Research Guides: Historical U.S. Newspapers: District of Columbia

The Washington Post

As one of the most prominent newspapers in the nation and the eye of the nation's capital, the Washington Post is a treasured local resource. The University of Maryland provides access to historical issues of the Post in several ways:

Electronic Database: Via Washington Post (1877-1995) from the Historical Newspapers series, users have access to full page and article images with searchable full text back to the first issue. The collection includes digital reproductions providing access to every page from every available issue.

Microfilm: McKeldin Library offers the Washington Post on microfilm dating from 1974, for those who wish to access the newspaper in that format.

Print Index: The Libraries also maintain a collection of printed indexes for the Washington Post in the McKeldin Reference section. These indexes can be used to locate specific articles, subjects, or events throughout the run of the newspaper. They function similarly to the electronic database, except in print format. The call number is AI21 .W32, and they may be found in the catalog here.

Washington Post Histories

A number of histories of the Washington Post are available in the University Libaries. Here is a sampling:

In the Shadow of Power: the Story of the Washington Post by Chalmers M. Roberts; Jane Gold (Editor)
Call Number: McKeldin Stacks: PN4899.W31 W348 1989
Publication Date: 1989-09-01
Katharine Graham by Robin Gerber; Jim Collins (Foreword by)
Call Number: McKeldin Stacks: Z473.G7 G47 2005
Publication Date: 2005-10-20
For more than twenty years, Katharine Graham was a self-described “doormat wife.” But after her husband’s suicide, she took over as publisher and CEO of The Washington Post and shocked the male executives who bet against her success. She defied the government by publishing the Pentagon Papers, took on the president in the Watergate investigation, and stood down a violent labor strike. Through every challenge she stuck by her values, building a diverse, profitable, and much-admired company.
The Imperial Post by Tom Kelly
Call Number: McKeldin Stacks: PN4899.W31 W34 1983
Publication Date: 1983
The Washington Post: the First 100 Years by Chalmers M. Roberts
Call Number: McKeldin Stacks: PN4899.W31 W35
Publication Date: 1977-11-01

Other Resources

DC Public Library's Special Collections
The DC Public Library maintains a collection called Washingtoniana that contains, among other things, 2.5 million newspaper clippings and 1.3 million photographs from the former Washington Star.
America's Historical Newspapers (electronic resource)
This database, available through Research Port provides users with access to hundreds of historical newspapers, including 38 from the District of Columbia.
Microfilm Collection
The McKeldin Library microfilm collection contains a number of titles from Washington, DC, including the Daily Globe, the National Intelligencer, and the Washington Times.