-the-Brazos in 1843-1844.
With newspapers published in English, Spanish, Italian and German, the collection reflects the richly varied history of Texas. Such papers as the San Antonio El Bejareño, the Brownsville Democrata, the San Antonio La Prensa, the Corpus Christi Verdad, and the Dallas La Tribuna Italiana, shed light on those vibrant communities.
Twenty-eight newspaper titles from this collection have been digitized so far through an ongoing partnership with the University of North Texas (UNT) and are now freely available on TSLAC’s Texas Digital Archive (TDA) and through UNT’s Portal to Texas History. Since 2023, this partnership allows for digitization of historical newspapers in formats including fragile print issues and microfilm reels, ensuring that the information within these newspapers is preserved and accessible for years to come.
One of the oldest digitized newspapers available on the TDA is the Dallas Herald, published in 1855. The Neu-Braunfelser Zeitung, now known as the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, is among the longest-published newspapers in Texas and is one of the digitized newspapers available through the TDA. Digitized papers providing coverage before, during, and after the Civil War include The Harrison Flag and The Goliad Guard, while papers documenting events at the beginning of the twentieth century include the Alpine Avalanche, The Texas Christian Advocate, and The Terry County Herald.
For genealogists, students, educators and historians of Texas history, these Texas newspapers, more of which will appear online as digitization continues, present much to explore.
For information about access to collections at TSLAC contact reference staff at 512-463-5455 or ref@tsl.texas.gov.