Austin Newspapers Collection
Scope and Contents
The collection contains issues of community newspapers including The Austin Herald, The Austin News, The Austinite, The Austin Voice, The Austin Weekly News, and The Windy City Word.
Dates
- 1876-1997
- Majority of material found within 1970 - 1997
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Please consult staff to determine ability to reuse materials from collection.
Biographical / Historical
The Austin neighborhood is seven miles west of Chicago’s Loop. Community number 25 of Chicago's 77 official communities, it is on the western edge of the city bordering Cicero, Oak Park and Elmwood Park. Austin was annexed into Chicago in 1889.
Over the years, the Austin community has been served by several different newspapers. Reporters for these local papers closely followed community events and people. Stories about community controversies, political trends and prominent local citizens, as well as articles about local businesses, religious institutions, social organizations, and schools dominate the reporting in these neighborhood papers. The newspapers also provide information about contemporary business establishments, especially through their advertising.
Published by Pioneer Press, The Austinite has been Austin's most enduring newspaper. The Austinite offers a good historical overview of Austin’s commercial development with advertisements, club announcements and general news stories.
In the early 1970s, Austin was characterized by demographic changes that precipitated racial tension and in some instances, violence. The Austin News chronicles this episode in Austin’s history and is a good contemporary counterpart to the historical archival materials held in the Austin Community Collection.
By the mid-1980s, two other community newspapers were in publication: The Austin Voice and The Austin Weekly News. The Austin Voice began as a weekly in 1985. A division of Megamedia Enterprises, the Voice promised “a steady flow” of Austin news, features, advice, and life. The Austin Voice also served the Garfield Park and Lawndale communities and featured articles on area gangs, businesses, hospitals, schools, religious institutions, and politicians. The Austin Weekly News began operations in 1986 and was published by The Oak Park Wednesday Journal. The News masthead reads: “Working together to reflect the Austin Community” and section titles include Health, Military Notes, Austin Entrepreneurs, and Across Austin.
Finally, The Windy City Word, another newspaper distributed free of charge, serves the greater West Side of Chicago. “Reporting progressive news weekly,” the Word includes articles on fashion, the arts, schools, public utilities, and health.
Extent
69 Linear Feet (in 23 boxes plus 2 oversize folders)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The collection contains community newspapers includes The Austin Herald, The Austin News, The Austinite, The Austin Voice, The Austin Weekly News, and The Windy City Word. The issues primarily span 1970-1997.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged alphabetically by newspaper and chronologically within title.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Austin Newspaper Collection consists of an initial accession and two supplementary accessions. The initial accession was transferred from Chicago Public Library, Austin Branch as part of a Dr. Scholl Foundation grant in 1984. The issues span Boxes 1-10 and include The Austin Herald, The Austin News, The Austinite, Austin Topics and Austin Vindicator.
The supplements span Boxes 11-21 and Boxes 22-23, respectively, and include The Austin Voice, The Austin Weekly News and The Windy City Word.
- Austin (Chicago, Ill.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Austin (Chicago, Ill.) -- Newspapers Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Austin News (Chicago, Ill.) -- Archives
- Austin Voice (Chicago, Ill.) -- Archives
- Austin Weekly News (Chicago, Ill.) -- Archives
- Austinite (Chicago, Ill.) -- Archives
- East Garfield Park (Chicago, Ill.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- North Lawndale (Chicago, Ill.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- South Lawndale (Chicago, Ill.)
- West Garfield Park (Chicago, Ill.) Subject Source: Local sources
- Windy City Word (Chicago, Ill.) -- Archives
Source
- Chicago Public Library. Austin Branch (Organization)
- Title
- Guide to the Austin Newspapers Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Original author unknown, 1985. Updated and ingested into ArchivesSpace by Michelle McCoy, 2021
- Date
- 1985
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Unit at Harold Washington Library Center Repository
Harold Washington Library Center, 9th Floor
Chicago Public Library
400 S. State Street
Chicago IL 60605 United States
(312) 747-4875
specoll@chipublib.org