First American Newspaper Published in 1690
Publick Occurrences ran four pages — one left blank for readers to add their own news before passing it along. Publisher Benjamin Harris had written critically about the Massachusetts colonial government and made uncomfortable remarks about French-allied Indigenous allies. The governor shut it down after a single issue. It never published again. The first newspaper in the Americas lasted one day. The blank page Harris included for readers to fill in was, unintentionally, the most forward-thinking thing about it.
September 25, 1690
336 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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