The University recently added a number of Revolutionary War editions of the Virginia Gazette to the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections. The 133 issues of the Virginia Gazette were printed between 1776 and 1777, and include the first press release for the Declaration of Independence, according Charlotte Morford, director for communications for the University library system.
The historic newspapers were acquired with the help of alumnus Albert H. Small and have been added to the collection that bears his name. Small has helped the University acquire a number of valuable historic documents, including a copy of the Declaration of Independence.
The addition of the Virginia Gazette issues "fits really well with the collection that we are already happy to share with people" Morford added.
The Virginia Gazette is a Williamsburg-based newspaper that has been in print since 1736, according to Gazette Editor Rusty Carter. At the time of its formation, there were several other papers in existence that bore the same name, but over time its owner became the dominate company.
The historic issues of the Virginia Gazette provide a valuable tool for scholars and historians, as they contain a wealth of information about life during the Revolutionary Age in Virginia. In addition to printing a public copy of the Declaration of Independence, the issues of the Gazette also include features such as advertisements for slave auctions, decisions made by the General Assembly and other news of the times. Even its title graphic reflected the colonists' war-time tension, as it changed from the British coat of arms to the symbol of the 13 united colonies as the war progressed, Morford said.
"A lot of our nation's history is in those pages ... it's nice to be a part of that." Carter said.
As part of the Small collection, the editions of the Virginia Gazette are not on display, but are still available to the public.
"We're delighted that people are interested," Morford said, adding that she encourages students to come and view the newspapers.
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